Maximize Social Media Connections

Social Media can be a daunting maze for the new small business owner.  With all the details of starting a business and actually providing service to customers, who has time to learn how to connect on the myriad platforms?

To simplify things, Techsnoop has gathered some basic steps to go over when deciding when, how and how much to jump into the social media pool.

First, develop a social strategy by deciding where your target market will spend the most time.  You can find out general demographic information on the various platforms here

Next, decide what you are willing or able to offer your audience.  People need a compelling reason to follow you.  Great expert content is one reason, but you may not have the time to put this together.  Instead, maybe offer discount codes for newsletter signups or Facebook likes.  Be sure to put an expiration date or time limit on any coupons or discounts.  Also, have an online privacy policy in place with website security.  Whatever you offer, make sure your audience will want it.

Finally, remember that social media is about socializing.  If you don’t interact with followers, they won’t interact with you.  They may not drop you, but they may ignore your content.  Having 200,000 followers or friends is useless if only 3 of them actually read what you are offering.  Ask questions, request feedback and give shout outs to those who help you or provide great content.

It used to be enough to just have a Social Media presence, now you must engage your followers and offer them something they want.  If this post helps your small business, leave a comment.

Stay tuned to Techsnoop for great social media tools to keep you organized.

Now get social!

Security Alert!

If you have not heard, LinkedIn was recently hacked and some passwords were posted on a hacker site.  LinkedIn has responded very well, but this is an opportunity to take the time to change all of your social networking passwords.  Additionally, download AVG Linkscanner, a free software that alerts you if a link you click on is a potential threat.

To make your password more secure;

• Use something you have not used in the past
• Use a combination of letters and numbers
• Use a capital letter
• Use one special character if allowed
• Don’t share your passwords.
• Don’t use your name or children or spouse names.

Online security is vital.  One small intrusion can create problems from your computer being used to route spam to depleting your life savings.

Make changing passwords part of your spring cleaning routine.  Or, use daylight savings time changes to cue you to update passwords.  Have one type of password for low level sites such as Facebook and Twitter and a much more complicated password system for online banking or personal information sites.

Surf Safely!

Techsnoop

Polish Your Communication for 2012

Business competition for customers is at a premium today, so it’s critical to stay on the cutting edge of new trends and technologies, except one.  There is a huge trend toward using texting slang and atrocious grammar when posting on business related sites and blogs.  As small business owners, putting on a polished on-line appearance can create opportunities and increase the respect we receive as a group.  One of the primary attractions of freelance work is the ability to work in sweats or jeans, but no one on-line needs to know how casual your dress is.  Projecting  an on-line persona that is pin-striped suit sharp every day makes your business look larger and more globally oriented.

I was inspired to write this post after reading several months of painful statements on major social networking sites.  Many requests for work seem as though they are made by 13 year olds to their friends.  Browse some of the posts and comments on LinkedIn by people seeking jobs or freelance work.  The websites and portfolios of these individuals show their talent, but their communication skills are below high school level.

As small business owners (freelancers this means you), let’s make a group commitment to always use proper grammar and spelling in all business posts.  This means on your business Facebook page, business Twitter page and any other sites where you refer to your business, seek referrals or post as your business.  Use all the tools at your disposal; Dictionary.com, Thesaurus.com, spell check, and if necessary, translation tools from Google and Yahoo for other languages.

Reach for the stars in 2012.

Confessions of a Social Media Addict

It was all so innocent.  The internet was a bright, shiny new toy waiting to be unwrapped with the first sprinkle of snow on a Christmas morning.

I opened a Yahoo e-mail account.  There my friends could send me the jokes we could not share at work.  Slightly naughty, but fun limericks, rhymes and – gasp! cartoons.  I was in.  Along came iVillage, iWon and others who offered your own web page, discounts and fun prizes.  I was intrigued.

Suddenly, there was MySpace.  I turned up my nose like the cute girl at the bar.  I could not be enticed or impressed.  I had my favorites.  Still, there was the pull of the crowd, but I resisted on principal, “that’s for kids”, I said.

I made do with Reunion.com and Classmates.com to hook up with old school friends.  But something was missing.  I succumbed to MySpace.

And then I spotted the bright sparkly strip that was Facebook.  An old friend invited me and I accepted.  Other friends found me and invited me to free games.  What harm could there be?  Ha, Ha.

From one game to 20, in no time flat with a friend list topping 600 and unable to keep up with the gift requests and quests, I soon began to feel the stress.  Then the privacy issues, Augghhh!  I opened another page, just for family and close friends.  I removed personal info from the gaming page and closed ranks on the family page.

Uh oh. I started a business.  Can’t post on gaming page and don’t want to limit like the family page.  I opened another.  Starting a business forced me to LinkedIn and Twitter.  No self-respecting business would be without these.  Now, what to Tweet?

Start a blog.  Ok, simple.  Uh, no.  Blogs need an identity, and I had too many.

Continued next week.