 |   The Buzz on Social Media—Engage, Enlist, Evolve your Marketing StrategyORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN AUTOMATION ALLEY'S X-OLOGY (PDF Link Below) Building your brand while marketing your company’s services … In trying economic times, setting yourself apart from your competitors to accomplish these goals has never been more vital. Yet, how do you effectively accomplish this in the wake of shrinking marketing budgets and constricting print and broadcast media “news holes”? Enter: social media. Before you convince yourself that such platforms — LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter among them — are only for teenagers or for finding lost friends from your youth, consider a few facts: -93% of people expect companies to have a social media presence -More than two-thirds of adults in the U.S. have watched a video on YouTube, with 50% of the most avid users over the age of 25 -Individuals from Generation X and older represent the fastest growing user demographic Put simply, such social media can allow virtually any company or business —when utilized correctly — to tell their own stories and engage their customers and prospects in new and effective ways. There is no denying that the world is turning to the World Wide Web for news and information. As a result, social media, as a networking and communications tool, is exploding. Consider these staggering numbers: -LinkedIn has more than 30 million users -Twitter is fast-approaching 40 million users -Facebook has surpassed 100 million users Social media can represent the perfect complement to a company’s Web site, which, in this age of Web 2.0, should be interactive: embracing and promoting two-way communication. The choices for social media outlets truly virtually limitless with new avenues developed and introduced almost on a daily basis. For companies seeking entry into the social media world, the following sites have proven time and again their usefulness to established businesses and entrepreneurs alike: LinkedIn (linkedin.com) allows you to post fundamental information about yourself and your company to build — on a grass-roots level — an online network of other LinkedIn professionals; cultivating trusted business relationships for referrals, best practices and professional development. Facebook (facebook.com) is similar to LinkedIn but more expansive in terms of information you can post — including the ability to list a greater array of interests and photos. It also allows for the posting of thoughts and perspectives, events and product information as well as news coverage and links. Again, a virtually limitless network of “friends” and associates can be built and nurtured with this application. Twitter (twitter.com), the newest of the social media wunderkinds, allows its users to post “microblogs” of 140-characters or less, which may contain links to additional information (including Web sites, online photos and videos, news reports and/or longer, more detailed blogs). Here, a network of “followers,” interested in what you and your company have to contribute, can be generated. Selecting appropriate profiles to follow also can help you keep up with the market by staying connected to consumers, colleagues and competitors. Similar to Twitter yet far from as popular, FriendFeed (friendfeed.com) allows for greater ease of photo and video file sharing. YouTube (youtube.com) serves as an ideal repository for showcasing company and product video and/or television news coverage. Interested users can subscribe to your “channel” and be kept up to date with all of your video features. Not only do your video posts provide the opportunity to link back to your own Web site, the ease YouTube offers in sharing content can significantly increase your viewing audience. Running a close second in popularity in this area is Vimeo (vimeo.com), while, Flickr (flickr.com) leads the way in the photo file-sharing category. While MySpace (myspace.com) has name recognition and the most “gray hair” in the marketplace, its audience is typically quite young (middle school through college) and entertainment focused. Social media continues to evolve with “the next big thing” always just around the corner. As such, it is important to take the time to research and investigate options to decide what is right for you and your company. It often makes sense to consult with a communications professional to determine a strategic and appropriate approach and content. This approach typically entails integrating multiple platforms; for example, a post on Facebook mirrors a tweet on Twitter with both linking to pertinent video on YouTube. The key, bottom line, is to build trust and interest by offering new content — on a regular and ongoing basis — that is compelling and not overtly promotional. You want to engage, start and carry-on a dialogue, and encourage interactive communication where you get to know your “followers” or “friends” — and vice-versa. It is in this way that you can build both a professional and a personal brand. People want to do business with those they know and trust. On the other hand, if you are too commercial or self-promoting, you will be ignored or even panned online. The times they are a-changing. So, too, should your marketing approach. Don Tanner is a Partner and Kristin Priest an Account Manager with Tanner Friedman, a strategic communications agency specializing in traditional and emerging media relations, public relations, marketing, branding and adversity management. TannerFriedman.com 
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