There are countless social media networks, so we will just focus on the big two: Facebook and Twitter are the giants of social media. Social media networks are made to connect people that share the same interests. The use is so widespread, it only makes good sense to use it as a way to promote your brand. Social media isn’t going away so get ready to man the stations. The best use of social media for corporations is real time PR. See what is being said about your business as it happens and deal with questions and complaints on the spot. Get involved with niche social networks in addition to Facebook and Twitter to promote your brand online. Twitter is a great way to drive traffic to your website and Facebook fan page keeps you in touch with your customers.
Social media isn’t going away so get ready to man the stations. The best use of social media for corporations is real time PR. See what is being said about your business as it happens and deal with questions and complaints on the spot.
Different types of companies are using social media successfully in different ways.
- Non-profits make the most use of social media channels to promote their causes and raise funds worldwide.
- Small businesses are giving out coupon codes through Twitter and using Facebook to promote invite only events and get customer feedback.
- Medium and large businesses are promoting their brand and handling online reputation management.
With any customer service or public relations method, you should always put your best face forward. Have someone who will do well to represent your business globally be the “face” behind the social media. This isn’t a job for the summer intern.
The kinds of companies that make use of social media are the companies with nothing to hide. Financial institutions and pharmaceutical companies are the least likely to use social media, with near 10% industry saturation.
There are 350 million Facebook users and it costs nothing but time to set up a fan page. It should be updated at least weekly. Take advantage of the discussions and conversation to find out what your fans and customers are thinking. It’s great market research with feedback directly from your market.
