Social Media Training Workshop for Small Business

Small Business Social Media Training Workshop May 15, 2009 Steven Fisher and Shashi Bellamkonda

Welcome Class Outline: What You Will Learn: •  8:00 - 8:30 Breakfast and •  Basics of Social Networking Networking •  8:30 - 9:15 Social Media 101: The Basics •  Setting up Google Alerts •  9:15 - 9:45 Leveraging Social •  Facebook Groups & Networks and Online Pages Communities •  LinkedIn Profiles and •  10:15 -10:30 Break Applications •  10:30 - 11:00 Getting Started on Twitter •  What Twitter is and How •  11:00 - 11:45 Blogging Setup to Use it and Basics •  Using Blogs for Business •  11:45 - 12:00 Wrap up

I: Social Media 101: The Basics

Social Media 101: ROI of this Module •  Learn the Basics of Social Media •  Applying Social Media to Small Business Photo by: Matt Hamm

Social Media 101: Definition and Application Social media describes the online tools that people use to share opinions, experiences, and perspectives with each other. A few prominent examples of social media applications are: •  Wikipedia (reference) •  Facebook (social networking) •  YouTube (video sharing) •  Digg (news sharing) •  Flickr (photo sharing) These sites typically use technologies such as blogs, wikis, message boards, podcasts, and wikis to allow users to engage and interact with each other. Photo by: Sean McColgan 5

Social Media for Small Business Small Business can utilize social media to level the playing field against bigger, stronger competitors. Out of the Gate, Small Businesses can use social media to: •  Create connections and build relationships •  Improve search engine rankings which generates website traffic, inbound links and leads •  Establish you and your team as thought leaders and innovators •  Manage your brand and reputation online •  Grow smarter and faster than your competitors In order to achieve this, you must stay relevant and engage in the conversation and contribute to the community. 6

Social Media 101: Who will you reach? There are many you can reach as a business. Here are a few: Audience Segments Key Questions •  Customers •  Their goals and aspirations? •  Prospects •  Their problems? •  Mainstream Media (Print and •  How do they get their answers? Broadcast) •  How can you reach them? •  Social Media (blogs, forums and social networks) •  What’s important to them? •  What words and phrases do •  Employees they use? •  Committee Members •  What sort of images and •  Suppliers/vendors/affiliates multimedia appeals to them? 7

Social Media 101: Ways to Use Social Media •  Listening - using social media as “real time” research and gaining insights from listening to customers •  Talking - using conversations with customers to promote products or services •  Energizing - building brand stewardship; and identifying enthusiastic customers and using them to persuade others •  Supporting - making it possible for customers to help each other •  Embracing - turning customers into a resource for innovation 8

Social Media Tip #1 – Optimize Your Content to Go Everywhere •  Optimizing content is not just about making changes to a site. You should have content that can be portable (such as PDFs, video, podcasts). •  Submitting them to relevant sites will help your content travel further, and ultimately drive links back to your site •  RSS – allow others to subscribe to your content • The end goal is to achieve Omnipresence 9

Social Media Tip #2 – Create Google Alerts to Monitor Your Brand Google News Alerts Allows you to keep a pulse on your online brand with email alerts from Google Create alerts on keywords: •  Company Name •  Key Executives •  Priority Keywords •  Competitors •  Events •  Product/Service 10

Exercise #1: Google Alerts

II: Leveraging Social Networks and Online Communities

Social Networks: ROI of this Module •  Explanation of social networking •  Learn how social networks and online communities are used for business •  Which Social Networks are best for small businesses •  Social Networking for Business Tips

Social Networks: Explained Social Networks leverage the concept of “Six Degrees of Separation” and use technology to connect people. Social Networks You Know: Online Business Social Networks: •  Chambers -  Facebook •  Network Groups -  MySpace (Artists and Musicians) •  Religious -  Twitter •  Charities -  Upcoming •  Organization -  YouTube •  Industry Clubs -  LinkedIn -  Digg -  Del.icio.us -  Flickr 14

