| Social Media is here to stay. We: | | | | any of the above social media tools (or similar |
| Twitter, in 140 characters or less, what we are | | | | efforts), it's time to take your company's |
| doing. | | | | participation to the next level. This process is called |
| Post updates, pictures, movies and more in | | | | "social media optimization." |
| Facebook. | | | | With Social Media Optimization (SMO), there are |
| Answer questions and make connections in | | | | similar comparisons to SEO (Search Engine |
| LinkedIn. | | | | Optimization). Strategic SMO tactics can drive huge |
| Blog and participate in other social media efforts. | | | | amounts of traffic to your website. |
| What is the gain by these efforts? An increase in | | | | Ultimately, there are two primary goals with SMO: |
| business? More Facebook Fans? Engaging customers? | | | | When searching Google for your company name, |
| First, let's make sure you're participating in social | | | | brand, products, services, etc., all search results in the |
| media. You company should be using some - if not all | | | | Top 10 should be either your company's website (a |
| - of the following tools: | | | | result of SEO) or your social media pages/accounts |
| Facebook. There are currently over 300 million | | | | (a result of SMO). |
| active accounts in Facebook. Individuals create | | | | For example, your company's Facebook Page, |
| Profiles. Businesses create Pages. | | | | Twitter account, LinkedIn account, blog, and website |
| Task: Conduct a search for your competition in | | | | pages should all be listed in the Top 10 search results |
| Facebook. Are they actively participating? How many | | | | in Google. |
| Fans do they have? | | | | Customers and clients should be able to find your |
| Twitter. Keep your customers and clients | | | | business in Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., when |
| up-to-date on your business' daily activities, news, | | | | searching by targeted keywords, events, brand, |
| tips, service, help, FAQs, etc. | | | | company name, etc. |
| Task: Start a Twitter account and search for topics | | | | For example, if you are a sheet metal supplier in |
| of interest to find people to follow. Observe and | | | | Indiana, then potential customers should be able to |
| then participate. | | | | find you through searches on the keyword "Indiana |
| LinkedIn. If you do not have a LinkedIn account, | | | | sheet metal suppliers". |
| you need to start one today. Participating in the | | | | Of course, other goals could be customer service; |
| Answers section helps your status as an authority in | | | | handling complaints, etc. All-in-all, by participating in this |
| your field. | | | | space, you will be engaging with potential customers |
| Task: Create an Individual LinkedIn account and a | | | | or with current customers. |
| Business account. | | | | So, where do you begin "optimizing" your SMO |
| Blog. A must in today's online efforts. If your | | | | efforts? How do you take it to the next level and |
| company doesn't have a blog, you need to start one. | | | | leave the social media 101 class in the dust? It starts |
| Now! | | | | with your company name, your brand name, your |
| Task: Start a blog today. | | | | products and services and, more importantly, it |
| YouTube. If YouTube were a search engine, it | | | | begins with targeted keywords and content. |
| would be the second largest one behind Google. Your | | | | Remember whether you are in the B2C (Business to |
| company should create a YouTube Channel for | | | | Consumer) industry or B2B (Business to Business) |
| educational, promotional and sales videos. | | | | industry, all interactions are B2P (business to person). |
| Task: Search YouTube for videos in your industry. | | | | Social media allows your company to build stronger |
| Second, if your company is already participating in | | | | relationships with individuals to help grow business. |