Social Media: Online Marketing For Businesses

When
it comes to branding and visibility, small businesses need to think
outside the box. We’ve become a technology savvy society and
advertising has reached a new level with the World Wide Web. 

Competition
for a business to succeed amidst the uphill battle of a recession has
encouraged the need for business owners to bring their “A” game
in advertising.  

A
marketing website that is based on user-generated content and
participation is often categorized as a “social media” site.
Small businesses often use social networking to create a buzz about
their company. Promotions and incentives exclusive to your social
network fan-base can be a way to develop online loyalty. 

“Social media is an integral
part of our overall communications strategy,” said Ken Moore, CEO
of the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce. “It gives us another
vehicle to communicate our message to our members. It seems to be
especially effective in reaching our many younger supporters such as
those participating in our Edmond Young Professionals.”

Social
Media sites include LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and many others,
which require interaction to be effective. Even though each of
these sites share a common requirement of user participation, each
one is unique.

LinkedIn, for
instance, is the world’s largest “professional” network with
over 60 million users. It allows users to connect with
business-minded professionals to exchange ideas and create forums to
discuss a variety of topics in all areas of business.

By
forming an online network of your personal connections, you are able
to view their networks and possibly gain an introduction to someone
you’re interested in meeting. It can then be used to find and fill
jobs or seek out new business opportunities.

Facebook
is another popular social media platform. Although it has proven to
be very effective on a personal level, many businesses are taking
advantage of its professional features. Facebook has provided a means
for businesses to connect with their clients by posting updates and
useful industry information for its “friends” or “fans.”

Businesses
can use their Facebook page to post pictures, contact information,
sales promotions, industry news, helpful links and more.

Twitter,
a mico-blogging social networking site, has been around since 2006.
Founder Jack Dorsey created the site to allow communication between
small groups of people. It’s a simple way to let users know
your “status” or what you’re doing and enable you to quickly
spread information with a “retweet” button. Twitter also allows
businesses to announce sales, specials and deals 24/7.

In
the course of 2009 alone, registered Twitter accounts grew more than
1,500 percent, according to Nielson ratings. Twitter has exploded
within the last year and businesses are taking notice.

Edmond’s
own Safe and Green Pest Control has embraced the Twitter world and
owner Daryl Willmon can attribute some of his new clientele to the
site.  

“Social
networks, Twitter to be specific, is a great way to let people know
where you are and what specials your business is currently running,”
said Willmon. “I can let the twitterverse know what area of
the city I am in. They can shoot me a tweet and get services right
then and there.”

Social
networks encourage visibility, name recognition and establish brand
awareness.
Ideally, you would want to incorporate these sites in your print
materials and advertising. Without a proper website and advertising,
potential customers won’t know how to find you.

If
you want your business to be on the cutting edge, join these social
networks and get involved. Keep in mind, social media is meant for
the masses, whereas the old-school press release was a formal
announcement with wordy jargon meant for the news media.

Learn
how users are interacting on each of these sites and try to avoid
endless self-promotion. Users prefer something useful – a tip on an
emerging industry trend or a coupon that saves them money – instead
of hearing about how great your company is over and over.

Many
business owners find they don’t have the time to keep up with
social media trends in addition to their daily operations. They often
call on an expert to help them navigate through the jungle of social
media. If you need guidance in these emerging trends or want to learn
more about how social media can help your business, visit
www.socialmediamack.com.