Social Networks: Why they work •  They do all the same stuff that normal networks can •  They are fast and inexpensive •  They require no travel to connect with tons of people •  They help you stay in contact and up to date with people •  They generate leads and referrals at a very low cost •  They enable easy creation of groups and communities 15

Social Networks: Three Types for Business There are SO many social networks out there so where do you start? You should first know the three types of social networks out there. Identity-focused Social Networks These social networks focus around your personal or business profile so you can manage your identity and reputation online Examples: LinkedIn, Facebook, Plaxo Opportunity-focused Social Networks These social networks engage the individual or business create a profile in order to connect with each other or promote their skills to win new business Examples: LinkTogether, SalesGravy, FastPitch Communication-focused Social Networks These social networks are based on their communication platforms and their ability to engage individuals in conversations Examples: Twitter, Xing, Reunion, YouTube, Slideshare 16

Social Networks: Facebook for Small Business Facebook? I thought that was for kids and college students? Nope. Businesses and professionals are the biggest growth area •  110 Million Active Users •  Largest Social Networking site in the world •  Largest Growing Demographic is >28 •  More women than men •  Users primarily in US, Canada and UK Photo by: pshab via Flickr •  Ability to interact with current and potential customers •  Highly targeted advertising and social interaction 17

Social Networks: Facebook Buzzwords •  Friend: Connect with someone on Facebook •  Wall message: Write, draw or post something on someone’s wall •  Tag: Add names to photos or videos •  Status update: What are you doing? •  Public timeline: List of recent activity • Source: Ogilvy Twitter Webinar 18

Social Networks: LinkedIn for Small Business LinkedIn is a social network for professionals Nope. Businesses and professionals are the biggest growth area •  35 Million Worldwide Users •  Focused on Business Users •  Shows You which of your own contacts can introduce you to their connections who know them •  Easily tap the power of second and third degree of “six degrees of separation” •  Eliminates cold calling •  Applications that add dimensions to your personal or company profile 19

Social Networks: LinkedIn Buzzwords •  Connections: Your Linkedin contacts (must approve) •  Applications: Fun widgets / tools to interact and promote brand •  Answers: Space to ask / answer questions and polls •  Groups: Opt in Communities •  Contact Settings: Set your terms • Source: Ogilvy Twitter Webinar 20

Social Networking Tip #1 – Your Profile is a First Impression •  Flesh out your profile •  Be picky on who you connect with •  Re-purpose other content •  Upload pics and videos to tag and send •  Don’t put anything up there you wouldn’t be comfortable with •  Add ALL of your Social Media links •  Be fun and interesting 21

Social Networking Tip #2 – Be a Connector •  Connectors are the people that introduce you to others •  Most powerful in a social network •  Give without expecting to receive anything back •  Don’t just promote you, promote others and they will promote you which is MUCH MORE powerful 22

Social Networking Tip #3 – Go Where Your Audience Is Already •  Most of your audience is already online •  Almost all are in big networks (e.g. Facebook) •  Many are on niche focused networks as well •  You would never send marketing materials untargeted 23

Social Networking Tip #4 – Add Value Do you have any materials like the following?: •  Company information, brochures, web site, sales sheets   Put it here: LinkedIn, Plaxo, Facebook Group Page, Blog •  Photos and videos related to sales, training and products   Put it here: YouTube, Viddler, Blip.TV, Facebook, Flickr, Blog •  Articles, news and press releases, events, newsletters   Put it here: Blog, Newsvine, Digg, Facebook, Fast PItch •  Presentations for training, marketing, sales and service   Put it here: Slideshare, YouTube 24

Exercise #2: Facebook Profiles and Pages

Exercise #3: LinkedIn Profiles and Applications

Let’s Take a Break!

