If you’re still trying to work out what Twitter, Facebook and updating your blog every five minutes has got to do with your business, here’s a simple guide from Buzzword PR to get you started.
There’s no denying that social media is here to stay and if you’re not using these online tools to grow your business, you’re missing out. Using social media to market your business is not rocket science (despite what some people would have you believe), it’s common sense.
We know that everyone is pushed for time, but it’s just a question of doing a little bit every day. Five minutes is really all it takes.
So where do you start?
- Set up a Twitter Account. (http://www.twitter.com) Twitter is a micro-blogging site that seems to be taking over the world. People have written whole books on Twitter, so we could go on here all day! But basically “Tweets” are written in 140 characters or less. “Why is it useful for me?” I hear you ask. “No one wants to know what I ate for breakfast”. People who say this are really missing the point. Instead, use Twitter to engage with people, just like you would in real-life networking situations. Provide your “followers” with helpful advice and website links, help them with their business ideas and resources and you’ll soon reap the benefits. Once you’ve got going on Twitter, download an application like Tweetdeck which makes it easier to follow relevant people and re-tweet. Follow us on Twitter @buzzwordpr
2. If you don’t already have a Blog linked to your website, set up a free one just like this with Word Press (http://www.wordpress.com) and get blogging. A Blog is like an online diary, known in the trade as a weblog. Again, you don’t have to regale people with stories about what you ate for breakfast. A blog is ideal for giving readers useful tips and ideas as well as publishing news about your company or just discussing a subject you feel passionate about.
3. Build your profile on LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/). LinkedIn is a great place to build your contacts and really get to know them as well as showcase your work experience, both past and present. Google loves LinkedIn, so if you complete your profile and collect lots of recommendations, you’ll soon be mentioned in the search engines.
4. Set up a Facebook Fan Page. You may be using Facebook on a personal level, but are you using it for your business? Facebook has over 350 million users worldwide and more than 20 million of those become fans of pages every day. That’s one hell of a lot of contacts to tap into! Your business Fan Page is like a mini website for your company, but one that you can update as often as you like. It also gives you the opportunity for two-way conversations through its discussions section and post links on other people’s pages. (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Buzzword-PR/113928228971?ref=ts)
5. Upload your photos onto Flickr. Flickr is another great place to showcase your business through photographs and it also gives you an opportunity to add descriptions. A great PR opportunity that’s not to be missed. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/buzzwordpr)
Finally, don’t forget one of the most important aspects of all about these social media sites. They raise your profile on Google quite dramatically. Your “Tweets”, blogs “ Linked-In network updates, Facebook Status updates and your Flickr photostream will soon appear on the search engines – as long as you are clever with your keywording and “tags”.
You may be thinking, “I am just too busy to do all this – the thought of it makes me feel exhausted.” If this is the case, you can always ask Henley-on-Thames based PR consultants, Buzzword PR to help you set up and run your social media campaign. Give us a call today on: 07815 002276 or email us at info@buzzwordpr.co.uk
Want to showcase all your social media profiles all in one place and provide all your relevant company and personal details in a simple, easy to use format? Buzzword PR’s Social Media Press Kit allows your potential customers to click on your profiles instantly and link up with you.
For more information on how the Social Media Press Kit can help you, click on this video produced by my partnering firm in the United States, Richter 10.2, a leading social media PR consultancy who devised the SMPK:
http://www.whywebpr.com/smpk4/
View Buzzword PR’s own Social Media Press Kit here:
