Social Media Tools for Small Business For yoyomama – February 12, 2009

LintBucket Media (LintBucket.com) is a boutique marketing agency headquartered in Vancouver that focuses on social media marketing and community building. Our Services: Social Media Marketing & Communications Blogger Outreach Programs Community Development Internal Social Media Implementation SEO-driven Copywriting OneDegree.ca is one of Canada's leading online publications about digital marketing, online communications and social media -- penned by some of Canada's bright lights and rising stars in these areas. MyNameIsKate.ca – blogging about the intersection of marketing, technology and design, plus other juicy bits.

Our Services:

Social Media Marketing & Communications

Blogger Outreach Programs

Community Development

Internal Social Media Implementation

SEO-driven Copywriting

http://mynameiskate.ca/yoyomama.html

http://mynameiskate.ca/yoyomama.html

Social Media is all about PEOPLE http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmpalmer/99806770/ People Figures: David Armano - Logic + Emotion Blog But, first things first …

Do you own your own name? http://www.flickr.com/photos/71894657@N00/916718299/

Do you own your own name? Does Your Email Address look like one of these? [email_address] [email_address] [email_address] [email_address] WHY?!?

Does Your Email Address look like one of these?

[email_address]

[email_address]

[email_address]

[email_address]

WHY?!?

Do you own your own home? http://www.flickr.com/photos/96221617@N00/308791590/

Do you own your own home? Do you have a website? With a real domain? Can you update your website when YOU want? Are you running website analytics? Do you review your analytics on a semi-regular basis? Don’t get involved in social media until these are taken care of!

Do you have a website?

With a real domain?

Can you update your website when YOU want?

Are you running website analytics?

Do you review your analytics on a semi-regular basis?

Don’t get involved in social media

until these are taken care of!

And have you weather-stripped it? Findability is Essential to Doing Business! Optimize your site for search engines Optimize your content for search engines Consider testing Google AdWords programs SEO is beyond the scope of this talk but there are a lot of big wins to be had via SEO!

Findability is Essential to Doing Business!

Optimize your site for search engines

Optimize your content for search engines

Consider testing Google AdWords programs

SEO is beyond the scope of

this talk but there are a lot

of big wins to be had via SEO!

What’s your handle? http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/38960136/

What’s your handle? My Handle Variations katetrgovac ktrgovac mynameiskate katicus queenkaticus Psst … do as I SAY, not as I DO  http://www.usernamecheck.com/ Why Important? Findability – most social media sites are being indexed – user names and user profiles are starting to show up.

My Handle Variations

katetrgovac

ktrgovac

mynameiskate

katicus

queenkaticus

Psst … do as I SAY, not as I DO 

http://www.usernamecheck.com/

Profile Conversations Personality

Your Professional Profile Where should you have a professional profile? LinkedIn Facebook [Plaxo – not as popular, but some people got into it] Really, Facebook? Yes – use the “group friends” and privacy settings! http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/02/facebook-privacy/

Where should you have a professional profile?

LinkedIn

Facebook

[Plaxo – not as popular, but some people got into it]

Really, Facebook?

Yes – use the “group friends” and privacy settings!

http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/02/facebook-privacy/

Your Professional Conversations Where should you be having professional conversations? Twitter [plurk, identi.ca – not as popular] [yammer – “internal” twitter – good for companies] Tip: you don’t have to “follow” back everyone who follows you Tip 2: Don’t use the web interface – use an application like Tweetdeck, Twhirl or Twitterfox

Where should you be having professional conversations?

Twitter

[plurk, identi.ca – not as popular]

[yammer – “internal” twitter – good for companies]

Tip: you don’t have to “follow” back everyone who follows you

Tip 2: Don’t use the web interface – use an application like Tweetdeck, Twhirl or Twitterfox

Your Professional Personality Where should you show off your professional personality? A blog (your own OR a group blog) Flickr [could also use Picasa] Blogging scare you? Try “mini-blogging”: tumblr or posterous What about video blogging or podcasting? Let’s discuss!

Where should you show off your professional personality?

A blog (your own OR a group blog)

Flickr [could also use Picasa]

Blogging scare you?

Try “mini-blogging”: tumblr or posterous

What about video blogging or podcasting?

Let’s discuss!

That’s YOU professionally. Same drill for your BUSINESS.

Your Business Profile Where should you have a business profile? LinkedIn – Company pages Facebook – Fan Page [I’m not a fan of Facebook’s “groups”] Tip: save a file with boilerplate descriptions of you and your company: 1 line, 2 line, 1 paragraph, 100 words, etc. Will come in handy!

Where should you have a business profile?

LinkedIn – Company pages

Facebook – Fan Page

[I’m not a fan of Facebook’s “groups”]

Tip: save a file with boilerplate descriptions of you and your company: 1 line, 2 line, 1 paragraph, 100 words, etc. Will come in handy!

