Simply Social Networking
Filed under: Social Media |
What is social networking? Is it really worth our time? How can we create value using these amazing yet often times frightening platforms? It seems like all we hear is twitter this, facebook that, linkedin, blah blah blah. What began with teens tweeting and university kiddos sharing the latest place to party has evolved into an entire new dimension of marketing and PR. Welcome. Everyone’s doing it. Doctors, lawyers, your neighbor, teachers, real estate agents, small businesses, big corporations, the birds, the bees.
This clever yet simple video, found on youtube, simply explains social networking, and how it solves a real world “problem”. The problem being the unseen and therefore unrealized opportunities that may exist in our face-to-face social networks.
1. Diminish Traditional Advertising Dependence – Print ads are expensive. With the effectiveness of print declining as the internet continues to evolve and social networking becomes mainstream, opportunities to reach your potential customers directly are exponentially increasing. The rules of marketing and PR are shifting. Plus, with the entire world abuzz about social media, customers may not understand it, but they have surely HEARD about it. It is nearly impossible to go a day without hearing the word “twitter”. It’s on television, in newspapers, the radio, and obviously the internet. People are aware of the shifting way that we communicate, and if you explain your participation in these new-ish technologies to them, the need for print will shrink.
2. Cost Effective – The social networks that really matter are free. Repeat, FREE. Enough said.
3. Supports SEO Strategy – Social networking sites show up high in search engine rankings because they are viewed as of the o-mighty google. This means that when you create a profile and put content on it these pages are very likely to come up in search engines and be found by potential clients. Also, these pages, if linked back to your main website, drive traffic to your company site, supporting the linking strategy and therefore your organic search engine results.
4. Reach Your Target Market – Everyone is social networking websites. 75% of online adults are now involved in social networking, compared with just 56% in 2007. Within social networks are opportunities to join, or even create, groups tailored to specific interest, industries, demographics, etc. Through social networks you can define and reach your niche market.
5. Branding – Your reputation, online and off, is invaluable to your work. Social networking helps you monitor what is said about you online, plus it is a great way to brand yourself as a professional, as someone fun, as someone reliable, trustworthy and someone who will get the business done. Your image online is a clean slate. Write your own story.
6. Know Before You Go – Research and connect with your clients before you meet them face to face. Although everyone isn’t always exactly as they appear online, it will give you an idea into their needs and desires.
7. It’s Easy – You don’t need to be a computer programmer to be active in social networking. The top social networking sites are so user friendly and quirk-free that you may want to do a little dance.
For ideas on what kind of content to post and how often, email me emily [at] emilyking [.] me.