III: Getting Started on Twitter

Using Twitter: ROI of this Module •  What the Heck is Twitter? •  Interesting Uses of Twitter… so far •  Why and How Businesses Use Twitter •  Businesses Using Twitter •  Twitter Do's and Don'ts

Using Twitter: What the Heck is Twitter? Twitter is a microblogging platform composed Interesting Twitter Facts: entirely of 140 character answers to 1 simple •  Twitter receives over 6 million question: “What are you doing?” or rather , UMVs, doubled from Sept 08 “What are you interested in right now?” with an average daily growth of approximately 10% from September to January 2009. An average of over 50% of Twitter traffic are repeat visitors. •  According to Time Magazine, males make up over 60% of the Twitter demographic. •  Usage is 40% in the United States and of the remaining 60%, 39% of that is in Japan •  Twitter's largest age demographic is 35-to-44-year- olds who make up 25.9% of its users. Source: (This is up from a Jan 2009 Compete report) 30

Using Twitter: Effective Business Uses •  Tweet company news in short, manageable pieces – an effective strategy for reaching multi-tasking customers with ever shortening attention spans. •  Tweet special offers or discounts for your Twitter “followers” to drive sales. •  Tweet from company and industry events to provide real time updates. •  Tweet questions or ideas about your business to get immediate feedback from customers following you. •  Seek out customers tweeting about good and bad experiences with your company. Thank your happy customers and try to resolve negative issues. •  Tweet about things that interest you, and have fun with it! Your customers might appreciate getting to know you as a real person, not just a brand. Share Your Experiences… And Make a Sale… 31

Using Twitter: Effective Business Uses Other Ways: •  Customer Relations •  Crisis Management •  Corporate Reputation Management •  Event Activation •  Issue Advocacy •  Product Promotion and Sales •  Internal Communication 32

Using Twitter: Brand/Customer Monitoring •  Customer Service •  Customer Feedback •  Customer Outreach @netsolcares Shashi Bellamkonda at Network Solutions started @netsolcares in Sept 2008 to provide a new customer service channel 33

Using Twitter: Buzzwords •  Follow: To friend someone (or follow their updates) •  Direct Message (DM): Pseudo-email someone following you •  “At” reply: Speak to someone directly in the public stream (@stevenfisher) •  Re-tweet (RT): Repost content with credit •  Block: Restrict access to updates •  # (hashtags): a kind of tag or description – great for search • Source: Ogilvy Twitter Webinar 34

Twitter Tip #1: Engage the Audience You can engage people on Twitter by doing the following things: •  SEE what other businesses are doing on Twitter •  USE Twitter search engines for keyword searches around brands, products and topic of interest. •  FOLLOW Twitterers with similar interests to establish a brand presence within conversation •  START a conversation •  DEDICATE time to Twitter. Having more than one employee on Twitter will ensure an ongoing company presence. •  ASK questions and get feedback from your followers • Source: Ogilvy Twitter Webinar 35

Twitter Tip #2: Getting Followers the Right Way Followers are the people that click the “Follow” button on your page •  Retweet content •  Talk directly to people •  Link to outside content •  Live tweet from events •  Use hashtags •  Avoid using ALL CAPS 36

Exercise #4: Set up Twitter

Exercise #4: Setting Up Your Own Twitter Profile 38

IV: Blogging Basics

Blogging Basics: ROI of this Module •  Learn what a blog is •  What business and corporate blogging is •  Who and why people are doing this •  What to write about •  Tips to Great Blogging

Blogging Basics: Definitions, just in case •  A Journal, usually updated frequently, sometimes categorized •  Usually links to other sites •  Can support comments and some stateless interaction •  Provides an XML feed, usually RSS (Really Simple Syndication)

Blogging Basics: Reasons to Blog •  Improve Search Engine Optimization (SEO) •  Gain Visibility as a Thought Leader •  Generate Real Conversations •  Display Brand Personality •  Perform Market Research •  Improve Customer Service •  Share Company Announcements

Blogging Basics: What to Publish Ideal Blog Topics: •  Photos, Videos and Podcasts •  Commentary on mainstream •  Conference notes media articles, other blogs, news, •  Business Philosophy events and relevant trends •  Tools, resources, tips, ideas, lists •  Company News •  Awards, honors, PR, new employee, •  Case Studies new vendor, new system

