Crash Course in Social Media
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Do you tweet? Have you updated your status on Facebook®? How many people are in your LinkedIn network? Have no clue what I’m talking about? No worries! I’m about to give you a crash course in the recent communication phenomena referred to as social media. Essentially, social media is the convergence of people online connecting with each other, sharing common thoughts, ideas, and beliefs. As individuals, we like to make decisions based upon our beliefs. As a business owner, you can benefit by getting in on the conversations that make up social media.
Utilizing social media is a great way to learn more about your consumers/customers so that you can align your brands. Never before has the accessibility of the population at large been available in this intimate of a format. No doubt, the emergence of social media represents a fundamental shift in how business is conducted today and will be in the future. Those that intend to remain relevant in the marketplace need to be aware of, and actively participate in, these conversations.
Where Are Conversations Being Read?
There are literally hundreds of social media sites to choose from. So where does one begin? Facebook® and Twitter® are logical choices, as they are quite prominent and popular. Facebook has a whopping 500 million active users, with 150 million of those accessing the site from their mobile devices. Facebook is a site that connects friends and acquaintances and has proven an excellent tool for helping busy or distant people keep in touch.
Facebook has “fan” pages that people can choose to “like.” By liking a site they are electing to see site updates in their daily news feeds. People can then share an update if they desire with their group of friends, further perpetuating the message. Businesses can use fan pages as a forum for feedback, ideas and opinions on any given number of topics that the company chooses to pose. Those companies that offer the most value by means of meaningful information, promotions and sincere interactions are the ones reaping the greatest rewards. These rewards can manifest themselves in greater brand loyalty and awareness, increased traffic on the company Web site and ultimately increased revenues.
Another popular site is Twitter. This site is for those who are interested in knowing what people are doing right “now.” Twitter has over 190 million monthly visitors and generates 65 million tweets each day. A tweet is similar to a status update on Facebook, but is limited to 140 typed characters. The 140-character limit requires updates get right to the point. This concise format allows users to scan multiple tweets relatively quickly. It’s an instant gratification forum. Information is given and received live. People can choose to “follow” individuals or businesses.
This site is designed to facilitate the delivery of information to followers instantly, which followers can then “retweet” to those following them. This user-friendly format allows for information to be transmitted at lightning speed and takes the concept of “word of mouth” to a whole new level. The ability to have this perpetual connection provides positive opportunities for customer service, marketing and promotions departments to enhance the brand’s reputation.
Facebook and Twitter are probably the best places to get acquainted with social media, but by no means should these two be your only outlet online. There are blogs, message boards, wikis and countless other sites in which conversations are occurring. Wherever you choose to join in on the conversation, those of you that desire for your brands to be well known should not just make occasional appearances on these sites, but you should become a valuable, frequent contributor of useful content.
How to Effectively Get Your Word In
To get started, you will need to set up a Facebook page and a Twitter account. Once you’ve done this, it’s imperative that you actively use these sites. Success in the social media forum requires buying into the philosophy that people are out there who want to get to know you (and your brand), and you them. Participation must be wholeheartedly pursued, or results will likely be disappointing. Those who truly appreciate the value of the medium are those reaping the greatest rewards.
With pages and accounts live, it is wise to dedicate one or more persons on a daily basis to manage and publish social media content. Talk about topics that are relevant to your fans and followers. It doesn’t always have to be directly related to your business, communications can be loosely related. Most of you will be talking to moms, and there are a multitude of topics that are important to moms. For example, if you sell baby blankets you could talk about sensitive skin, lovies, creative uses for blankets when kids outgrow them, and much more. The main point being, it’s important to strike up a conversation; one that’s interesting and will incite multiple points of view.
Additionally, since you are asking those around you to reveal information about them, it’s only fair to reciprocate. By this I mean it would be nice to reveal and share some insights into your life/business. This could be kids, daily challenges, exciting news and whatever you might chat about with friends. By selecting topics that are universal to most people, you will foster your new founded relationships with your many new acquaintances. This will help others bond to your brand and its leaders on a more intimate level and facilitate a deeper sense of brand loyalty. People generally have a stronger predisposition towards those companies where there is a personal connection. Social media facilitates the development of closer, personalized relationships with strangers.
Why Socialize if You’re Busy Running Your Business?
The life line for any business is communication. If people don’t know who you are and what you sell, how can they be persuaded to purchase? Social media, while intimidating to some, is how business and communication is trending. It’s where the people are and therefore you will want to be there too.
Businesses can certainly still enjoy success communicating by traditional means; however, those who seek to maximize their potential will choose to charter this unfamiliar territory until, like Web sites and e-mail marketing, it becomes familiar. Early adopters stand to reap the greatest rewards so don’t delay, get online and practice those communications skills. You may surprised how much fun you will have learning about others while you share “like neighbors chatting over the backyard fence!” But in this case, the fence surrounds the world, and you can increase both your brand’s popularity and success in this growing, online “neighborhood.”
About Insights Discovered
Penny Redlin is a regular contributor to the “Business Sense” feature on The Giggle Guide, sharing insights about business planning, effective communications and marketing strategies. To read more articles by Penny Redlin, see http://thegiggleguide.com/biz/features/business-sense
Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, Insights Discovered was founded by Penny Redlin in an effort to share her professional expertise within the children’s product category. The company’s mission is to give every mompreneur an opportunity for success. Insights Discovered exclusively services children’s products brands. The specific industry focus demonstrates a strong dedication to the unique needs of children’s products companies. Insights Discovered offers strategic planning, market research and traditional marketing services.
For more information, visit www.insightsdiscovered.com or call 702.218.5707
