Making the Most of

Social Media

What IsSocial Media?

“People connecting via technology to get things they need from each other, bypassing traditional institutions, like Corporations.”

--Groundswellby Charlene Li & John Bernoff

Benefits ofSocial Media✦ Free!✦ Connect with

Global Audience✦ Check out Competition✦ Increase Website Traffic

✦ Create Visibility & Awareness

✦ Establish Credibility✦ Collaborate on Projects✦ Shorten Product

Development Time

✦ Generate Leads & Sales✦ Strengthen Brand

Social Media Etiquette

✦ Observe ✦Participate✦ Play Nice✦ Be an Encourager✦ Be Sincere✦ Don’t Beg✦ Be Patient

✦ Put in Time✦ Offer Value✦ Guard Your Online Reputation✦ Say Please & Thank-you✦ Be Relevant✦ Don’t Overdo It

✦ Smile✦ Contribute Quality Comments✦ Listen to the Conversation✦ Make Others Look Good✦ Use Your Own Voice

Steps towardSocial Media Success

✦ Listen to the conversation✦ Define your

target audience✦ Determine your

objectives✦ Plan your strategy

✦ Establish a presence✦ Position yourself

as an expert ✦ Build a following

✦ Provide value to your community

Your Blog✦ Easy to upload new content (compared to traditional website)✦ Communicate with Customers/Clients✦ Establish yourself as an authority/expert in your niche✦ Interact with readers and other bloggers✦ Market products and/or services

Types of Social Media

✦ Blogs✦ Social Networks✦ Social News✦ Social Measuring✦ Microblogging✦ Social Bookmarking✦ Social Q & A✦ Video Sharing✦ Photo Sharing

✦ Social Search✦ Professional Networks✦ Niche Communities✦ Social Email✦ Comment Communities✦ Regional & Local Sites✦Podcasting Communities

✦ Blog Networks✦ Presentation-sharing Sites✦ Content-driven Sites (Wikis)✦ Product-based Sites✦ Review & Recommendation Sites✦ Sites that Defy Definition

Facebook✦ Access a Quarter Billion People ✦ Fan pages are indexed by Google -- great for SEO✦ Fan pages publish to the news stream (group updates don’t)✦ Fan pages offer analytics data ✦ Fan pages are customizable -- great for strengthening brands✦ Great place to interact with audience

Facebook Tactics

✦ Greet guests -- create a custom landing page for non-fans✦ Offer sneak previews to fans✦ Give fans early access and/or special discounts to sales✦ Offer fans exclusive information, like having a backstage pass or private tour guide✦ Create a custom URL instead of the default one

Twitter✦ Create a Buzz✦ Link to Posts & Product Pages✦ Network within Niche✦ Research in Real Time✦ Branding✦ Customer Service✦ Share Valuable Information with Followers✦ Keep up with News✦ Fun Chit Chat

Twitter Tactics

✦ Keep profile updated with new products & services✦ Cover events, such as conferences & workshops -- create a special hashtag (#) so those at home can participate✦ Time tweets for optimum leverage✦ Display link to Twitter profile in email signature

LinkedIn✦ Personal & Company Branding✦ Establish Expertise by Recommendations from Others✦ Showcase Experience through Profile✦ Research through Q&A✦ Keep up with Niche Trends✦ Stream Blog & Twitter Feeds into Profile

LinkedIn Tactics

✦ Complete profile as thoroughly as possible✦ Answer questions -- display your expertise✦ Get recommendations from those who know your work✦ Ask experts for advice✦ Get LinkedIn updates via email and compliment your contacts when you hear of their successes

YouTube✦ Create Tutorials ✦ Showcase Products & Services✦ Boost Search Engine Rankings✦ Learn by Watching Tutorials Posted by Others✦ Increase Perceived Value of Your Blog by Embedding Videos ✦ Strengthen Brand via Dynamic Profile & Channel

YouTube Tactics

✦ Limit videos to less than 3 minutes ✦ Use highest resolution possible✦ Quality audio is more important than video quality✦ Create a series of videos to hook readers✦ Write script in advance✦ Be yourself & make it fun

Flickr✦ Showcase Products & Services✦ Boost Search Engine Rankings✦ Free Bandwidth & Disk Storage✦ Easy to Use✦ Assign a license to your photos✦ Variety of photos to choose from on almost any topic✦ Guest passes are available to non-members

Flickr Tactics

✦ Use logo as buddy icon✦ Use HTML tags in photo & profile descriptions (Hint: link back to your blog)✦ Don’t blatantly advertise ✦ Use tags ✦ Put keywords in photo titles✦ Join niche groups✦ Request feedback on works in progress

Conclusion

✦ Forge Relationships✦ Connect with Audience✦ Check out Competition✦ Increase Website Traffic

✦ Create Visibility & Awareness

✦ Establish Credibility✦ Collaborate on Projects✦ Shorten Product

Development Time

✦ Generate Leads & Sales✦ Strengthen Brand