social media and small business
DESCRIPTION
How social media can help busy professionals and small businesses.TRANSCRIPT
Social Media: A Must for Small Business
A Primer for Busy Entrepreneurs and Professionals
Why is it important? The background
• Shift from Me Web to We Web• Earlier, search for personalization, MyYahoo,
iGoogle, YouTube. Names say it all.• Blogs largely personal rants, not really discussion• Friendster, Orkut were too early• Eventually, desire to be social online.• Technology caught up with the curve in early 21st
Century
Why is it important? The research
• Nielsen: More time spent on social networking than e-mail
• Forrester’s “Future of Social Web”• Groundswell• Some companies already jumping way ahead
Social Media > E-Mail
• Nielsen report in April. Paradigm shift in consumer engagement.
• NY Times: Small businesses moving to social media. Marketer: Those who don’t adopt within a year will be left behind.
“I hate to say it, but if they don’t, they’ll get left in the dust.”
-- Rob King, Sage North AmericaNYT, June 4
Future of Social Web
Five overlapping waves of online change:• Social relationships (social networks)• Social functionality (technology)• Social colonization (Open IDs across sites)• Social context (Sites serve by identity)• Social commerce (Social networks supplant brands/corporate sites/CRM systems)
When will this happen?
• 2010: Sites will begin to recognize personal identities and social relationships to deliver customized online experiences.
• In approximately two years, social networks will be more powerful than corporate Web sites and CRM systems, as individual identities and relationships are built on this platform.-- Future of Social Web “The community will take charge,
and that's going to happen whether or not marketers or brands participate.” – Jeremiah Owyang
Groundswell
• Book from Forrester researchers• Refers to transformation of
business through social technologies
• Company blogs least trusted• Social networking profiles (handled
properly), consumer reviews/rankings far more trusted
Future is now: Just one example
Volkwagen uses a consumer’s Twitter profile, analyzing it for keywords and then recommends a vehicle based upon that user’s Tweets. Far-fetched? Not all that different from Amazon recommending a book based upon your previous purchases.
Who uses social media?
• Avg. social networker goes to social sites five days a week, checks in about four times a day, total of an hour a day
• Super-connected (9%) stay logged in all day, constantly checking out what's new.
• 52% have followed or become a fan of at least one brand. 64% neutral on seeing messages from brands. 45% neutral to seeing more messages from brands
Who uses social media?• 45% link only to family and friends. Another 18%
will link only to people they've met in person.• Only 10% will connect with anyone • Only 15% said they go on social networks at
work. • Top three interests are music, movies and
hanging out with friends. • Four times more likely to use discussion boards,
post videos or blog
Four types of social networkers
• Business users. LinkedIn and Twitter• Fun seekers. Students and middle-aged
reconnecting. Facebook.• Social-media mavens. Power users whose lives
are on social media. Twitter. (Lifecasting)• Late followers. Middle-aged flocking to
Facebook.
Latest on social networking
• Spending on social media marketing by companies will grow to $3.1 billion in 2014.
• More will be spent soon on social media marketing than for email or mobile.
• Moms on social media: 11% in 2006 to 63% today, a 462% increase
• Facebook 142% increase in ATL (Jan. 4-July 4)• 513% jump on FB among 55-plus at same time
Who doesn’t use social media?
• Not tech-haters. Many use Web thoroughly. They say:
• Don’t have the time. But 22% will be using in 3 months, another 27% in year.
• Don’t think it's secure. (1/3 are retired, may come around)
• Think it's stupid. (94% of this group will never use it)
But where do I start?
• Blogs (not always social)• Social networking sites• Video sharing sites• Photo sharing• B-to-B social sites• Social sites created for profession (e.g.,
LegallyMinded for lawyers)
Too many choices, what to do?
• Just choose the sites that make sense for you.• What sites are others in your profession
using? Competitors?• Most important, your clients or customers.
But I’m too busy!!!
• Just commit to a small amount of time, M-F.
• Best beginner’s book: “Social Media Marketing: An Hour A Day” by Dave Evans
• Really 20 minutes daily once you get started.
A look at the major players
• LinkedIn• Twitter• Facebook• MySpace
• Atlanta 13th biggest user base in world• 42 million users worldwide (however, growth
flat)• No. 1 social network for business• Way to connect with others in your field• Good way for entrepreneurs, professionals to
market themselves• More than just job recruiting service
Who uses LinkedIn?
• Males 57%, females 43%• Highest average income, at $89,000• More likely to have joined site for business, work• Business networks, job searching, business
development, recruiting• News, employment information, sports, politics• More likely to be into fitness, golf and tennis• Like gadgets. Highest nos. in gambling, soap
operas (12%, 11%)
LinkedIn tips• Changes should be made to profile several times a
week• Search engine optimization, keywords• Take advantage of functionality• Link to sites/blogs, SlideShare, Events Calendar,
Reading List, other apps• Discussion groups, Q&As• Powerful research tools, databases provide market
research
LinkedIn Groups, Answers
• Establish your credibility• Enhance status as thought leader, person to
trust• Answer questions from peers, customers• Steer people to your blog or site.• Important: Don't sell yourself or spam. Many
do.
