Social Media – Why Should I Care?

Social media is all the rage right now in many circles. Experts are touting it as the end-all-be-all solution for businesses looking to improve marketing, advertising, customer satisfaction, HR, and just about everything else. But most small businesses are still asking: Why should I care? Who’s going to bother to interact with my business online?

Take a look at the following video, which may help provide a little perspective:

A few highlights:

• Half the world’s population is under 30
• 96% of millenials are engaging in Social Media
• Facebook added 200 million users in under a year
• There are over 200,000,000 blogs out there, and many of them talk about products and services they’ve used
• Only 18% of TV ad campaigns generate a positive ROI (thanks TiVo, DVR)

These numbers demonstrate the power of social media. “We don’t have a choice on whether we do social media. The question is how well we do it.”

Social Media and Web Presence Management

Okay, you say, I’ll bite. Social media is big, and maybe there’s something in it for my business. How do I start?

Ugly website - not helpful

Social media is just one component of a bigger picture known as Web Presence Management. Social Media can be used to drive traffic to your website – but what will they see when they get there? Your company probably already has a website. Great – how’s it performing? Is it generating measurable traffic, updated regularly to reflect changes in your business? Or is it like a Yellow Pages ad – someone sold you on it a while back, and the only time you think about it is when they contact you for a renewal?

If this sounds like you, you’ve missed the boat. Your website should be a living, breathing, positive representation of your business. It should make customers feel comfortable, at home, and willing to take the next step – calling you, emailing you, coming to your business. If you’ve got a crappy website, your investment in social media will be lost.

What Do I Talk About?

For some people, the hardest part is knowing what to talk about. Fair enough – it’s not easy! Twitter requires a commitment of 2-4+ posts per day just to stay engaged. What are you going to say?

• 

  Twitter Done Right

  What’s new and exciting in your business?

• What events or charities are you participating in? How are you giving back?
• What recognition have you received for quality and service?
• Offer tips related to your business. If you work on cars, offer car care tips, etc.
• Find other local businesses and strike up a conversation
• If all else fails, hire a social media consultant with experience in these areas

First and foremost, be genuine. Be yourself. Reach out to your customers – ask questions, and listen to the answers!

In the coming weeks we’ll go into a bit more detail on social media and web presence management. Meanwhile, if you have any questions, leave a comment below!

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