According to the Newsweek article Social Media Trends for 2010 social media is still on the rise. Twitter alone has over 7 million unique users and growing monthly. The biggest trend predicted for 2010 is the increased use of social media in corporate marketing structures. The small business sector is not excluded from these trends. Researchers from University of Massachusetts Dartmouth show that small businesses are utilizing social media more than their larger counterparts.
These studies clearly show that social media is here to stay and should be added to your marketing plan in 2010. Here are a few easy steps to get your social media presence started.
1) Get Started. Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In are considered the top three social media sites. Set up accounts on each of these three sites to get your social media presence started. Make sure your profiles are set up professionally including a professional profile picture and company logo, company mission statement, full contact information and links to your website, blog and other social media sites.
2) Build a following. The easiest way to jump start up your social media following is to invite your current contacts to follow your new profiles. Most social media sites allow you to easily upload your email address book and will automatically locate your contacts for you. Once you have a small following, start sharing quality information such as company news, upcoming events or links to useful articles. It is equally important to contribute something back to your followers. Be sure and comment on their post or share their posts with your contacts when possible. By following these few steps your social media reputation and following will soon blossom.
3) Measuring your success. Setting goals and measuring your progress will help your social media message stay on course. Once you decide what you would like to gain from your social media presence, such as increased web traffic or a certain number of quality followers, find the program you need to measure it. Simple, free tools such as Facebook Stats, Twitazlyer and Google Analytics will get you started. Check your stats monthly to see if you are reaching your goal. If not, use the information to change your message and how you interact online.
4) Get Help. If setting up and starting your social media accounts seems too overwhelming or you just need help managing it all, look into hiring a social media experienced Virtual Assistant. A quality Virtual Assistant can become a true partner in your company’s success online.
Article by Julia Lilly, Owner of 360 Admin. She is a professional virtual assistant who assists small to mid-sized businesses with their social media presence by providing start- up consultation or daily account management. Visit her on the web at http://360admin.com.
Authors bio is coming up shortly.