Your Business Conversations Where should you be having business conversations? Twitter Different account for your business Can be a group effort using tools like BrightKit What to Tweet about? Your business’ news | industry news | “internal” news | partner news On Business account – follow back everyone

Where should you be having business conversations?

Twitter

Different account for your business

Can be a group effort using tools like BrightKit

What to Tweet about?

Your business’ news | industry news | “internal” news | partner news

On Business account – follow back everyone

Your Business Personality Where should you show off your business personality? A blog (seriously – every company needs a blog) What to blog about? A little about you A LOT about your customers Some about your partners Some about your industry Good examples? http://tombihn.com/blog/ & http://laptopbaglifeline.com/ Tip: Group blogs are a good thing! Engage employees or partners! Flickr (show off customers loving your products)

Where should you show off your business personality?

A blog (seriously – every company needs a blog)

What to blog about?

A little about you

A LOT about your customers

Some about your partners

Some about your industry

Good examples? http://tombihn.com/blog/ & http://laptopbaglifeline.com/

Tip: Group blogs are a good thing! Engage employees or partners!

Flickr (show off customers loving your products)

Your Connections: Prof. & Biz Where can you connect? There is a social network out there for every interest! Or you can start your own with tools like Ning Also, topical recommendation sites like Yelp or Chow

Where can you connect?

There is a social network out there for every interest!

Or you can start your own with tools like Ning

Also, topical recommendation sites like Yelp or Chow

Monitoring Your Buzz How do you find out what people are saying about you? Review your web analytics ! Set up Google Alerts for your and your business name Set up search feeds (RSS feeds) Your name and business name Links to your website Links to other profiles Monitor these searches using tools like an RSS reader (e.g. Google Reader or Bloglines) or a personal homepage (e.g. MyYahoo, iGoogle, or Pageflakes)

How do you find out what people are saying about you?

Review your web analytics !

Set up Google Alerts for your and your business name

Set up search feeds (RSS feeds)

Your name and business name

Links to your website

Links to other profiles

Monitor these searches using tools like an RSS reader (e.g. Google Reader or Bloglines) or a personal homepage (e.g. MyYahoo, iGoogle, or Pageflakes)

Social Media Promotions How do you get the word out about your business? Blogger Outreach programs http://www.slideshare.net/mynameiskate/blogger-relations-presentation Facebook Ads http://www.doshdosh.com/facebook-marketing-resources/ Blog Network Ads http://www.blogherads.com/ Social Media News Releases Resource: http://www.lintbucket.com/smr-help.html Email Newsletters Example: http://www.boxcarmarketing.com/underwire/

How do you get the word out about your business?

Blogger Outreach programs

http://www.slideshare.net/mynameiskate/blogger-relations-presentation

Facebook Ads

http://www.doshdosh.com/facebook-marketing-resources/

Blog Network Ads

http://www.blogherads.com/

Social Media News Releases

Resource: http://www.lintbucket.com/smr-help.html

Email Newsletters

Example: http://www.boxcarmarketing.com/underwire/

How Much TIME?!?! http://www.flickr.com/photos/monkeyc/322654818/

How Much TIME?!?! http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarahbelle1/2363974644/

IMPORTANT: Social Media Principles http://www.flickr.com/photos/abbyladybug/2152179077/

IMPORTANT: Social Media Principles Measure Everything Be Human Be Transparent Make Sure Your Content is Portable Social Media is a Long Term Prospect Make It Easy for People to Talk About You

Measure Everything

Be Human

Be Transparent

Make Sure Your Content is Portable

Social Media is a Long Term Prospect

Make It Easy for People to Talk About You

Questions? http://www.flickr.com/photos/calavera/65098350/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vernhart/1574355646/

Photo Sources and Links Any Questions: http://flickr.com/photos/calavera/65098350/ Thank you M&Ms: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vernhart/1574355646/ Suitcase Handle: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/38960136/ Paper Homes: http://www.flickr.com/photos/96221617@N00/308791590/ Dollar Heart: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmpalmer/99806770/ Birth Certificate: http://www.flickr.com/photos/71894657@N00/916718299/ Clock: http://www.flickr.com/photos/monkeyc/322654818/ Uhaul: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarahbelle1/2363974644/ Ten Commandments: http://www.flickr.com/photos/abbyladybug/2152179077/

Any Questions: http://flickr.com/photos/calavera/65098350/

Thank you M&Ms: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vernhart/1574355646/

Suitcase Handle: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/38960136/

Paper Homes: http://www.flickr.com/photos/96221617@N00/308791590/

Dollar Heart: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmpalmer/99806770/

Birth Certificate: http://www.flickr.com/photos/71894657@N00/916718299/

Clock: http://www.flickr.com/photos/monkeyc/322654818/

Uhaul: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarahbelle1/2363974644/

Ten Commandments: http://www.flickr.com/photos/abbyladybug/2152179077/