This document discusses social media and provides tips for using different social media platforms effectively. It outlines the major social media players like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest. Facebook has over 1.1 billion users while Twitter has over 500 million. LinkedIn has 225 million users and Pinterest has more than 70 million. The document then provides details on who uses each platform and examples of large companies and local organizations that have successful presences. It concludes by outlining goals for social media use and offering tips to define objectives, understand audiences, be consistent, and measure results. Most companies surveyed felt social media was important to their business and saw benefits like increased exposure and traffic.

1. Social Media:
Are you in the
game?
Katie McDermott
Public Relations Specialist | Trilix

2. Who I am.
Public Relations Specialist | Trilix
 Our PR team does it all — internal and external
communications, crisis communications, media
and social media training, story pitching, event
planning, writing and execution.
 Trilix’s public relations team leads earned media
and social media efforts for clients like Stine Seed
Company, Vein Center at Iowa Heart and Missouri
Valley Line Constructors.

4. Who are the major players?
 Facebook – Continues to be most-used
platform, over 1.1 Billion users
 Twitter – Over 500 million users
 LinkedIn – 225 million acquired users
 Pinterest – More than 70 million users

5. Countless platforms continue
to come out of the woodwork.
Large user base, but not as popular with companies:
 Google+ – 343 million users
 Instagram – 130 million users
 Flickr – 87 million users and 8 billion photos shared
Lesser known, but with large user bases:
 Camera360 – 100 million users
 ooVoo – 75 million users
 Kik Messenger – 50 million users
 Bebo – 30 million users

6. Facebook
A late 2012 Pew Research study finds that:
 67% of internet users are on Facebook
 Most likely to use it: women, ages 18-29
Who does it benefit most?
 B2C companies – Coca Cola (69 million
followers) and Target (21 million)
 Locally: Iowa State Fair (135,000) and
Raygun (18,787)

7. Twitter
 Most likely to use it: both men and women
in urban areas, ages 18-29
 Car companies, news outlets and
celebrities – Honda (128,290 followers)
and NBC (310,334)
 Locally: Des Moines Register (32,275) and
Downtown Des Moines (9,233)

8. LinkedIn
 Most likely to use it: males, ages 25-34,
with high income levels, 3 out of 4 users
want to be approached for job
opportunities
 B2B and companies with many
employees – Adobe (189,948 followers)
and Walt Disney (258,664)
 Locally: Greater Des Moines Partnership
(1,217) and Dwolla (1,349)

9. Pinterest
 Most likely to use it: women, ages 18-49,
with some college education and higher
salaries – 5x more likely than men
 Travel, food, DIY and homemade items –
The Travel Channel (41,984 followers) and
Etsy (308,077)
 Locally: Des Moines Farmer’s Market (only
16!) and His & Hers Photography (3,810)

10. To get started:
1. Define your purpose and know your goals.
2. Understand your target audience.
3. Don’t try to master all platforms at once.
4. Be timely and consistent.
5. Use a personal, friendly voice.
6. Plan messaging, but stay flexible.
7. Understand and review analytics.
8. Determine a measurement for each platform.

11. Examples of goals:
 Drive traffic to website
 Increase newsletter subscribers
 Get more applications via the website
 Foster interaction among staff and clients
 Reach a new population of clients

12. To improve your current
strategy:
1. Take time to listen to your target audience
and provide valuable content.
2. Stop using posts as an ad medium.
3. Utilize paid advertising options.
4. Balance your content between direct,
personal and industry-related content.
5. Post pictures of people (real people).
6. Integrate your platforms.
7. Make it your brand’s behavior, not obligation.
8. Focus desired results on quality, not quantity.

13. Does it really work?
A Social Media Examiner 2013 survey of 3,000 companies finds
that most value their social media marketing efforts:
 86% believe it’s important to their business
 89% list increased exposure as #1 benefit
 75% claim positive results in increased traffic
 62% saw increase in new business partnerships (when used
for 3 years or longer)
 69% plan to increase social media efforts

14. Why are we obsessed with it?
―It may seem that all we’re doing is just
capturing every mundane moment. But
look closely. These everyday moments are
shot, displayed and juxtaposed in a way
that offers a new perspective. And then all
of a sudden these everyday moments,
place and things look … fascinating.‖
- Abigail Posner, Head of Strategic Planning
and Agency Development | Google

15. Questions?