subject: Is Social Networking Built For Personal Or Commercial Interactions? [print this page] Is Social Networking Built For Personal Or Commercial Interactions?
Why should you outsource your social sites?
Social media is the future. It is a way to amplify your message. It's a way to let what one person says get seen by thousands. Imagine it: You write a blog post, and post it on your Facebook, where all of your friends can see it because it is linked to your website "monetized". If you have hundreds of friends, they are all potentially going to look at it. And if some of your friends decide to take your link and post it on their own profiles, then their hundreds of friends might see it. Suddenly, your blog post,or link to your website has the potential to reach thousands, just because you posted it on Facebook. The same goes for Twitter, where people often retweet, which means they take what someone else has posted and repost it on their Twitter. So far, we've talked about the simplest form of social media interaction, when you post things on your personal profiles. However, your organization needs its own presence. You or the professional you hire can create this presence with a fan page a business and personal, then cultivate it until it has a large number of followers.
What to Post
You don't just want to be posting what you are doing. Sure, you should keep people updated, but you also need to engage people, just like in a conversation. Ask your followers questions, and let them contribute to your organization by seeking advice.
Your media presence can also be a great listening tool, allowing customers to give you feedback about your products or service. If someone leaves you a complaint, you should address it quickly and publicly, because complaints on Facebook are visible to everyone. That's why once you address a problem; you should leave a note confirming that the problem has been handled, so everyone will know you care about your customers. Why a Professional?
This marketing technique seems simple enough, but it's more than just posting links on Facebook and Twitter. By making a small investment in hiring a professional, you can increase your social media's effectiveness. In addition to Facebook and Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, LinkedIn are sites you could get involved in. There are countless others, which your social media specialist will know about, and know how to work. They will also know the best tactics to effectively get people's attention, and thus get you more customers.
