Social Media Marketing Tips, Part 1

47% of American adults used social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Classmates.com in 2011, up from 26% in 2008. On social media sites like these, users may develop biographical profiles, communicate with friends and strangers, do research, and share thoughts, photos, music, links, and more. Here are 10 tips you can use immediately to build strong relationships using social media marketing. 

1. Utilize Your Family and Friends
Ask for the support of your family and friends. Encourage them to become fans on your Facebook page or followers of you on Twitter. Also ask your friends and family to spread the word about your fan page. 

2. Facebook Plugins
Incorporating a Facebook plugin into your website and/or blog is an easy and effective way to drive more fan traffic to your Facebook fan page. 

3. Other Social Media Networks
Facebook is not your only tool for social media marketing. Be sure to keep your Twitter followers and LinkedIn group members in the loop. 

4. Your Newsletter Subscribers
Send out an invitation in your newsletter to your subscribers. Invite them to join to your Facebook fan page, your Twitter following, even your LinkedIn group. Your newsletter subscribers are an excellent source of fan traffic that will actively help spread the message of your company. 

5. Make More Use of Traditional Advertising Methods
When using traditional advertising for your business, such as television ads or radio ads, mention your social networking sites. 

6. Physical Location Interaction with your fans and customers is key. Provide details on where your shop/office can be seen or visited. 

7. Your Existing Customers can be a Useful Tool Use your existing customers to fuel social media marketing. Inform your existing customers about your website, blog, Facebook page, and other social networking sites being used. Getting your existing customers involved uses the most powerful tool of all, word of mouth. 

8. Special Incentives will spark the interest of new fansUsing special incentives to get new fans on Facebook, followers on Twitter, or group members on LinkedIn. Offer special incentives such as access to exclusive content, your fans, customers, followers, advocates, etc, love feeling as though they are receiving something special. 

9. Stimulate Interaction Again, it is important to remember Facebook is not the only useful site in social media marketing. Use several social networking channels to keep your fans engaged and informed about other sites to obtain information about your business. 

10. Ask Your Facebook fans to “Like” and/or “Share” your material Asking your Facebook fans to help spread your message and “share” your material with their friends and familyWord of mouth is an effective, easy, free way to continue your social media marketing. Watch for more tips in our next installment. 

Please contact the CVB for more information.