Life Before Facebook and Twitter
I still remember quite a while ago when a friend sent me an invitation to join Facebook. I was really not interested in what I thought to be a potential waste of my valuable time. Eventually he gave up hope and registered an account on my behalf. The rest as we say, is history!
Social networking may still be a relatively new notion, but concepts such as Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin now forms part of many email signatures, billboard adverts as well as tv and radio ads! The effectiveness of the web is unbelievable and social networking is one of the most effective resources available on the internet!
The objective of social networking is fundamentally to develop a network where people that have the same interest can get connected to one another. This is of course remarkable for advertising and marketing purposes as it is possible to directly focus on your target market!
If you are a new comer to the world of social networking, keep the following in mind when creating your online profiles:
Don't assume all forms of social networking platforms will be equally powerful for all types of businesses. A magazine, medical aid or insurance professional for instance can offer valuable advice on a platform such as Facebook. Followers will join their webpages to see what advice is on offer, find out more about new services, ask questions and connect with other members. An engineering company on the other hand might not have much valuable information to share on a regular basis, and might be better off with a network such as Linkedin which is directed at linking specialists in similar sectors together.
Using Facebook again as one example - it is crucial to share beneficial information with your readers or fans. The quickest way to lose fans is to spam them with uninteresting information. I am a follower of a well known family mag and the questions they ask sometimes are really irritating! This morning they wanted to know if "we slept well". I really don't want to read seven thousand comments of individuals elaborating on why they did or didn't sleep well! Conversely, a medical aid company that I also follow offered valuable information on a healthy eating plan - now that is helpful!
Bear in mind once you sent a message out to the net, there is no way to undo that post. Ensure that all your posts, tweets, messages or whatever else are appropriate, non offensive, interesting and without spelling and syntax errors!
Ensure that your clients and customers follow you on the various social networking platforms. Include your Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and other links on your website and use it in your electronic mail signature. Then make certain your profile and posts are interesting to make sure that people will keep returning for more. Just take into account that updating more than one social network on a regular basis will require continued commitment - don't bite off more than you can chew!
Nearly all social networking platforms are free to use and you really have nothing to lose - why not try it out right now?
Social networking may still be a relatively new notion, but concepts such as Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin now forms part of many email signatures, billboard adverts as well as tv and radio ads! The effectiveness of the web is unbelievable and social networking is one of the most effective resources available on the internet!
The objective of social networking is fundamentally to develop a network where people that have the same interest can get connected to one another. This is of course remarkable for advertising and marketing purposes as it is possible to directly focus on your target market!
If you are a new comer to the world of social networking, keep the following in mind when creating your online profiles:
Don't assume all forms of social networking platforms will be equally powerful for all types of businesses. A magazine, medical aid or insurance professional for instance can offer valuable advice on a platform such as Facebook. Followers will join their webpages to see what advice is on offer, find out more about new services, ask questions and connect with other members. An engineering company on the other hand might not have much valuable information to share on a regular basis, and might be better off with a network such as Linkedin which is directed at linking specialists in similar sectors together.
Using Facebook again as one example - it is crucial to share beneficial information with your readers or fans. The quickest way to lose fans is to spam them with uninteresting information. I am a follower of a well known family mag and the questions they ask sometimes are really irritating! This morning they wanted to know if "we slept well". I really don't want to read seven thousand comments of individuals elaborating on why they did or didn't sleep well! Conversely, a medical aid company that I also follow offered valuable information on a healthy eating plan - now that is helpful!
Bear in mind once you sent a message out to the net, there is no way to undo that post. Ensure that all your posts, tweets, messages or whatever else are appropriate, non offensive, interesting and without spelling and syntax errors!
Ensure that your clients and customers follow you on the various social networking platforms. Include your Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and other links on your website and use it in your electronic mail signature. Then make certain your profile and posts are interesting to make sure that people will keep returning for more. Just take into account that updating more than one social network on a regular basis will require continued commitment - don't bite off more than you can chew!
Nearly all social networking platforms are free to use and you really have nothing to lose - why not try it out right now?