General Social Media Strategy for Any Client

General Rules of Social Media

1) Be as human as possible when interacting with people on any of the following channels.2) Pick and choose from these, because all of them are not necessary. It is better to do one or two things great rather than a bunch not well at all.3) About developing relationships rather than just pushing promotions.4) All channels should be branded and easily identifiable. For example, the Facebook name and Twitter handle should be easily remembered and similar to each other. For all clients:

Facebook Customize your page as much as possible to solidify your clients brand in line with your other social media sites and the clients website.

Offer Facebook exclusives to current fans and new fans. Also encourage current fans to invite new fans; they will be more believable to a third party.

Post once a day or every few days with your own content, but respond quickly at any time to your audiences posts on your page

Tag other affiliates, clients, partnerships to make connections with their Facebook page and connections

Post content about the client, and about the clients audiences (relevant marketing content and content that will engage consumers)

Respond to clients concerns, praise, and suggestions with thoughtful and personalized responses. Post photos and videos, and encourage others to post them as well to add a multimedia approach.Twitter

Customize your page as much as possible to solidify your clients brand in line with your other social media sites and the clients website.

Offer Twitter exclusives to current followers and new followers. Also encourage current followers to invite new followers; they will be more believable to a third party.

Post at least once a day, if not several times a day. These posts should not always be about the client, but many times can be replying to a consumer.

Converse with people who mention you and/or follow you. Also converse with your sponsors, affiliates, and partners as much as possible. Post content about the client, and about the clients audiences (relevant marketing content and content that will engage consumers). Also, try to include links to other websites, videos, or photos as much as possible. Use hashtags to listen to what people are saying or involve people in a specific conversation. Also, use them to insert yourself into conversations that may relate to your product.

For clients who want to blog:

They have A LOT to say: Wordpress This is a traditional blogging site that offers many customization options for layouts and widgets. It offers its own analytics system that is comparable to Google Analytics.

Posts should be updated 1-2 times a week, at least. This format is designed for more spaces between posts, so is good if the client has a lot of say, but not often. It offers mostly text posting, however multimedia can be inserted into the text if desired.

Most Wordpress blogs focus on text and long posts, however this is not necessary.

People are able to subscribe to your blog and can even have it sent to their email if so desired. The client should also create a RSS feed or a subscribe button so that people can receive posts who are not on Tumblr.

On the blog, there should be links to both Facebook and Twitter.

They have little to say: Tumblr This site is very similar to Twitter in the way that it posts. You can create long and short posts, but there are many free designs that take advantage of the website design to post short and timely messages. To analyze users on this site, you should use Google Analytics because there is nothing built in the site to measure traffic and user profiles. This would be good for a client who wouldnt have a lot of time to create blog updates, but does have interesting content they would like to expand from Facebook. Posting frequency should range from 1-3 times per week, at least. Here, the format allows more frequent posting.

Posts can be in a variety of formats: text, photo, quote, link, chat transcript, audio and video. Texts posts can also adapt all of those into a normal post.

People are able to Follow your blog and receive timely updates on their Tumblr page.

The client should also create a RSS feed or a subscribe button so that people can receive posts who are not on Tumblr.

On the blog, there should be links to both Facebook and Twitter.

For clients who want to produce video content:

They want to show taped content: Youtube Allows client to upload taped content. Offers analytics to analyze user trends Allows easy embedding for Facebook and blog posting.

Content could be about the client, their employees, their fans, the industry.

Content should be relevant and engaging, but does not have to be long (over one or two minutes). Posting does not have to be frequent at all.

They want to show live content: UStream Allows client to broadcast videos live. This is good for a weekly show or a live event. Best used when embedded on a Facebook or blog for accessibility to fans. The analytics of the site will measure how popular the video is. Videos do not have to be long, the people on the shows should be engaging and enticing.

Updates do not have to be frequent at all, and can even be a one-time deal.For clients who have specific locations (ex: golf courses, grocery stores):Pick one (or more) of the following options:

Facebook Places Once of the most promising LBS because it has the largest potential user base. Like the others, it allows you to check in to places and alerts your friends via Facebook.

It currently does not offer deals, but many experts agree it has the potential to eradicate the next three options.

Foursquare This is the most common of the location-based services. This would be good for a strong community of people, those driven by deals, and those driven by notoriety.

Allows you to check in places and alert your friends via Facebook and Twitter. Sometimes, these places will have deals associated, such as 50% off all items, if a person checks in on Foursquare. Depending on the number of check-ins and type of places of check-ins, you can earn badges.

Utilizing the mayor position (the person who checks in the most number of times), the client can offer incentives to be the mayor to receive sales and/or recognition.SCVNGR

Based on being a game, rather than necessarily receiving deals. This is good for a strong community of people, or those driven by deals. Like a scavenger hunt, you can complete challenges to receive points. Once you receive a certain amount of points, you can unlock badges that have discount or special deals attached. Tasks can be selected from SCVNGRs list, or created to fit clients brand.

Whrrl Based on others recommending things for you to do, rather than you exploring yourself.

This would be helpful for a strong community around a clients brand or image.

You join societies based on where you check in who then recommend certain tasks for you to do. For example, if you check into Dunkin Donuts, you can join the Homers Society after Homer Simpson (he loved donuts). By joining this society, you will receive more tips based on the fact that you love donuts.For clients who have specific locations (continued)They want to have a BIG sale or drive customers to their location: Groupon

Groupon partners with businesses, who provide extreme discount for one day only to members who decide to buy the service. For example, a dentist may offer a comprehensive teeth whitening, which may normally cost $400, for $99 on Groupon. There will be a limited number of the product available, delivered on a first-come, first-served basis. Those who have used Groupon before have outrageous success and increase awareness of their product through a trustworthy service.

None of these require much maintenance. The time commitment is usually the set-up and occasional monitoring to see reactions from consumers.

This is the only paid social media service on this strategy.