Is Social Media the right place for your business? Maybe, but maybe not. It’s important to remember participating on social networks takes up one of your most valuable resources – time.
When considering your business’ Social Media presence, the first question you need to ask yourself is: Do I have the time and/or manpower to actively maintain my profile(s).
The next step is to consider your goals. What do you hope to accomplish by using Social Media? Be concrete. For example, you might want to engage your current customers in conversations, alert them to special deals, share new merchandise, or provide helpful hints.
What is one of the most common mistakes businesses make when getting involved in Social Media? They try to do everything and be everywhere. Don’t let that be you. Work smarter. You don’t have to be on every platform. If your time is limited, select the platform which will help you best reach your goals. Which platform is right for you? Here’s the breakdown of today’s three leading sites:
Facebook – Share almost anything...that you won’t regret
Ideal For
* Event Venues & Planners – Displaying venue, recognizing your customers, and announcing and promoting upcoming events
* Professional Services – Displaying expertise
* Restaurants – Developing excitement around an event, troubleshooting potential
* PR issues, and sharing coupons and specials
Local Businesses
Consumer Technology
For Everyone: Pictures with a short description have the most impact.
Twitter - The 140 character conversation.
Ideal For
* Business Professionals – Connecting with other professionals, starting
conversations, displaying industry expertise, and promoting webinars and events
* Restaurants – Developing excitement around an event, posting daily
specials, sharing great experiences via pictures
For Everyone: Twitter is best used for troubleshooting potential PR issues, and sharing coupons and specials
Pinterest – Pictures. Pictures. Pictures.
Ideal For
* Retail & Internet Retail – Sharing wares and engaging interested buyers
* Events – Discovering growing trends and displaying your ideas
For Everyone: Pinterest is about visually communicating what you do. It can also be a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) boost for your website.
LinkedIn – Business-to-Business (B2B) Communication
Ideal For
- Businesses - Following up on introductions, posting professional experiences and successes, sharing “wow” customer moments.
For Everyone: Think of LinkedIn as a business focused twitter feed.
Regardless of the platform you choose, be sure to remember the social part of Social Media. Connecting with your customers, developing a conversation, and providing added value are the keys to a successful Social Media campaign.
Illustration by Debbie Pry, copyright 2013, all rights reserved.