LinkedIn research tools
• Company profiles provide sources of clients, potential connections, avenues for introductions
• Learn more about who potential customers are and who to avoid.
• Can see movement of potential contacts between companies
• Make sure your company has a profile, so you can be found. Also enhances SEO.
My Top 5 LI Tips
• Add keywords everywhere (for search)• Update regularly. Status. Ask questions. Answer
questions. (Secret: You can use Ask Question to start discussion. Join me on blog. LI best as channel, not a destination site.
• Take advantage of the search functions.• Important: Don't sell yourself or spam.• Be brief. Not long, unless adding keyword
• Atlanta 10th largest number of users in world• Conversational, 140-character limit• Knowledge exchange• Share thoughts, content• Make new connections around your brand or
product• Establish subject matter expertise, trust
Who uses Twitter?
• Super users. News, restaurants, sports, politics, personal finance, religion. Pop culture.
• More likely to buy books, movies, shoes and cosmetics online
• Most entrepreneurial. More likely than others to use it to promote their blogs, businesses
• Avg. income of $58,000. More p-t workers.
Twitter tips: 70-20-10 rule
• 70% of time should be sharing quality content from OTHERS
• 20% should be conversation/collaboration with others (some room for self-promotion here)
• 10% can be chit-chat, trivial details of your life. Makes you human and likable. Not the “eating a sandwich” cliché.
More Twitter tips
• Be active. Appear throughout day. (Don’t worry about night time.)
• You can use tools to write/schedule tweets in advance. Spead them out rather than multiple tweets at once.
• Respond quickly to re-tweets and replies. Don’t Direct Mail unless specifically requested.
• Tweets short enough so folks can re-tweet
Top 5 Twitter tips
• Be active. Avg. power user posts 108/wk• Follow the 70-20-10 rule• Use third-party tools for research – who are
your users, what are their interests/concerns• Use automation up to a point. Need to be
social, not a machine.• Be helpful to people, answer questions.
• Atlanta No. 2 market in world• 225 million users worldwide• Massive growth among 55-plus, moms• Huge, influential social networking site• Can use as supplement to more business-
oriented approaches on other social sites• Use carefully for business
Who uses Facebook?• Avg. interest level across news, etc. (because
of large no. of users, no one special interest)• More likely to be married (40%), white (80%)
and retired (6%) • They have the second-highest average
income, at $61,000, and an average of 121 friends
• Skew a bit older, more likely to be late adopters of social media
• Loyal to FB, 75% say it’s their favorite site
Facebook and Business
• Can create personal and business accounts• Group or Fan pages• Groups gather around topic• Fan pages can focus on your service/business• Once you have 100 fans, you can get custom
Facebook URL -- facebook.com/your business• Increased SEO, good for brand.
Top 5 FB tips
• If starting, think through strategy. Marketing thru biz account or social thru known people
• Can use Boxes area to add content, links• If you create a Fan page, make sure you offer
something to them – special offers, etc.• Take advantage of vanity URLs for search.• Use the box underneath photo to add
something of value
MySpace
• Young, fun, but fleeing the site• 67 million users worldwide, but in freefall• Has been social, but just revealed new
strategy to become entertainment portal• Specific hobbies, longtime niches still there• Not just kids, some parents there.
MySpace and Business? Don’t
• Avg. income the lowest, at $44,000• More likely to be single (60%) and students
(23%).• Create profile only for SEO purposes. Search
engines like it for now.• Reputation not good for business. Garish
pages, flashing images.
Success Stories -- LinkedIn
• Jim, an outsourced CFO, joined several LI discussion groups and posted regularly
• CEO of XYZ firm became unhappy with his outsourced CFO
• CEO had noticed quality of Jim’s posts and called Jim to hire him
• Connections lead to success• Quality more important than number.• Don’t get caught in numbers game.
Success Stories -- Twitter
• Cincinnati-area small firm made birdhouses out of recycled paper
• Started tweeting about birdhouses, green topics on Wednesday
• By weekend, Disney ordered 400 birdhouses for education program. Others followed.
• NYT soon featured a story on the business• Company now has multiple product lines
Success Stories -- Facebook
• Companies – big and small – gaining trust, brand awareness through Fan or Group pages.
• Coke/Starbucks fan pages have large followings. Special offers, promotions.
• Entrepreneurs direct users to their sites, blogs, products
• Be careful not to sell directly to friends.• Used appropriately, social relationships can
lead to business relationships.
Keys to Success
• Social media alone can’t bring business success
• Work hand-in-hand with face-to-face time• Risky or a waste of time if not done right• Must have clear strategy and goals• Be flexible to adopt new directions• Don’t expect immediate results; it takes time.
Questions?
• Jay will help you make sense of social media with a strategy, implementation, and ongoing support.
• Contact Jay Knows Networking [email protected]
• Call to book Jay to speak at your next business gathering
Jay ScottSocial Media Strategist404-558-5971