Blogging Basics: Blog Buzzwords •  Comment: Respond to blog post •  Link Love: Link to other blogs/sites (online currency) •  Tagging: Adding words to describe blog content •  Troll: Mean commenters (IGNORE THEM!) •  Blogroll: Links to favorite blogs •  Embed: Copy/paste media 46

Blogging Basics: Getting Started Take 15 minutes a day to write a blog post   Find a topic   Keep it around 400 words or less if possible   Write in short paragraphs. Not more than six lines of text.   Write and embed any content (pictures, videos)   Check copyrights and licensing and give attributions   Preview Your Post   Publish or Schedule It

Blogging Tip #1 – Increase Linkability 1.  Blogging Remember, the key is to 2.  White papers 3.  Thought pieces have content that “engages” 4.  Flash demos others and makes them want 5.  2-way dialogue to link to your site. 48

Blogging Tip #2 – Reward Inbound Links 1.  Who is linking to you and what are they saying? 2.  Track your inbound links 3.  Allow display of trackbacks 4.  Highlight people who write about you 5.  Engage in conversations on blogs that link to you 49 May 18, 09

Blogging Tip #3 – Engage Your Readers   Write in an authentic, human voice   Use meaningful titles   Publish on a regular basis. Target once a week at minimum.   Enable and monitor your comments   Link to other sites   Be Passionate   Give credit where it’s due (pictures, text quotes)   Syndicate and re-use text

Blogging Tip #4 –Tag and Bookmark   Adding quick buttons to quot;add to del.icio.us“   Making sure pages include a list of relevant tags   Adding tags to pages first on popular social sites • Tags that describe the content • Easy to bookmark and add • to Social Media Sites • A “tag” is just a word(s) that describe content. 51

Blogging Tip #5 – Put Policies in Place Understand that when you or someone is talking about your company, not only does this reflect on you but if there are not clear guidelines, you could be at risk. Put together some policies and guidelines like the following examples:   Topics in which The Company is involved in litigation or could in the future: (i.e. policy, customer disputes, etc.)   Non-public information of any kind about The Company, including, but not limited to, policies and strategy   Illegal or banned substances and narcotics   Pornography or other offensive illegal materials   Defamatory, libelous, offensive or demeaning material   Private/Personal matters of yourself or others   Disparaging/threatening comments about or related to anyone   Personal, sensitive or confidential information of any kind Great Post on Policies and Guidelines from Raj Malik http://blog.networksolutions.com/2009/sxsw-follow-up-corporate-social-media- guidelines/

Exercise #5: Write and Publish a Blog Post Using Wordpress

Wrapping Up

Final Thoughts •  Listen first •  Conversation, not publishing or broadcasting •  Be a useful conversationalist •  Build relationships - one at a time •  Take a Leap of Faith and Jump In!

Four Things You Should Definitely DO -  Create at Google Alert -  Pick a social network and sign and commit 30 minutes a day to it – AND HAVE PATIENCE… -  Get two Twitter accounts – claim your own name and your company name (also your company name sucks) -  Create your own blog or at the very least find three blogs that you like and vists/subcribe to them and comment Reach Out to Us if You Have Questions Shashi Bellamkonda – The Social Media Swami sbellamkonda@networksolutions.com Twitter: shashib Steven Fisher – Small Business Evangelist Steve.Fisher@NetworkSolutions.com Twitter: stevenfisher

Resources Books: The New Rules of Marketing & PR by David Meerman Scott Now is Gone by Geoff Livingston and Brian Solis Groundswell by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff The Corporate Blogging Book by Debbie Weil Wikinomics by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams Meatball Sundae by Seth Godin Web Sites: Google Alerts - http://www.google.com/alerts/ FaceBook – http://www.facebook.com LinkedIn – http://www.linkedin.com Yelp – http://www.yelp.com Twitter – http://www.twitter.com Wordpress – http://www.wordpress.org

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

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

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Social Media Training Workshop for Small Business

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Social Media Training Workshop for Small Business — Presentation Transcript