Social media: Don't be left behind
By Elaine Ellis
When it comes to using
social media for business, marketers are the most likely to jump on the
bandwagon. Yet social media has importance to nearly every sector of
business.
But many business
executives worry they are three years late to the trend and that they’re so
far behind that don’t even know where to begin.
There is a divergence
building between those who use and get social media and those who don’t.
With this basic primer on social media you can set up some accounts and get
started.
Blogs
Chances are you already
read blogs whether you realize it or not, but you may want to consider
starting a blog to further your career or company. The best blogger is
passionate, willing to commit the time it takes to write regularly, and
lends a unique voice to the subject area.
In addition, blogs present a great way for those looking for jobs to
share their industry knowledge and build their reputation and network both
offline and online. If you’re interested in starting a blog, the most
popular software platforms are Typepad, WordPress,
and Blogger.
RSS Readers
Keeping up with industry
and company news is hard enough without trying to keep up with dozens of
blogs. That’s why an RSS reader makes it easier for you. Essentially, an
RSS reader is like TiVo for your Internet reading.
An RSS reader allows you
to take the feeds and content of all the blogs you’re reading, along with
mainstream news sites, and puts it all in one location for you. If you’re
looking for an RSS reader, here are a few sites with easy-to-follow
instructions; Google
Reader, Netvibes
or NewsGator.
Social networks
If you’ve never joined a
social network previously, the best place to start is LinkedIn, which has
more than 30 million professionals already as members.
Most importantly, when
doing a Google search, your LinkedIn profile is likely to show up in the
top 10 search engine results, ensuring that potential employers or business
contacts will see all of the business information you want them to see.
LinkedIn also has a feature allowing you to recommend people you’ve worked
with, so you can build your references online as well.
EventVue is another
great social networking site for business purposes. EventVue builds social
networks for conferences to ensure attendees get the maximum value out of
networking and the event. Be sure to see if the next conference you attend
has a social networking site such as EventVue set up.
Monitoring
social media
The best way to get
involved in social media is to start by listening to what your
stakeholders, competitors and industry influencers are saying. By now,
you’re probably already monitoring your company news through Google Alerts.
Another great service is Filtrbox (http://www.filtrbox.com/), which
monitors news, blogs and other sites like Twitter and FriendFeed.
The biggest mistake
companies make is to incorporate social media for the sake of doing it.
Don’t expect a steady stream of readers just from slapping up a blog. There
is a misconception out there that social media is easy for companies to
use. While the software and interfaces may in fact be easy, finding
meaningful ways to interact with your stakeholders and not just talk
"at" them is extremely difficult. To accomplish this, start with
the basics by getting involved in the communities and sites where your
stakeholders are already involved.
For professional women
looking to learn more about how to engage in social media, "Chicks Who
Click," is being held in Boulder on Jan. 9 and 10. This conference
will focus on the education of women in social media, offering hands-on
learning with case studies involving social media, how to measure market
value and utilize a social media toolbox.
Elaine Ellis is a
new media evangelist with Metzger Associates where she helps companies
build buzz and manage their reputations online. In her previous agency
experience, she has served as senior account executive and social media
specialist counseling clients on incorporating blogs, viral video and
social networks into strategic marketing programs. To learn more about the
Chicks who Click event, contact her at eellis@metzger.com.
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