Social Media Networking Craze: How it all works and how to make it work for your business

Facebook, Friends, Fans, Pages, Twitter, Tweets, Followers, YouTube, Flickr, Digg, Blogging, CMS ― do you feel overwhelmed by the social media networking craze? You are not alone! But think about this: where would Microsoft be had it failed to update its Windows operating system? Even today, Microsoft refuses to stay behind because it too uses Facebook and Twitter. Even Facebook has its Twitter account. Social networking is pretty much extending your menu options to not just tacos, but tacos (Taco Bell) and pizza (Pizza Hut)!

Small businesses should take advantage of the most popular and successful social media networking technologies for three reasons:

• they are free
• they provide tremendous value in building your brand and enhancing your online presence
• and most importantly, it is where your current and future customers are hanging out!

How Does It All Work?

Think of a social media networking strategy as building a high-performance home. If you’re a green builder, you know that building a high-efficiency home goes beyond putting certain products together, even if they are ENERGY STAR or some kind of green-labeled product. Green home building requires an integrated approach. It entails a different way of thinking. A beautiful green-built home begins with a great design, one that takes into consideration many aspects including the site selection, home orientation, eco-friendly materials and green building strategies.

It’s All About Strategy and Avoiding Mistakes

Just like building a green home, social media networking requires a plan―a strategy with a purpose―in order to maximize your profits and productivity as a business owner.

Social media networking and bookmarking is beyond blogging, sharing and having online discussions with your friends and co-workers about what you had for lunch, or how tired you’re feeling on a Monday morning after a crazy weekend.

Your social media networking strategy deserves an integrated approach. It requires a strategy. You want to manage your online presence because this is where your customers and business associates are and will be reading about you. And when they do, would you have any regrets as to what you’ve shared with the world?

Use social media networking to extend your business relationships with your customers and business associates. Avoid posting messages and photos that would you would not share with Grannie, your customers or your new boss! Your business image can easily be damaged by making these mistakes.

Your strategy should involve posting “online billboards” in various social media networking platforms to attract future customers to your website, thus increasing online traffic, with the goal of turning leads into loyal customers. Successful businesses are using social media to stay connected with their current customer base and to attract new clients in a transparent, friendly, informative, and non-threatening manner.

Your Blog Is Key

One of the main things you need in order to sing your tune and get with the social media dance, is to have a blog for your business. Your blog serves as the source of information where you regularly share your knowledge and expertise, and that of your organization’s. In addition, your blog serves as a way to engage with your customers in conversation. It should have a mechanism for visitors to leave comments and submit questions. In short, your blog begins the discussion.

Blogging Tips

Three things to keep in mind about blogging:

• keep your articles customer-friendly, yet professional
• respond in a timely manner to questions or comments, and
• end your articles with a call to action

Larger organizations have departments dedicated to managing their online presence. Although you may not have the ability to hire someone solely to do your online social media management, consider cross-training and selecting a couple of key individuals in your organization that are internet-savvy and can help you in this area.

How Do You Get Started?

First, familiarize yourself with the social media lingo. Attend social media classes, spend time learning about these (free!) tools and technologies, and study how other colleagues and businesses in your industry are using them.

Second, begin mapping a social media marketing strategy to enhance your online presence, i.e., decide which platforms make sense for you to use for your business and learn more about them.

Third, create a schedule to manage your online brand. You can easily manage your strategy in approximately 7 hours per month. This is not bad to manage your online branding using platforms that cost you nada!

Questions or comments? Your feedback is welcome.

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