The Progressive Company’s Outlook on Social Media: If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em

Like death and taxes, social media are a sure thing and are here to stay.  Corporations are beginning more and more to come to this realization.  It’s been policy for many companies to block social networking sites to prevent their employees from spending company time on Facebook, Twitter and the like, but it’s coming to light that blocking social media sites is nothing more than an exercise in futility.  With all the tech gadgets now at our disposal, one doesn’t need to be on their company’s computer to access their social networking sites while at work.  One need only own a smartphone or tablet in order to bypass their company’s computer security.   And, nowadays, who doesn’t own one of those??              

So, the progressive company is adopting the attitude that ‘if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em’.  Some corporations are in fact beginning to recognize the advantages to their employees being able to share and promote, via social media, company news and updates.  Just think of the reach potential of a large corporation of over 100,000 employees harnessing the power of social media to promote that corporation! 

It’s in fact coming to the point where some companies are considering implementing social media literacy and security training to ensure that employees (since they’re going to be on social media anyways) are using social media ethically and advantageously.  Not a bad idea, all things considered. And, why not take it a step further and offer employees training on how to correctly use social media sites to enhance business practices and upgrade contact / client management skills. 

There’s no doubt about the impact that social media now has on the business world – in fact, most would argue that it’s nearly impossible to stay competitive without having your business connected on social media.  So, why not jump on the bandwagon and use social media and, yes, even your employees and their sites, to your advantage!

For more information on social media and how it can be used to the benefit of any business, why not join one of our Social Media for Business workshops?  For a schedule and a listing of convenient course locations, please visit http://escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20.

Your Target Audience: How to Find It on Social Media

Establishing and expanding your target audience is one of the most complex challenges you will encounter in growing your business and developing your brand.  Social media, with its mind-boggling broad-reach potential, is one of the best ways to achieve your goals.  Your objective, however, is not explicitly to reach as many people as you can, but, more specifically, to reach as many people as you can that are going to be fully interested in engaging with your business.  And, this is where the challenge lies – in determining who, or more to the point, where these people are. 

Do Your Research – Thoroughly

Although social media can make your life a lot easier (especially in terms of reaching people via a social media marketing campaign versus reaching people via traditional advertising methods), you definitely need to do your homework.  Knowledge is power and the more you know about your brand’s position within the social media cosmos, the easier it will be for you to find your audience. 

Conduct Advanced Searches

There are numerous social media sites of which you can make use to find out exactly who is buzzing about your brand and what, precisely, the buzz is.  Twitter and Facebook both offer inclusive search functionalities.  Google Blog Search is another appropriate choice.  It’s important to remember when conducting your research, to not just look for your own company, but also search out your competition – both direct and indirect. 

Using Lots of Keywords is Key

Search out industry-specific keywords.  Twitter further provides an advanced search feature that allows you to source out users based on keywords & phrases.  Think words that will generate the best matches in terms of your products and services, as well as competitive keywords. 

Make Use of Groups & Lists

The fundamentals of social media rely on the fact that we, as humans, are just that:  social beings that love to connect and need to feel like we’re a part of something.  The “sense of community” aspect is a central characteristic of each social network. 

Twitter thrives on lists and there are currently thousands of Facebook groups out there, not to mention the LinkedIn groups.  You can easily use keyword searches to access Twitter lists and Facebook & LinkedIn groups to source out people who could potentially be interested in doing business with you. 

Remember, patience is a virtue.  A social media marketing campaign can be a very effective and viable way of turning your business into an exceedingly lucrative venture.  But, it won’t happen overnight.  You need to invest your precious time and some energy into putting it all together - and gaining access to your target audience puts you halfway there.  

5 Steps to a Fabulous Makeover ... for Your LinkedIn Profile

LinkedIn, since its 2003 inception, has been growing by leaps and bounds to become the platform for business networking.   LinkedIn fact:  As of March 31, 2012, LinkedIn operates the world’s largest professional network on the Internet with 161 million members in over 200 countries and territories.

Ignoring LinkedIn can be a marketing mistake, as LinkedIn has categorically become the number one connection-based referral source for business professionals.

 

So, why not give your LinkedIn profile a much-deserved makeover to maximize its truly awesome potential!  Here’s what you can do:

     1. Ensure your profile includes an up-to-date photo of you in professional attire and fully coiffed, so that the image makes a stunning, professional first impression.  It’s actually worthwhile to invest in a professional portrait. This is definitely the time and place to put your best face forward.       

      2.  A vanity URL is always a good idea for your LinkedIn account – it sets you apart, is unique to you and if catchy enough, will be remembered readily by those who check your profile. It’s simple to change your URL.  Just click on the Edit Public Profile settings at right, or simply edit next to the Public Profile in the blue profile box.


     3. It’s imperative that your profile’s searchability be at its maximum potential.  Your profile should be searchable on all search engines as well as on LinkedIn.  A LinkedIn profile commonly ranks among the top five when a search is conducted on someone’s name.  To ensure that your profile is public and to have it indexed, simply click on Settings, Public Profile and then select Full View Recommended.  You can choose which items are viewable by others from the menu list.

      4. Be sure to keep current with respect to your profile and status updates and make certain that any new posts or changes are sent to all of your connections. 


     5. Your summary is one of the most key elements of your LinkedIn profile.  It’s important that it be well put together, succinct and that in its brevity, it does you justice.  Ensure that it captures the essence of the ‘business you’ and that it specifically lets connections know exactly what it is that you can do for them.  The idea here is to make people want to engage with you. Think personal branding – but remember, keep it brief!

With over 100 million people connected on LinkedIn worldwide, it really is worth it to maximize your own profile to its full potential.   Learn how to take complete advantage of everything LinkedIn and its unique features have to offer.  Join our full-day, hands-on Social Media for Business workshops. 

Simply click here   http://escomputertraining.com/socialmedia   for a schedule of workshops in your area and we’ll be happy to help you get “LinkedIn”!