Social Media is a way to share content and industry expertise to a large audience. It’s one thing to be on social media, but it’s another thing to actually use it to your advantage. You must be active, not passive. First steps are to set up your profile, gain a following and post content. Social media is a valuable tool, as it is a public way to have a relationship with customers. While there are times when you should engage in conversation with your followers, social media is your chance to do the talking. You want your content to be engaging and provide value to your followers. Share photos, articles, videos and infographics that will hook your followers, create buzz and promote your brand. If you are active and truly using social media, you can schedule posts ahead of time so you don’t have to take time to craft a post every day.
Social Networking is an opportunity to connect with people of the same interests, hobbies, fields of study or line of work within the framework of social networking. Two-way conversation is a fundamental part of this network. The content of these conversations are deep and informative, and there is no pre-scheduling for this content, as each interaction should be thoughtful and unique. Here, relationships are fostered through community. This takes time, patience and good listening skills.
In business, everyone is looking for return--what is social media doing for me? Is social networking worth the investment? As social networking is a direct connection and thus the rate of investment is more clear. If you are boosting your social networking and you see sales go up, they are most likely attributed. With social media, it’s more difficult to measure, as the purpose is to gain the attention of your audience. Effectively positioning your business on the right social media platforms will help you create appropriate relationships to grow your business.