1. Social Media Workshop Intermediate/Advanced Kingsmills Hotel, Inverness 24 thFebruary 2012

2. Introduction time! Its no good using social networking if you cant network in person!! ;) 3. Socialnomics Video 4. 5. Why use social media for business?

Raise brand awareness

Increase traffic to website

Its cheap and its fast

SEO (search engine optimisation)

Your customers are using it!

To find new customers

Widen your target market and potential reach

Build strong relationships with customers

Build strong relationships with local businesses

Market research

And much more

6. What channels to use and what for 7.

Facebook- Good starting point, like a mini version of your website, allows interaction on a more personal level with customers.

Twitter- Quick messages/quick response, great for market research, good for building up business contacts and relationships, creating a buzz.

LinkedIn- Business to business platform, great for making new business contacts, useful forums, create action groups, professional networking.

Google+- One of the newest platforms, not got that many regular users yet but has huge potential, more business friendly than Facebook.

Flickr- Great photo sharing abilities, create good contacts, ability to set up groups for customers to share photos, run competitions via it.

8.

YouTube- Largest video sharing platform, contains its own search engine, ability to create own channel, contains a lot of adverts.

Vimeo- Very clean and modern video sharing platform, great for embedding videos into website, monthly users are rising.

Foursquare- Allows people to check in at businesses worldwide, claim your place, check ins are shared with users friends/followers, great app.

TripAdvisor- Largest travel reviews platform, needs to be monitored closely, claim your venue, can raise awareness of your business.

Pinterest Latest social media buzz, collection of collections, helps increase web traffic, great for visual businesses, currently invitation only.

9. Social Media Mishaps What to avoid!

Using social media channel purely for sales

Lack of interaction and updating

Getting too personal

Having no overall plan in place

Reacting badly to negative feedback

Talking badly about other businesses

Inconsistent content, bad spelling, etc

Not letting customers know you are using it

Doing updates not related your business/market

Focusing too much on just one platform

Too many updates

Expecting immediate results

Using social media instead of other marketing techniques

10. Create a social media plan

Do research and then outline what channels will be used and for what purpose!

How does social media fit in with your business goals?

How does social media fit in with your marketing plan?

Set out goals and objectives!

Decide who will update/maintain the social media channels and what rules of engagement should be in place!

How will you measure success and ROI?

Timing of your content, what, when and how?

Set out how you will analyze, adapt, and improve This should be ongoing!

11. What, when, and how should I communicate on social media?

Dont get too personal

Dont just talk about your business - use it to promote other local businesses and the area also

Social media is all about interaction and conversation

Share your experience and expertise

Dont just say something for the sake of saying it make sure it makes sense

Be careful with punctuation, spelling, grammar, etc

Keep posts/updates short and concise

Be quirky, be different, be innovative

Timing is everything

12. Businesses on social media to check out

Highland Key

Jacobite Experience Loch Ness

Lazy Daisy Glass

CairnGorm Mountain Ltd

Highland Social

Wee Epics

13. Time to discover the full potential of social media 14. 15. QR Codes

QR Codes can only be read by smartphones or tablet PCs with a camera and app

Think about where people will be when they scan the code will they have 3G network or wi-fi?

Make the QR Code big enough to be noticeable and easily scanned minimum 2cm x 2cm

QR Codes can be customised to work with your branding

Makes interaction with the customer quick and easy

QR Codes should be tracked

QR Codes need at least 4mm of white space around them

Make sure the content is mobile friendly

QR Codes should provide value to the user

Where possible explain what the code does

16. Ideas for QR Codes

On business cards Link to contact details, social media profile or a newsletter sign up page

On interpretation boards Provide users with additional information that can be easily updated

On event name tags Scan to get contact details (email address, phone number, etc)

On leaflets/flyers Offer/incentive, further information or a map with directions

On posters Link to a video clip, special web content or a prize draw/competition

On products Ingredients list, user guide or details on how to order more

17. QR Code Creators/Readers

qrstuff.com (online creator)

delivr.com (online creator)

i-nigma (smartphone app reader)

QRReader (smartphone app reader/creator)

Qrafter (smartphone app reader/creator)

18. How to let customers know you are using social media

Icons/links on website

Icons/links within your blog

Links from other social media accounts

Icons on printed marketing materials

Links within email newsletters

Links on email signatures

Tent cards within your business premises

Window stickers within your business premises

Mention it to customers in conversation

Get creative

19. Analytics, Insights & Alerts 20. 22 ndMarch 2012 highlandsocial.co.uk 21. www.snowmarketing.co.uk Find us on