Social Media for the Small Business
March 16, 2010Speaker: Scarlett Rosier
Web 2.0• A set of economic, social and technology
trends that collectively form the basis for the next generation of the Internet - a more mature, distinctive medium.
• Characterized by user participation, dynamic content, openness, scalability and collective intelligence, metadata, etc.
Social Media for the Small Business
Pros & Cons of Web 2.0• Pros
Portability
Participatory communication
• ConsP
ersonal space invasionT
ime consuming
Social Media for the Small Business
Social Networking• Social networking is about people connecting
with people. • Leveraging the power of a bigger sphere of
influence and power.• Changing the way people connect with other
people.• Viral effect on the number and quality of
people you interact with regularly.
Social Media for the Small Business
What is a Blog?• A blog is a type of website, maintained by an
individual, group or company with regular entries of commentary, descriptions or events or other material such as graphics or video.
Social Media for the Small Business
Blog Facts• Who’s blogging?
Educated and affluent men, ages 18-44
Living in California, New York or Florida
• Why They Blog?S
elf-expression and sharing expertise7
0% say they are better known in theirI
ndustry because of their blog
Social Media for the Small Business
Blog Facts• Increases SEO.• Consistent posting is KEY.• Blog traffic is NOT consistent.• Inbound links build traffic and credibility.
Social Media for the Small Business
Setting up a blog• Choose a blog hosting site, free sites:
Blogger
Wordpress
Typepad
• Example set up:https://
wordpress.com
Social Media for the Small Business
Before you Blog…• Choose a template design.• Create a name for your blog.• Determine the content of your blog.• Provide a description of your blog.
Social Media for the Small Business
Start “Blogging”• Write articles or stories. • Find news related information, post with your own
commentary.• Answer FAQs.• Write reviews about products/services relating to your
industry.• Write “how to” posts.• Grab bag.• Be sure to use keywords and phrases that will appeal to
your target audience.
Social Media for the Small Business
Monitor your Blog• Comments
Email notification.
Review comment: post, reply or delete.
• Statistics# of
people viewing the blog, referral sites, top posts
and pages, search engine terms, clicks,totals,
averages, email subscribers.
Social Media for the Small Business
What is Facebook?• A social networking platform founded in
2004 originally developed for students at Harvard.
• Now embraced by students, grandparents and businesses-alike.
• Platform provides simple navigation and easy access to site functionality: individual profiles, friends, networks, inboxes, photos, events, etc.
Social Media for the Small Business
Facebook Facts• More than 400 million active users.• 50% of active users log on to Facebook in any given day.• Average user has 130 friends.• Average user spends 55 minutes per day.• More than 80,000 websites have implemented
Facebook Connect since its general availability in December 2008.
• There are more than 100 million active users currently accessing through a mobile device.
Social Media for the Small Business
Fan Page Facts• More than 3 million active Pages.• More than 1.5 million local businesses have
active Pages.• More than 20 million people become fans of
Pages each day.• Pages have created 5.3 billion fans.• Average user becomes a fan of 4 Pages per
month.
Social Media for the Small Business
Setting up Accounts• Create a personal Facebook account.
http://www.facebook.com
• Create a Facebook Fan Page.h
ttp://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php (must be logged into personal account).
Social Media for the Small Business
Start “Facebooking”• Blue Pencil = Edit• Personal Account
Edit your profile: upload profile picture, join
networks, customize information, find friends,
etc.
• Fan PageEdit Fan
Page: upload company logo, add basic
and detailed information, suggest fans, etc.
• Comment, post, write on walls, invite.
Social Media for the Small Business
Monitor your Fan Page• Facebook Insights
Measure user exposure, actions and behavior
relating to ads and Page.
Data is updated 12 hours after the full day.
• Fan geographic and demographic data• Fan interactions• Fan acquisition• Post Quality
Social Media for the Small Business
What is Twitter?• Founded in 2007 as an away-message meets
SMS• Real-time information network powered by
people all around the world that lets you share and discover what’s happening now.
• 140 characters of information on everything and anything going on in the world.
Social Media for the Small Business
Twitter Facts• Twittering is the sound birds make when
they communicate with each other.• Tuesday is the most popular day for Twitter
activity (11am-3pm).• 11.5 million Twitter accounts (Jan. 2010).• 5% of Twitter users account for 75% of all
activity.
Social Media for the Small Business
Twitter Lingo• Tweet
An individual message
• @usernameP
ublic message - links to user’s account
• DM or Direct MessageP
rivate message
• RT or retweetR
epost of a message that has already been
tweeted
• Trending TopicsM
ost mentioned terms
Social Media for the Small Business
Twitter Lingo• # or Hashtag
Categorizing a topic
• TweetupI
n-person gathering organized via Twitter
• Shortened URLsS
hrink links down to fit within 140 characters
Social Media for the Small Business
Setting up Twitter• Sign up for an account:
http://twitter.com
Social Media for the Small Business
Start “Tweeting”• Use “settings” tab to fill out information:
Bio, picture, background design
• Find people and companies to follow.• Listen regularly for comments. • Post what your audience would find interesting.• Provide real value.• Don’t spam - big no-no.
Social Media for the Small Business
Monitor your Tweeting• Quality of engagement
Real time responses.
• Quantify experienceT
ally questions/answers exchanged.
Utilize unique codes.
Social Media for the Small Business
What is LinkedIn?• Launched in 2003, highly business driven,
with an emphasis on professional networking and business connections.
• Offers a mutually confirmed “gated-access” with minimal interaction requirements but, great value.
• Leverages existing networks
Social Media for the Small Business
LinkedIn Facts• Executives from every Fortune 500 Company
have an active profile.• One new user registration per second.• 35% of survey respondents reported that
LinkedIn has directly helped them win new clients.
• Creates industry thought leaders.
Social Media for the Small Business
Setting up LinkedIn• Set up account:
http://www.linkedin.com
Social Media for the Small Business
Start “Connecting”• Build your profile
Preliminary information: picture, resume,
current and past employment, connections,
education, recommendations, websites,.
• ApplicationsB
logs, twitter, book lists, etc.
Social Media for the Small Business
Monitor your Profile• Utilize available applications• Review automatic email updates• Develop and grow connections• Join and interact with relevant groups
Social Media for the Small Business
Crisis Control• Common mistakes
Unprofessional profile
Lack of customization
Omitting important information
Neglecting to network
Spamming
Social Media for the Small Business
Managing a Crisis• Don’t forget about your fans, followers and readers.• Break down internal barriers to allow for real time communication.
Example: Toyota recalls
• Acknowledge the problem.• Affirm efforts to better the situation.• Honest, fast answers.
Social Media for the Small Business
Future of Social Media• Incorporation of analytics.• TV will become more social.• Location targeting.• Sophisticated brand monitoring options developed
to understand and better market to consumers.• Customization of social media to differentiate.• Voice of consumer will get louder and stronger.
Social Media for the Small Business
What to do now?• Decide on the needs and goals of your
business. • Listen in on social media platforms.• Determine which platform meets your needs
and goals.• Create a strategy.• Start the conversation.
Social Media for the Small Business
Remember…• Active participation is Key.• You can’t just build it and hope that they will
come.• Keep it professional.• Take it slow.• Listen carefully.
Social Media for the Small Business
Thank You• Questions, concerns, comments?
Social Media for the Small Business
Resources• http://mashable.com• http://twitter.com• http://facebook.com• http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com• http://technorati.com• http://www.emarketer.com• http://about.com• http://www.Inc.com• http://www.fastcompany.com• http://www.ducttapemarketing.com• Always On by Naomi S. Baron
Social Media for the Small Business