The phrase Social Media is likely new to your business vocabulary.
You may be asking yourself, "What does this phrase really mean and why is it important to my business? And how does Social Media differ from traditional media?" The face of advertising has changed and new opportunities have emerged.
We are now advertising and networking in a different person-to-person way (rather than to the masses via television, radio or print), which is termed "social.
" The three legs of current Social Media for businesses and/or professionals are: Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
I will discuss how businesses can use these sites to gain exposure and establish relationships.
1) Why should my business be on Twitter? A reason for your business to be on Twitter is to put your name in front of others on a daily basis.
Twitter is for those who have a message to share and would like a readership base to see that message daily.
For example, authors and consultants can share tips and insight which will help them gain credibility and will put their name in front of their followers regularly.
Organizations and charities can share information about upcoming events and fundraisers.
Retail stores can advertise upcoming sales and specials.
You can offer a discount on your products for all of your Twitter followers.
Post links to your website, your event announcements or your You Tube video.
Keep in mind that Tweets can only be 140 characters.
If you would like to include a lengthy URL in your Tweet, use TinyURL.
com to create a condensed link.
Build up the number of followers you have and the number of people you are following - this will help you establish credibility.
Create an appropriate (and brief) name for your account, and understand that many names are already taken.
This name will become your URL.
Your profile and your Tweets can be made public or private by adjusting your settings.
Setting your profile to private allows you approve or decline each person who would like to follow you.
Otherwise, anyone who would like to follow your Tweets can do so.
2) Why should my business be on Facebook? Gathering "fans" is the way to publicize your business and allows you to gather a base of people who endorse you.
All fans will have your business name displayed on their profile.
Fans can also post comments on your page which is a way for them to communicate with you or give feedback about your services.
If you have an ice cream shop, it would be beneficial to have people in your community become a fan of your shop.
They may also post comments about how much they love your ice cream - excellent advertising that doesn't require you do to a thing! This will create a "buzz" that only a social media site can achieve.
You can also create a group for your company and invite your friends and colleagues to join.
You can send out group messages with event announcements or special offers.
Note: Having a personal page is also a good way to keep in touch with your business contacts and get referrals.
For those who were in college for the advent of Facebook (when it was only open to students with a.
edu email account), they may want to maintain it as a personal account to share pictures and messages with friends and not use it for professional networking purposes.
In that case, LinkedIn is the perfect alternative.
3) Why should I be on LinkedIn? All professionals should have a LinkedIn profile.
It is your online resume, displaying your current position, previous positions, community involvements, awards, education and your picture.
(Note that you are not required to post information in all of these categories.
) Build your network within the LinkedIn community by adding "connections.
" In most cases, your profile will be the first item shown when your name is typed into a Google search.
Having a LinkedIn profile will establish your credibility, show professionalism and allow your connections to learn additional information about you.
There are many other beneficial features, such as status updates which allow you to post what you are working on at the moment.
This puts you in touch with your connections in a way that you would not otherwise experience.
You can also ask your connections to write you a recommendation which is displayed on your profile.
This is a big bonus, as it is free advertising for your own personal brand.
You can also create a group for your business or cause on LinkedIn and invite others to join.
Posting updates and sending out announcements is a great way to stay connected and relay information to group members.
You can also poll the group on a certain idea or start a discussion thread about a topic.
LinkedIn provides many options for the professional user.
Your social media accounts contribute to your online reputation - make yours positive.
Be creative, give to get and stay connected!