Social Media: What Is It?

Wikipedia’s definition:

The term Social Media refers to the use of web-based and mobile technologies to turn communication into an interactive dialogue. Social media are media for social interaction, as a superset beyond social communication. Enabled by ubiquitously accessible and scalable communication techniques, social media substantially change the way of communication between organizations, communities, as well as individuals.

Social Media: What Is It?

Let’s break that down:

- Web-based and mobile technologies- Interactive dialogue- Social interaction- Ubiquitously accessible and scalable communication techniques- Changing the way of communication between: organizations, communities, and individuals.

Social Media: What’s All the Hype?

What’s the big deal with social media? Why should I care?:

- Key player in major world events- Greatly broadening communications- Highly personalized experience- Rapidly evolving technology- Amazingly strong user base (and growing)- Defining the future of most areas of communications

Social Media: Why Should I Use It?What does social media have to offer me professionally?:

- Built in networks- Unprecedented audience access- Highly personalized interface- Unparalleled community and relationship building capacity - Optimized infrastructure and tools- Constant R&D- Unbeatable cost effectiveness- The Participation Pyramid (aka the 90-9-1 Rule)

Social Media: How Should I Use It?

Marketing yourself on social media is not the same as traditional channels, some key things to bear in mind:

- Social media is not a megaphone/billboard/advertisement/commercial- All about building relationships and community- Give your audience value first- Always focus on the soft sell and avoid the hard sell

Social Media: Developing Your Image

The bedrock of social media is people, determine who you are professionally:

- Establishing and presenting an image- Personalizing yourself and your services- Establish yourself as an expert- Find a way of making that expertise engaging

Social Media: Knowing Your Audience

Once you know who you are, you then need to figure out with whom you’re trying to connect:

- Determine who your audience is- Figure out where your audience is- Listen to what your audience is already talking about- Get to know your audience

Social Media: Engaging Your Audience

Finding your audience is only half the exercise, engaging them is real key on social media:

- Stay relevant- Ask questions and seek input- Vary your content- The 60-30-10 rule

QUESTIONS?