Small Business Social Media Strategy

Social Business Branding Primer

Elissa Nauful

Ballywho Social

Why are you here?

You want to learn how to make social work for you.

You want to grow your personal brand. You want to network. You want to answers. You want to understand what social tools can

help you and your business. You are confused about the mixed messages and

urgency social media communicates. You love mornings.

Why We aRE here?

We are here to provide a comprehensive overview of social media and its platforms - to give you quick, simple, practical tools to help

you grow your personal brand and to leverage that information so you leave with increased

social savvy.

The MOST BASIC SOCIAL TIPS

Let’s have fun…this doesn’t have to be boring.

Keywords matter.

Know who you are competing with, online and offline.

Social listening can be just as important as social engagement.

Understand that Social Media is a part of many business functions but NOT the core function of your business.

Be prepared ahead of time to address issues that will arise.

Don’t get started until you have successfully defined your business goals and objectives.

No is an answer.

Personal connections and decorum are just as important offline as online.

Lessons that will help… stay with me here

Be Authentic

Help each other

Connect offline

Find points in common

NEVER JUST one touch point

Ask for what you want

Use the tools

Don’t let them use you

Get a grip

What doesn’t work

• Having 15 social media accounts of which NONE are managed.

• Tweeting once a month.

• Having an incomplete LinkedIn Profile.

• Taking all of your status updates and sending them to all social networks.

• Branding just your business and not yourself.

• Not being clear about what you want.

• Inconsistency.

What makes you social?

• Social media is the art of conversation.

• Successful social media is making a connection and growing that connection.

• Choose the platform that is right for you.

• Embrace that platform.

• Accept that social is not everything it is ONE thing.

• STOP Selling.

The Studies

Video is ON the Rise

Engagement is Second Nature

Many Many Many

New Platform Adoption Rate

The top Social Platforms

• Facebook • YouTube • Twitter • LinkedIn • G+ • WordPress • Pinterest • MySpace • Vine • Instagram

What What’s Your Content Strategy? Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce

Business In Your Backyard

May 14, 2014

Who is this Guy?

Curt Mercadante

Principal

Gravina Online Strategies, LLC

www.EngageGravina.com

[email protected]

http://www.EngageGravina.com

mailto:[email protected]

There’s no such thing as “social media” …

It’s all just media.

You don’t need a “Social Media Strategy” …

You Need a Content Strategy.

Three Common Misconceptions

1) I didn’t realize we needed content.

2) We don’t have enough content.

3) I need to “sell” all the time.

Three C’s of Modern Marketing

• Content

• Consistency

• Conversation

Discover Your Inner Content …

Do a Content Audit.

Discover Your Inner Content

• Not just marketing fluff.

• Special events.

• News of the day/Feature your experts.

• Human interest.

• Other completely unrelated fun stuff.

Three C’s of Modern Marketing

• Content

• Consistency

• Conversation

“What do you think?”

“Would love to hear your thoughts…”

“Check out this video…”

“What’s your favorite…?”

“Do you agree?”

“The Web site is the easy part …

“The hard part is the engagement.”

Luanne Lawrence

VP for University Advancement

Oregon State University

For More Information…

Curt Mercadante

Principal

Gravina Online Strategies, LLC

www.EngageGravina.com

[email protected]

http://www.EngageGravina.com

mailto:[email protected]

What Social Sites Should I Be On & Why?

Ashley T. Caldwell CEO, The Modern Connection

www.TheModernConnection.com

Who is Your Customer?

• Know your customer • Know demographics • Educated guesses • Generalize

#BizInYourBackyard @AshleyTCaldwell @TMCSocialMedia

Meet Your Customer Where They Spend Their Time ONLINE!!!





• Average age is 40 • Fastest growing: women 55+ • 1/5 users are mobile only

If your main customer is over 25, FB should be your main hub



Ways to Use Facebook Marketing:

• Build a "like" page • Share regular content • Buy FB ads

• Optimize your "About section" • Connect with other businesses • Hold contests (3rd party or otherwise)



Ways to Use Facebook Marketing:

• City dwellers significant users • Heavy users among tech industry • 1 billion search queries per day

• Those under 50 and especially those 18-29, are the most likely to use Twitter.



56% of customer tweets are ignored!

Even if you're not super active on Twitter, make sure you are monitoring

conversations for your business name and industry.



Ways to use Twitter for Business: • Convey your message quickly • Strengthen your brand identity • Solicit engagement • Build communities

• Research and listen • Customer service • Business development and prospecting • Media outreach & PR



• 84 million U.S. users • 40% of users log in daily • #1 industry = finance

Every professional should have a LinkedIn profile.

Every business should have a

Company page.



• Share personal & company updates • Join groups • Answer Q&As • Connect with people • LI ads = target job titles and companies • HR & recruiting

Ways to Use LinkedIn:



• 90% of users are women • Pinterest drives double the website referral traffic as Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ combined. • Pinterest is now more popular than email for sharing content.

If your customer is female, use Pinterest. If they're under 40, consider this is as your top priority.



• Mainly mobile • Owned by FB • 150 million active users • 35% check multiple times per day • 55 million photos posted daily

Each post MUST have a photo, so make sure you have the content to warrant an account.



• 77% of Internet users read blogs • 55% more web visitors and 67% more leads come to companies that blog • Google rewards you for updated your site with relevant info

Your blog should live within your website and domain.

Ashley T. Caldwell www.TheModernConnection.com

[email protected] 843.718.2988

FREE CONSULTATION: Mention #BizInYourBackyard