Your time is limited. You can't do it all. So where do you concentrate your social media efforts? Social Media Smackdown gives a quick overview of the best strengths and worst weaknesses of several major social networks to help you decide your next moves and what to expect in each arena.

1. Social Media Smackdown! Social MediaSmackdown! Presentation by Joshua Lynsen, Social Media Manager at Chase Communications Small Act Webinar, September 2011

2. About the Presentation Your time is limited. You can’t do it all. So where do you concentrate your efforts? Quick overview of the best strengths and worst weaknesses of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Google Plus. Help you decide your next moves and understand what to expect in each arena.

3. Special Bonus An additional segment has been added regarding the marketing implications of Facebook’s recent changes. We’ll briefly review changes to the newsfeed and Facebook ads, and discuss Ticker, Timeline and Open App Graphs.

4. Facebook: Major Plusses + World’s largest social network + Active, engaged users help spread message + Inexpensive, targetable advertising options

5. – Inactivity reflects poorly on brand – Regular interface changes frustrate users – Inscrutable news feed algorithm Facebook: Major Minuses

6. Facebook: Smackdown Decision Use it to get your message to the masses Approach with clear plan, full commitment Define your goals up front Experiment with post timing, tone, structure Don’t use it if you’ll be unresponsive to comments or uneven in approach

7. Twitter: Major Plusses + It’s the great equalizer + Character limits force message brevity + New promotional opportunities emerging

8. Twitter: Major Minuses – Messages have very short shelf life – Engagement opportunities are brief – Truly “joining the conversation” is tough

9. Twitter: Smackdown Decision Use it to influence the conversation Listen first to understand audience, discussion Offer meaningful contributions A little monitoring can go a long way Don’t use itto only repeat Facebook posts

10. YouTube: Major Plusses + World’s second largest search engine + Helps humanize your messaging + Content can be easily repurposed

11. YouTube: Major Minuses – Content production can be time consuming – Comments skew negative, should be tracked – Ads are becoming more intrusive

12. YouTube: Smackdown Decision Use itto show creativity in messaging Plan videos carefully to show confidence Complement other messaging with videos Funny is impactful, but so is serious Don’t use itfor your organization unless you’ve used it before; experiment elsewhere

13. LinkedIn: Major Plusses + Best opportunities to dialogue within industry + Conversations are more refined + Simultaneously boost reputation for self, org

14. LinkedIn: Major Minuses – Not as good for organizations as individuals – Limited dialogue opportunities outside groups – Just 1/3 of U.S. users visit monthly (Compete)

15. LinkedIn: Smackdown Decision Use it to boost your org “behind the scenes” Know desired outcomes and who can provide Establish yourself in their arenas Greater “give and take” than on other sites Don’t use itexpecting people to flock to you

16. Google Plus: Major Plusses + Hangouts are quickly becoming powerful + Circles allow for easier message targeting + Integration with other Google products

17. Google Plus: Major Minuses – Not yet widely open to brands – Traffic peaked in early July (Hitwise) – Many people struggle to see value in joining

18. Google Plus: Smackdown Decision Use itnow to prep for brand opportunities Think about how to best use this “fresh start” Debut with a bang to capture new eyes Be consistent in voice, experimental in style Don’t use itunless you’re going to take advantage of its unique offerings

19. Takeaway 1: Approach Each Site Differently

20. Takeaway 2: Goals & Audience Set Your Path

21. Takeaway 3: Experiment & Transfer Learnings

22. Special Bonus: Facebook Marketing Changes Newsfeed: You can’t rely on your message being seen here now. You have to create more compelling content to draw Page visits. Ticker: With so much activity happening here, the current presentation won’t be a great help to you. Don’t play to it; wait to see what’s developed to better utilize it.

23. Special Bonus: Facebook Marketing Changes Timeline: It’s just for Profiles for now, but it’ll likely come to (or be an option for) Pages. This will help give added weight to senior orgs and yield many new apps. Open Graph Apps: Lots of customization options here, including ability to integrate “Donated” and “Called Congress” verbiage.

24. Special Bonus: Facebook Marketing Changes Facebook Ads: They’re becoming much more powerful, with ability to use Open Graph data to target people who “Donated” to a similar cause. Watch these developments closely. Bottom Line: You can’t cheat any more and simply ping people with routine updates. Your brand must be as compelling as your friends.

25. Questions? Smackdown © WWE, Inc. / Logos © respective owners / Takeaway images © stock.xchng