social media: features & benefits
TRANSCRIPT
Soci@lite
Social Media: Features & Benefits
Soci@liteThe only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about
(Oscar Wilde)
by Katherine Hanson
Soci@lite
About Me
Social Media Training Consultancy
Believe Social Media is the online equivalent of Word of Mouth which really encapsulates its usefulness to businesses
Passionate about helping businesses to navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics so they can raise their online awareness
Mission to help businesses understand why Social Media can help them, not just how
Soci@lite
Social Media is….
The online equivalent of word of mouth, the oldest form of marketing in the world yet still the most powerful and driven by people
Permanent & broadcast – no reliance on somebody remembering what they have heard about a business and passing it on to somebody else
An ongoing practice, the immediate purpose of which is not to generate leads & business but share information & engage in the same way that you would in the real world
Websites tell you about a business and Social Media tells you about those in a business
Social Media is ultimately about solving readers problems
Love or hate it? It’s here to stay – there is even a globally-recognised Social Media Week
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WHY?
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Whatever your customers and competitors are doing you also need to embrace
Increase customer loyalty whilst driving traffic back to your website
Reach other markets for virtually no cost, other than in time & effort
Spreads your message to those who want to hear what you have to say
Harness the collective power of a captive audience and they will spread the word for you
Conduct competitor analysis and stay ahead by posting information before they do
Ask questions and obtain instant feedback from customers, peers & prospects
Audit trail of online activity - crucial for testimonials/referrals & permanent reference point
No geographic boundaries - only 15% of business’ fans are local to them - go VIRAL!
Open & honest business not afraid to share knowledge & deal with issues in a public forum
Keeps your customers & target audience returning to your website regularly
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WHAT?
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The same etiquette applies as offline – don’t say or do anything you wouldn’t face to face
Brainstorm ideas with colleagues, family and friends if you're not sure what to write about
Ask questions via Surveys & Polls, etc.
FAQs – answer questions & comments via your Social Media channels
Blogs – these win when they are full of passion and helpful information
Make personal stories into lessons - People do business with People
Resources your customers find helpful, e.g. Reviews, Links, Tutorials & ‘How To’ articles
Repackage content from company literature and your website – news is cyclical
Call to Action with an Ethical Bribe, e.g. download a free e-book – gauges interest and captures leads and further engages a follower with your content/website
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Using Social Media channels
There are really only FOUR STEPS:
1. Find people interested in your products or services
2. Post content not adverts, e.g. articles, blogs, comments, etc.
3. Capture information with an ethical bribe for name & email address, e.g. free e-book
4. Stay in touch and create a valuable exchange, e.g. Newsletters, webinars, etc.
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HOW?
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Sync Social Media channels to maximise your audience, e.g. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
Think about your customers and what sort of information would be helpful to them
Treat every post as an opportunity for a Google listing under a new keyword or phrase
Add Social Media buttons so readers can share your posts on Twitter, Facebook, etc.
Choose a keyword or phrase to focus on and then measure the results to see what has resonated most with your followers
Use titles that are easy to understand so people want to click on them to read more
Build relationships with industry experts/influencers and share their content
Delegate to a ghost writer or encourage colleagues to blog or brainstorm ideas for content
Subscribe to other blogs – read what is being talked about and join the conversation
Plan your posts for the month with an Editorial Calendar – decide on dates and times
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WHEN?
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It needn’t be a content safari!
At least once a week – post & blog as often as you can thereafter
Editorial Calendar – use this to schedule content and vary types of post and their length
Publish around the same time each day/week to create anticipation amongst followers
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Social Media Dashboard enabling you to post to all your channels simultaneously
Users include governments, artists and even The White House
Weekly summary of mentions and analytics
Sync with Google Analytics and Facebook Insights
Maximise your captive audience - draft & schedule to send when followers will be online
Smartphone & Android free Apps available
View all your Social feeds from one Dashboard
Hootlet enables you to ‘hoot’ about pages you would like to share
Soci@liteSchedule Content
Plan your blog posts for the month and write and schedule as many as possible in advance – this frees
up your time to deal with daily tasks and social networking.
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The power of Social Media Marketing & Search Engine Optimisation
Source: www.socialnomics.com by Erik Qualman. From the book Socialnomics: the power of social marketing & Search Engine Optimization.
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3. Builds new relationships
6 Builds trust
2. Increases referrals
5. Increases familiarity4. Creates visibility
1. Makes you credible
7. Offer your products & services
Value of Exchange
8. You will be seen as an expert
The relationship between your brand, employees & consumers which is more than just a single transaction or subscription
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3. Builds new relationships
6. Builds trust
2. Increases referrals
5. Increases familiarity
4. Creates visibility
1. Makes you credible
7. Offer your products & services
Social Media success!8. You will be seen as an expert
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Allows you to be yourself! Let your personality shine through with a conversational & friendly tone
Free PR & instant feedback - invite conversation by asking questions & encouraging comments
Online word of mouth - people trust peer recommendations so leave out the sales patter & advertising
You can use in conjunction with existing marketing to enhance your offline activity NOT replace it
Captive Audience - engage and share with peers and customers
Content is King - the more you post the more you will be found and drives traffic back to your website
Network online with prospects, peers and other businesses, not just your followers
Value of Exchange not Return on Investment
Reach markets you may not otherwise have access to
Doing business with those who know, like & trust you will make you money - Social Media is merely the platform!
Summary
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In the year 2062, a bunch of elderly hipsters are interviewed about the good old days of
Social Media
Source: www.socialnomics.com by Erik Qualman. From the book Socialnomics: the power of social marketing & Search Engine Optimization.
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Thank You
www.facebook.com/socialiteconsultancy www.linkedin.com/company/social-ite
www.twitter.com/so_cialite www.yoursocialmediator.wordpress.com
To discuss Social Media in more detail or for or a copy of this presentation please email