The document discusses the role of social media as a powerful communication channel for businesses to engage with customers and gather feedback. It emphasizes the importance of consistency, credibility, and commitment while establishing a strong online presence through platforms like blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Furthermore, it advocates for careful planning, monitoring progress, and actively participating in the social media community to achieve business goals.

1. The Social Media Revolution

2. Welcome to the social Web

3. What can social media do for me? Social media is a communication channel that allows you to deliver your message to a wider audience, reach out to new and existing customers and get feedback from them that will help improve your practice.

4. Critical Consistency Be regular and predictable in your activity. Credibility Establish trust in your audience in order to enhance your reputation. Commitment Stay involved in the community and be responsible for your opinions.

5. Set a goal Figure out what you want to do, who you want to reach and what you want to get out of your investment in social media. Listen What are people saying about your practice and competitors? Where is your audience most active? Make a plan Find the resources and channels that will be most effective to meet your goals. Where to begin?

6. Your blog is home base. The one channel over which you have total control. Where you establish yourself as a professional and thought leader. A blog gives some insight to your personality. Allows customers to find you through search. Include links to other channels in which you are active. Reference your blog frequently from other channels.

7. Twitter Originally, the place to answer “What are you doing right now?” in 140 characters or less. Now, an expansive social network – 21 million unique visitors in March Open sharing on the public platform leads to a wide audience for your posts. “ Hashtags” allow topic-focused conversations. Tweets tagged #accounting reached 18,000 people in about 8 hours.

8. Facebook The King Kong of social media (at the moment), Facebook has nearly 500 million registered users. Personal profiles, “fan” pages and groups allow individual users to share a variety of content types. Facebook had over 132 million unique visitors in March.

9. Customer Opinions In social media, the consumer has the power. Opinions and reviews of your business and customer interactions will spread far beyond your office or customers’ immediate friends. Look at sites like Yelp.com , Angieslist.com or Kudzu.com to see what clients are saying about your business. You may also be able to correct any listing errors.

10. LinkedIn A business focused site for professional networking. LinkedIn had almost 15 million unique visitors in March. Groups allow exchange of information on industry news, job leads and hiring opportunities.

11. Resources Groundswell By Forrester research analysts provides big picture of social media and trends in context. Dan Zarrella Analytics and measurement, nuts and bolts how-to, Zarrella is also an active blogger. The CPA Technology Advisor “The Intersection of Technology and Public Accounting”

12. Jumping In Set your goal and make a plan. Create a Twitter account at twitter.com . Search #accounting, #cpa, #business to find others talking about subjects in which you have an interest and follow them. Take part in the conversation yourself. Start a blog at blogspot.com , wordpress.com or another service. Write once a week about relevant topics. Review opinion sites like Yelp and take ownership of your business listing if you are able (especially your contact information and website address). Promote your social media involvement on your website. Tell your customers about your social channels through traditional means. Monitor your progress toward your goal and reevaluate strategy regularly.

13. Critical Consistency Be regular and predictable in your activity. Credibility Establish trust in your audience in order to enhance your reputation. Commitment Stay involved in the community and be responsible for your opinions.

14. Thank you and please join us! Facebook.com/scad.edu Twitter.com/scaddotedu Flickr.com/scaddotedu Youtube.com/aboutscad Jason Parker, Social Media Manager for SCAD. May, 2010.