Business Link SW: An Introduction to Social Media for Business

Business Link in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset

Before we get started… Who Am I?
Aren Grimshaw
Social Media Consultant
I help businesses, organisations & individuals use Social Media sites more effectively.
I’ve worked in sales, marketing and media roles for over 10 years.
I’m co-founder of Cornwall Social Media Cafe
I was the lead organiser behind two Cornwall Twestivals& UK Regional Coordinator of Twestival UK 2010.

60% of European Consumers now engage with Social Media on a regular basis
64% of UK Companies say they have experimented with Social Media
However…

This leaves some important questions unanswered…
What is Social Media?
Is it just another fad?
Is anyone making any money?
Where do I start?

What is Social Media?

“Media for social interaction, using highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques.”
Wikipedia Definition - Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media

or
“...it’s how people read,
discover and share
information.”

Social Media Marketing is about using Social Media to engage with online communities to generate exposure, opportunity and sales

The Key Aspects & Terminology
Web 1.0, 2.0 & 4.0
Real Time
Viral
Authenticity / Transparency
User Generated Content (UGC)
Consumer Generated Media (CGM)

Putting it in context – Why now?
Technology
Society
Computing Power
Processor Power
Internet Speeds
Digital Cameras
iPods
Smartphones
iPhones / iPads
Generation Y / Millennials
Out of Town Shopping
E-commerce
Longer Working Hours
Migration & Immigration
Erosion of Community Centres
The Age of Spin

The Technology

Social Media Platforms
File Sharing Sites
Blogs
Social Networks
Social Bookmarks
Live Streaming
Forums
Wiki Sites
Aggregators
Review Systems

Facebook
Launched 2004
500m Active Users
50% of registered users are between 25-49
32% of visitors to the site 35 years or older

Facebook
50% log on in any given day
200m+ access via mobile devices (and are twice as active)
250m+ people engage with Facebook on external websites
900m+ objects that people interact with(pages, groups, events & community pages)
Source: http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics

An Average user…
38 years old
130 Friends
Spends 55 minutes on the site per day
Is connected to 80 pages, groups &events
Creates 90 pieces of content each month
Adds 25 comments to content each month

Blogs & Blogging
133m+ blogs
77% internet users read blogs
Two thirds of bloggers are male
60% are 18 – 44 years old
75% have a college education or above
50%+ are married
50%+ have kids

Blogs & Blogging
56% say their blog has helped their company establish a position as ‘thought-leader’
58% of bloggers say they’re better known in their industry as a result
94% of bloggers reported measurable SEO benefits within 12 months

What is Twitter?
Blogging Platform (Micro-blogging)
Social Network
Search Engine
Focus Group
News Wire

Twitter
Launched 2006
175m registered users (reported)
15m new users per month (reported)
100m accounts opened in 2010
180m unique visitors per month
25bn tweets sent during 2010

Some Statistics
600m+ search queries on Twitter per day
37% access via a mobile device
75% of traffic via third-party applications

An Average user…
Is 39 years old
Has 126 Followers
Only 11% aged between 12 to 17
35%+ (US) are over 35 years of age

What is LinkedIn?
‘Professional Network’
Founded in 2003
85m+ members
150 industries
200 countries – all 7 continents
Gains 1 new user per second

Some Statistics
11m users in Europe
4m UK users
Average user age of 44
70% of visitors over 35 years old
75% of visitors college educated or above

Developing a Strategy

Developing Your Strategy (CARAT)
Community Targets
Aims & Objectives
Resources Available
Approach or Strategy
Technology to be Used

Identifying your Community
C
I
P

Defining Objectives
SEO: link building, content factors
Marketing: Promote business, brand awareness
PR: Manage reputation, get news out
Sales: New contact routes, increase purchasing
Engagement: Increase loyalty, foster word of mouth
Research: Identify trends / niches, consultation
Management: Collaboration, knowledge sharing

Allocating Resources
Time
Money
People
Skills
Business As Usual Activity (BAU)

The Approach

The VCP Rule
Visibility
Credibility
Profitability

The VCP Rule
Visibility
Reach but no Results
(Technology Centred Approach)

The VCP Rule
Credibility
No chance to connect – no results
(Content Focused Approach)

Is anyone making any money?

UKNetWeb Limited
Small to Medium Enterprise
Based in St.Agnes, Cornwall
5 Full Time Staff
Primary services:
Web Development (Ecommerce)
Internet Consultancy
Social Media Integration

Social Media Activities
Blogging & Micro-Blogging
Social Networking
Professional Networking
File-Sharing
Webinars & Other Events

Results – Web Traffic

Results – Bottom Line
In a 6 month period:
500% increase in new business enquiries through social networks
2/3 of all enquiries through social networks
100% increase in average order values
Opened up UK & international markets

Results: More Examples
Dell
$7m Twitter Sales
Twestival (2010)
SW / Wales Region approx. £20,000 to date
UK £62,000 to date
Surfers Against Sewage
New members, increased activity

What could you gain?
Increased brand awareness & credibility
Increased web traffic & website engagement
Higher average order values
More repeat business, increased loyalty
Reach into new markets / existing markets
Insight into customer opinions & opportunities
More sales & increased profitability

Getting Started: Your First 3 Steps

Your first 3 steps...
Start monitoring
Improve your current marketing
Build your online network

1. Start Monitoring
“Just because you
leave the room, it doesn’t mean that those left behind aren’t talking about you.”

1. Start Monitoring
Set up your alerts:
Google Alertshttp://www.google.com/alerts
Social Mentionhttp://www.socialmention.com

2. Improve your current marketing
Try ‘Passive Marketing’
“Don’t tell them you’re funny, tell them a joke”
“Get more bang for your buck”

“Get more bang for your buck”
You’re delivering a presentation to a group of customers. Why not...
Upload the presentation online?
Broadcast the event live over the internet?
Live-blog the event?
Add all the guests as new contacts on online networks?
Upload photos of the event?

3. Build your online network
Professional Networkinghttp://www.linkedin.com
Social Networkinghttp://www.facebook.com

3. Build your online network
Connect with your existing contacts first
Add new connections to your network as you meet them
Don’t push your sales message at your contacts
Don’t rush to speak, listen first
Encourage debate among your network

Getting more support...

How can I help?
Explaining How…
I offer a series of training modules in the theory and practical application of Social Media tools and platforms, as well as mentoring and support to individuals or teams.
Explaining What…
Traditionally referred to as strategy or consultancy, It comes down to me putting my knowledge to work on your behalf, explaining what you need to do to meet your objectives.
Explaining Why…
This may involve a basic appraisal of your activity to date or ongoing monitoring of your activity for results.
Doing it…
I can help setup, create and maintain Social Media accounts ready for take over at a later stage, ensuring you get the right technology working for you.

Getting in touch
Search for “arengrimshaw” on Google
Or
Tel: 01872 273103
Mob: 07598 242212
Email: info@arengrimshaw.co.uk
Web: www.arengrimshaw.co.uk

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Business Link SW: An Introduction to Social Media for Business

by Aren Grimshaw on Feb 22, 2011

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Business Link SW: An Introduction to Social Media for Business — Presentation Transcript