Social Networking for

Business: Why, How,

And What Next?Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce

July 1, 2009

Will social media help my business?

• Generate Exposure

• Increased traffic/subscribers/opt-in

• New partnerships

• Higher Rankings

• Qualified leads

• Reduced marketing expense

• Helped close business

Will it really help my business?

• Brand Reputation

• Brand Awareness

• Search Engine Rankings

• Traffic

• Leads

• Internal Communications

• Online Sales

How much time do I have to spend?

• Social Media does take a significant amount of time and commitment.

• Not a get-rich-in-a-day way of marketing.

• Don't try to do it all!

Don't be a Taker, be a Giver.

Social networks are about sharing; give give give!

“eCRM” platform.

Dialogues may create new niche networks; don't overlook message boards, online group monitoring.

Social response can transform Search Engine Results; don't forget to assess social content in important keyword searches.

Don't disregard the negatives.

Consider the big 3 social media sites.

This presentation will focus on just 3 Social Media sites: Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. But there

are many other Social Media and blogging sites available to spread your marketing message!

Facebook for Business – Tools

Create a Page for your business!

• Enhanced Wall (dynamic content).

• Info tab (static information).

• Discussion Boards.

• Photos, Videos.

• Events.

• Reviews.

Additional Tools:Facebook AdsFacebook ConnectLexiconShare

Twitter: Micro-blogging for Business

What can I say in 140 characters?Events.Blog posts.Company Twitter account.Bookmark great content.

Who do I follow?twellow.com – find people in your industry.Twitter searchMining Twitter for leads – advanced search

Twitter as a Help Desk

LinkedIn: Built for Professionals

Is your Company Website linked?From your profile. No? Do it now!From other employee's profiles.

Great for:Lead generation.Finding the decision-makers.Reputation and referrals.Become an Expert.Enhance Search Engine results.

“I saw it on the Internet; it must be true!”

Cautionary tales...

CNN reports false 'citizen journalism' story – Apple Inc. stocks plunge.Lesson: Check Sources!

Wal-Mart launches 'The Hub', a Social Network for kids – parents informed of sign-up; third party screened all content; no options to Private Message or email.

Lesson: Understand user expectations.

Blog author causes stir with Tweet, “Sources say Elizabeth Ames Jones to withdraw from Senate race” - sets off Re-Tweets, comments, and speculation.

Lesson: Check Sources!

Tracking the Numbers.

Measuring ROI for Social Media marketing efforts can be challenging. Here are some quantitative tools:

Website metrics – try the free tool Google Analytics.Visits: unique, return, frequency.Time spent.Pages visited: popular, bounce.Leads, sales generated.

Search Engine rank.Company name, nicknames.'Good' queries.'Bad' queries.Reputation management.

Tracking the Numbers (2)

Engagement – When you post on your blog (or other service) how

many comments are you getting?

RSS (Really Simple Syndication); newsletter subscribers – How

many people think your material is good enough to want more, on a regular basis?

Twitter numbers.How many followers do you have?

Number of RTs - how many are re-tweeting your posts?

Number of DMs - how many are interested enough to direct message you?

Facebook numbers.How many people are Fans of your page?

Of your Fans, how many are actively engaged – listening & talking?

Where to next?

Your business is Linked-In, Face-booked, and all a-Twitter...

Consider these next websites for additional resources...

Niche Sites

Is your business part of a particular niche market? You'll find other professionals, enthusiasts, and

consumers of your product or service on social media sites targeting this audience.

NICHE WEBSITE DESCRIPTION

Tech pixelgroovy.com User-powered tutorial directory.

Senior theseniorlist.com Consumer reviews and providers of senior services.

Small Biz littleengine.com

Social Media and Bookmarking Sites

Your business probably creates more media than you think,

photos (professional and snapshots) and videos (tutorial and

advertising) can all be uploaded on social media sites.

Bonus: these postings can all drive traffic to your website!

• YouTube.com

• Shoutwire.com

Now that you've posted your media, drive even more

traffic to your website by adding it to one of the Social

Bookmarking sites.

• digg.com

• stumbleupon.com

• del.ico.us

• buzka.com

For additional information:

(916) 716-8361 • info@metro-seo.com

Thank You!