Social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are ever-growing in popularity. Most everyone has a Facebook account with which you reconnect with friends and family and share thoughts, opinions, and pictures, to name just a few features, and don’t forget about all those games they offer. That’s the personal side; however, social media has much to offer for the business side.
Facebook is the most active social media site, with more than 400 million active users. People spend over 500 billion minutes per month on Facebook. Facebook has several good networking and marketing options for anyone starting or with a business.
Create or Join a Facebook Group
Several million groups have been created on Facebook. Search bodyguards, security, or executive protection. Join those groups that are active and relative to the business. Participate in them. Glean from these groups all you can. Make contact with others in the group.
Don’t Mix Business with Pleasure
Create a separate Facebook account expressly for marketing your services and business.
Create Your Own Facebook Ad
They can sometimes be annoying, just like Google; Facebook allows you to create ads for as little as $1.00 daily.
Create a Business/Fan Page
A fan page is a great way to communicate with Facebook users interested in your services or products. It is a must-have, in my opinion.
Twitter is another social networking service, and unlike Facebook, you can communicate not just to people who “follow” you but to everyone within Twitter. Also, unlike Facebook, your updates or messages, called “tweets,” can’t be longer than 140 characters and can only contain text. Twitter includes a search for you to find people or businesses that you are interested in and follow them; however, people are not obligated to follow you.
LinkedIn is a pure business professional social medium. You can create an online resume and connect with peers in current or past occupations. You can also search and join professional groups for networking. LinkedIn is not as large as Twitter or Facebook but is getting more popular. You can attach your Twitter or WordPress accounts directly to your LinkedIn profile. You can seek out new connections and build your network.
Blogs
If you have a penchant for writing and what to share with the public about your experiences in the business, how you got in the industry, or your likes and dislikes about the latest gizmo, then blogs are for you. Blogger and WordPress are free and easy to use. Start a blog if you can’t afford to own a website with a domain. The more your content grows, the higher your visibility in search engines and the more recognition you’ll receive. You’ll begin to develop a following, creating a good network.
Here are the problems with blogs. You are only as successful as your content and the frequency you post with. You have to post to your blog at least once daily, and the content must be original and offer your opinion.
What social media will work for my business?
Now, the question you have to ask is, what will work for my business? Should I use LinkedIn and Twitter or the blog and Facebook? The good news is that they are all free and quite popular. The bad news is you’ll have to figure out which social media presence works best for your business or organization.
In my opinion, you should use all of them to some degree. Some people might disagree with me here, but LinkedIn is essential. LinkedIn is my first stop if you are starting a business or have had a successful career.
Facebook would be my second choice. Although you will start with mainly family and friends – promote yourself and your business and market your fan page.
Next would be Twitter. Start following businesses, and beware of spammers looking to follow you. Post something on Twitter at least once a week. The last would be a blog. Blogs are time-consuming, and you won’t get any value if your heart isn’t in it.
One last thing: these are SOCIAL media websites. So be social, engaging, sharing information and opinions, and networking.
You get what you put into it.
