The answer is yes for most businesses, so carve out time for strategic experimentation. While you may think that you should focus on your website, your social-media presence also represents you and what you offer. In short, you get out of it, what you invest.
Without an understanding of, and participation in, social networks, you can miss shaping and contributing to the decision-making process of those who define the success of your business. As you examine the results, you’ll identify the people who are leading conversations and the dialogue that invites and inspires participation.
Step one: create a list of keywords that represent your market and then use the search box in each social networks to see what people are saying about you.
They are forming and sharing opinions and making decisions based on the information they find online—with or without you.
Also monitor location-based networks such as Foursquare, Gowalla, and Loopt. We’re all very busy and our to-do list is never ending. It’s not what you say about you, it’s what they say about you that counts. In any case, connecting the dots between social networks, websites, and the real world is now as important as the service and products that you offer.
Social networks and blogs are changing how consumers find places and services, how and where they share their experiences, and eventually, where they will spend their time and money. If local business is paramount to your success, use services such as Twitter, Facebook, Yelp, LinkedIn. Avoiding social
media, though, doesn’t mean that consumer opinion will never see the light of day.
To help, I’ve assembled a list of five best practices to help you build, cultivate, and measure success in the new web right now. This will expand market opportunities, build brand awareness, stimulate demand, and engender loyalty and advocacy.
Customer service and engagement overall is a new and genuine form of marketing. Your brand is at the mercy of those who take to social media to share their experiences, so you might as well take an active role to contribute to the stature and perception of your brand.
You might even learn how to improve your product and service in the process. Many business owners believe that social media gives people a chance to criticize their business.
Doing so will earn you permanent residence in the hearts and minds of the people who make up your markets. Customers, prospects, and influencers are already engaging with others to contribute, learn, and discover.
Social networking is far more effective when you realize that creating profiles and updating social networks aren’t arbitrary. The ability to showcase your products and services to attract customers and spark conversation is arguably greater on social networking sites than your own website.
There’s an art and science to all of this, and the process begins with listening and research. While social media cheat-sheets and short cuts are available almost everywhere you look, the truth is that we have some work ahead of us.
Now is the time. Social media is fast, free, and a powerful way to reach and serve customers.