Social Media. We all probably know by now that this term refers to using the many, various forms of electronic communication currently available in order to share information and/or ideas with other people. Amazingly, this term has only been around since 2004 and is currently one of the most-used words/phrases ever. While it started out as just personal communications, it has shown great results for use with business.
Social Media Forms
There are many ways to connect using social media. Examples of the more popular and most-used forms include Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube, with more than 100 million people using these particular media forms every single day. And to top it off, they’re all free! All you need to do is simply sign up for an account.
LinkedIn. LinkedIn is similar to Facebook in that it connects people, yet different since it is considered to be the world’s largest professional networking website. The main purpose for using LinkedIn is to establish a professional profile in order to connect with other people that have professional interests similar to yours. You can also create a company profile page (separate from personal).
Facebook. Facebook is a fantastic way to connect with people and is considered to be the world’s most utilized social media website. There are numerous ways in which you can promote your business as well as make valuable connections, as Facebook offers you the ability to create your very own webpage (Facebook fan page) while also offering you the ability to be seen by millions of people. Impressive!
YouTube. YouTube takes a bit of a different approach from the other forms of social media listed, as it allows people to upload and share actual video’s, which can be on any topic. YouTube offers a great platform for helping your business succeed by offering visual media vs. the much more common textual.
Twitter. Twitter is a way to connect with people using an instant message of up to 140 characters. One of the most quick and to-the-point forms of social media, Twitter allows you to pick and choose which ‘tweets’ you would like to follow, as well as receive, giving you access to a wealth of instant information. Twitter is a little more advanced social media so you might want to tackle the other one’s first.
Know that there are many more forms of social media out there, making it worth your while to research which ones will provide the best avenue for your particular type of business.
Using Social Media – 5 Great Tips!
- Be Open and Honest. Since there are so many businesses from which to choose from nowadays, it can be quite the challenge to find ways to make yours stand out from the rest. One great way you can help your business stand out is by being as transparent as possible. This shows that you have nothing to hide and that you are willing to be open and honest with your customers, which will help you gain their trust and establish a connection.
- Respond to Visitor’s Questions/Comments. When you choose to engage with your readers/visitors, you are showing that you care about what they have to say. Keep them up-to-date with all your latest and most important news and they will start to feel like one of the family.
- Be Personable. Treat every customer like they are your most important customer! No one wants to feel like they are just another consumer that buys your product, they want to feel like their business is important to you, which can be done by giving them the most personalized service possible.
- Let Others Help You Promote. Finding a business that is similar to yours can help you promote your business by linking with them in order to connect your sites, which will bring in more traffic. Also, using social media such as Twitter and Facebook allows you to create a fan base. Use this base as a way to reach out to your fans and ask them to help you spread the word of your business to others, promising them something in return (a discount? something for free?) for their assistance.
- Read What is Being Said About You/Your Business. Do a little research in order to find out what others are saying about you and/or your business. This a great way to get some feedback that could prove valuable to you and your business as you are now privy to some information that you otherwise would never have known about, allowing you to take corrective action, if necessary.
Bottom Line
Using the power of social media not only has the ability to connect you with millions of people, it can bring you lots of ideas for ways in which you can enhance your business. Remember that people are looking at your business as a whole nowadays, as they not only want a good product/service, they want to get a feel for who you are and how you run your business. Social Media has thus essentially created a way that allows for a more transparent look into a business, giving the consumer the wealth of information needed to decide if this is indeed a business worth doing business with. Be sure to look at all your available options so that you are able to find, and use!, the best social media avenue for you!
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