AboutUs Weblog

Posted: 14 Nov 2011 09:00 AM PST

Thanks to Kathleen Donovan on Flickr

I read Sam Fiorella’s provocative blog post, 12 Most Pressing Reasons Social Media Must Die, just a few days after publishing an article on AboutUs.org about why social media is the poor man’s SEO.

I love social media. No, really, I love social media. I believe it levels the playing field, giving every small business person the chance to compete effectively against companies with much bigger marketing budgets.

So while Sam is right about some of the ridiculous behavior and time-wasting we see on the social Web, I maintain that actually, small business people can do social media better than big business. After all, entrepreneurs are usually much closer to their customers and have more at stake than their big-company brethren. Company owners’ tweets, posts and shares can come from a more heartfelt place, and deliver a stronger message.

All that said, there are some pitfalls to watch out for. Heed these, be smart, and use social media’s advantages to help you grow.

(Oh, yeah, for those of you looking for the 12 points – it’s all sort of bundled into the three below. Read Sam’s blog post and you’ll get it.)

Keep the message clear. The social Web is a casual place, but that doesn’t mean a marketing message should be carelessly conveyed. Silly titles, meaningless buzzwords and phrases, and blurting the first thing that comes into your head won’t get you what you want: More customers and more business. Be clear in your thinking, understand your message, and use the language your audience will understand.

Keep relationships, reputation and demeanor professional. People seem to forget that when they go to the social Web to develop business, they’re establishing a professional reputation in a new venue. Don’t tweet or post something you wouldn’t share at a professional gathering. If you want to use social media to connect with close friends in a more playful way, create separate accounts for your business so you can keep your professional and private personas separate. (Just don’t assume no one will look at both.)

Be productive. It’s easy to open up Facebook, Twitter, Stumbleupon and a few more applications in the morning, then look up and realize it’s lunchtime. You’ve glanced at a few shared blog posts, retweeted a couple of people with more Klout than you, caught up with your former colleague’s latest romance and maybe responded to a couple of direct messages. But have you produced anything of value for your business?

Yes, social media is fun. And yes, it’s difficult to link even business-focused social activity to real revenue. That means you must spend your social-media time on things that matter – your company’s blog posts, helpful hints for people in your field, industry news, answers to people’s questions.

Remember that one of the most valuable aspects of social media isn’t the sharing – it’s the responding. Demonstrate that you’re willing to hear all kinds of comments from your public – including critical or angry ones – and that you’ll respond quickly and appropriately. Your attentiveness can help you win a reputation for fair dealing, and that in turn can win yoiu more business.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

AboutUs Weblog

AboutUs Weblog

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