Building a relationship with customers is imperative for any small business. What's the best way to do that? Social media is the answer! Here are the top five ways to get started with social media today:
1. Twitter -- Keep Customers Updated
Essentially, Twitter is considered a micro-blog. This means that there are 140 characters that are available in order to provide a status update or give information. Plus, there are plenty of tools to help update Twitter, such as TweetDeck. These types of tools are handy when it comes to regularly scheduling tweets (what a Twitter update is called) to post at selected times. Twitter is a great way to let customers know what's new, whether it's products, services, expansion or a special event.
2. Facebook -- Build a Community
Facebook offers the option of creating a page as an individual or a fan page for a business, Facebook is a great way to build a community for customers. It also provides a way to interact with customers and get feedback on products or services. Facebook is another site to provide updates, post images, announce product or service enhancements and much more.
3. LinkedIn - Network with Colleagues, Customers and Associates
Compared to Facebook, LinkedIn is geared towards business people. The site can help connect with past colleagues, supervisors and employees. LinkedIn is a great networking site that can grow a small business. In addition, LinkedIn can also help locate employees.
4. MySpace -- Post Pictures, Videos, Music and More
Geared more towards the college-age crowd, MySpace is another social networking site where entrepreneurs can get exposure for a business. It's similar to Facebook where it allows the posting of images, videos and music.
5. Get Blogging -- Create Compelling Content for Customers
Providing content through a blog is one of the best ways to sell services or products. It provides an opportunity to give a voice to a business and helps build a relationship with customers. Best of all, customers can offer comments and provide feedback. For businesses just starting out, owners can easily build a free blog through Wordpress.com or Blogger.com. They're very easy to use and update.
Blogging also offers a way to generate revenue through Google Adsense, Yahoo and MSN. It's important to regularly update a blog and creating an editorial calendar can help. Visit a site like Problogger.com to learn the ins and outs of blogging for business.
All of these sites are very user friendly. Small business owners should try one or all of them and see how it best suits their specific business. No matter which site is used, building relationships with customers is the key to social media.
Social media and social media strategies are currently a hot topic. It's important to understand how they work and how it could benefit a small business. Getting involved is the first step and these tips will help!
Allison Jackson - Allison Jackson is a mom of two, a freelance writer and communications professional. With a keen interest in marketing, social media and ...
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