What is social media? Media (content that is published) with a social (anyone can add to and share it) component. Social media is like a business networking reception without the constraints of time and space.
Social Media is Inbound Marketing
Social media helps with SEO
Social media promotes your blog
Social media is permission centric
The conversation has already started… it’s time that you’re aware of it and develop a strategy for engaging in it and using it for marketing.
Social Media - How To
STEP 1: Guidelines for Engagement
Meet people and start conversations, become a real member of the community – don’t join to just advertise your products or services.
Add value to the community – answer questions and help others.
Ask questions – trust others’ advice.
STEP 2: Publish, Share, and Network
Publish: Everyone can publish anything for everyone
Publish everything you have anywhere you can
Monitor what others publish and promote it
Empower others
Share: Anyone can promote anything to everyone
Monitor what’s being shared about you
Find where your audience hangs out
Promote valuable content, yours and others’
Product content your audience will love
Network: Anyone can connect with everyone from anywhere
Make friends – find your existing connections and build new ones
Be helpful – answer questions, share interesting content
STEP 3: Measure & Analyze
Key metrics to consider are:
Number of blog visitors and subscribers
del.icio.us bookmarks
Inbound links
Facebook fans and activity
Friends on Facebook or LinkedIn
Posts in forums.
Votes for blog articles
Measure real business results: number of visitors, leads, and customers generated by each social media effort.
