So you’re wondering how to get a jump on social media. It’s about time. Social media has been around for quite a while now. Twitter was founded in 2006. Facebook was formed by a Harvard drop out in 2004. And new social outlets are popping up every day. Buzz, FourSquare, and StumbleUpon are recent success stories. How is one supposed to keep up?
The first thing that needs to be done (and should continuously be done on at least a yearly basis) is to decide what target market you want to pursue online. This will help you choose which avenue of online marketing to pursue. For example, if your target is geared more towards the older crowd (30+), Twitter might be your top priority. If, on the other hand, you want to connect with a younger generation of people up through their 30’s, Facebook might be the social media network of choice. In any regard, it is best to have a presence on the big three (Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn) even if some are updated more than others. I would also recommend venturing out into one or more obscure social media ventures (orkut, StumpleUpon, digg, FourSquare, Buzz, or the like), many of which may become mainstream in the near future.
Once you have decided which tools to use, create a schedule. Make sure that you plan out time each and every day to check your social media channels. I like to check my social media along with my e-mail, as many times you can get notifications straight to your inbox about new communications and the like. Today’s conversations happen at the speed of light, and a response time of 24 hours in this realm isn’t seen as very effective.
Get creative, but consistent. This goes along with deciding who your target market is. Your style of authorship online can be a boon for some while a bust for others, so make sure you know who your’re targeting. Read the blogs they’re reading, check out their posts, and research how your competitors are using the online medium. Learn how they act, and find ways to tweak it to make it better. Make sure your profile pictures and usernames (handles) are all the same image so that you are easily recognizable across the online spectrum. Get creative with your posts and modify them to be your own, while crediting your source. The internet is flooded with information, so make yours unique.
Be consistent and consistently involved. Don’t just post your information to the world, build your relationships. Social media is about building and maintaining relationships therefore increasing customer retention and decreasing acquisition costs. It will help you better understand what your customers are thinking and help you solicit their input. Social media is a great tool for business building. You just have to get yourself in the game.
If you don’t believe you have the time commitment or knowledge of the field and would like some help, there are a number of firms willing to help you out. Try us, for example!
