the benefits of social media
DESCRIPTION
Social Media is the online equivalent of Word of Mouth which really encapsulates its usefulness to businesses. In this presentation I cover the benefits of the main Social Media channels and demonstrate how effective usage of Social Media can increase customer loyalty whilst driving traffic back to your websiteTRANSCRIPT
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
The Benefits of
by Katherine Hanson ©
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
Introduction
Objectives
What is Social Media?
Benefits for businesses
Accolades & Ambassadors
Social Media channels
Return on Investment
Summary
Agenda
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
About Me
I provide a Social Media and blog writing service for a number of my clients
I am passionate about helping businesses to navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics so they can be found by more potential customers!
I do this because I believe that Social Media is the online equivalent of Word of Mouth which really encapsulates its usefulness to businesses
Soci@lite
Social Media, Blogs & Articles, Email Marketing, Newsletters, Content Writing & more
The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about (Oscar Wilde)
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
About You
You are a business owner
You have an understanding of websites
Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter & Blogs are not mysteries
You are passionate about marketing your business
You want to understand how things are changing
You’d like more enquiries or sales
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
To explain in a bit more detail what Social Media is and its benefits
To emphasise that whatever your customers and competitors are doing you also need to embrace – you will have ideas about how to expand offline, but you have to be seen to be using the same channels online
To demonstrate that Social Media marketing needn’t be a content safari but effective usage of it will increase customer loyalty whilst driving traffic back to your website
How to showcase online what a great business you have!
To demonstrate how either a new or successful and long-established company with a solid offline reputation can promote awareness online
To explain in a bit more detail what Social Media is - some of the available channels, their features and benefits
This presentation’s Objectives
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
What is Social Media?The online equivalent of word of mouth, the oldest form of marketing in the world yet still the most powerful and driven by people
It is permanent, broadcast and doesn’t rely on somebody remembering and acting on what they have heard about a business and then passing it on to somebody else.
A method of reliably spreading your message to a group of people who want to hear what you have to say – you then TELL them through your selected channels.
An ongoing practice, the immediate purpose of which is not to generate leads & business but share information & engage in the same way that you would in the real world, such as at a networking event or conference.
The same rules apply online as offline, e.g. you wouldn’t pitch at the person you just said hello to at a networking event.
People will look up the products and services that your company offers – if you’re not putting that information online, who is? You need to stay in control of your communication
The problem with Social Media is ‘Social Media’ – by which I mean the connotations it elicits for many businesses. There is so much out there and new things all the time claiming to be better than the last
It’s here to stay whether you love it or hate it – last month was Social Media Week across the globe
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
The power of Social Marketing & Search Engine Optimisation
Source: www.socialnomics.com by Erik Qualman. From the book Socialnomics: the power of social marketing & Search Engine Optimization.
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
Benefits for you as a business owner?Social Media enables you to reach markets you may not otherwise have access to for virtually no cost, other than in time & effort
Conduct competitor analysis and stay ahead by posting industry information and starting trends before they do
Ask questions and obtain instant feedback from customers, peers & prospects
It creates an audit trail of online activity, which is crucial for testimonials and referrals and as a permanent reference point
It’s a learning forum and also provides the ability to trial new e-learning
The potential to increase your following – only 15% of local business’ fans are in the same place (Roost) – you can reach a vast audience – go VIRAL!
People are more likely to use forms and FAQs on websites than contact a call centre
The more active IVC appears to be online, the more you will be perceived as an open and honest business that isn’t afraid to share knowledge and deal with potential problems in an open forum - customer service - how you walk away from an experience
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
Social Media channels
There are really only FOUR STEPS:
1. Find people interested in your products or services
2. Post content not adverts, e.g. articles, blogs, comments, etc.
3. Capture information with an ethical bribe for name & email address , e.g. free e-book
4. Stay in touch and create a valuable exchange, e.g. Newsletters, webinars, etc.
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
Facebook is the nation’s Social Media Sweetheart:
UK’s most popular social network - 49% of us have a Facebook accountIn 2012 500 million hours will be spent on the site every monthOver 50% market share of all visits35% of Facebook users are aged 25-34 / 29% are aged 35-44 56% of consumers will recommend a brand after becoming a fan (Mashable)
3.5 billion+ pieces of content are shared every week (Hubspot)
800 million+ active users with 200 million+ added in 2011 (Social Media Examiner)
Facebook Fanpages
Over 300,000 businesses have a Facebook presence - 1/3 are small businesses You no longer need 25 likes for a unique URL Facebook Insights provides you with free metrics about your Social Media activitySign up fans to your Newsletter/Contact list (unlike a personal page) The more active you are the more likely it is users will see your brand/contentTip: Yahoo will extract the contact details of all your Facebook ‘likes’
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
34% of marketers have generated leads using Twitter55% of us access Twitter via our mobiles so use in real time100 million active Twitter users worldwidePost messages of fewer than 140 characters you can post blog links, news, events, etc. to reiterate IVC an industry authorityA customer service channel to engage with loyal and new customers and licenseesMeasure success by analysing how followers engage with your content via free metrics – help identify tools to make best use of timeObtain multiple followers with interesting contentFriendLynx - find your Facebook friends on TwitterWhat makes people Retweet (RT)? interesting content, humour, personal connection, incentives, ‘please RT’
#Hashtags: mark keywords/topics to make your Tweets more searchable. The most common hashtags of my followers’: #business, #media, #social, #marketing, #dorset, #news, #online via SocialBro.com, #follow, #twitter - www.hashtweeps.com displays Tweeters mentioning your company, brand for example and no. of instances so follow them back
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
Nothing beats word-of-mouth recommendations versus a testimonial from a stranger
Your interface to professionals who want to find out more about your company, job openings, culture, recommendations from their network on products/services, etc.
You can ensure your company provides the most relevant and tailored messaging
Provides a wealth of tools for increasing engagement amongst followers via status updates, news, blog posts, Twitter updates, YouTube videos, etc. - benefit from the buzz about your products
Use LinkedIn Groups to promote and track your industry & competitor activity
Add the LinkedIn plug-in to your website displaying at-a-glance information to drive traffic
Use the follow button to help users discover who they know at your company
Use the Careers Tab to shape job seekers’ understanding of your company
Export connections to a spreadsheet and add them to your Marketing list or Newsletter
150 million professionals exchange information, ideas & opportunities, keep up to date with contacts & industry to achieve their goals
LinkedIn Company pages
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
LinkedIn - sample metrics
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
The world‘s second most popular search engine In 2012 online video will hit 1 billion visits per monthMillions discover, watch & share originally-created videosA global forum for people to connect, inform & inspire othersUse as a central part of your marketing strategyVideos can be broadcast according to key demographicsOptimise search engine results – Google loves videosProvides free analytics on your Social Media activityUse your YouTube channel to post to other Social Media channels and your company website Share videos you have created, like or think relevant to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.Increase conversion rates (click-throughs to your website)
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
YouTube - sample metrics
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
The New Kid on the Block - in operation since June 2011 and already fastest-growing Social network ever launched
Create robust content calendars and target your audience with posts intended just for certain cities, ages, genders and languages
Your activity feed is compressed to a few lines so users can only respond not post
Free analytics to measure your Social Media success
Link to unlimited Social Media profiles/networks, as well as your website(s) - Google loves links!
Build backlinks and create a Smorgasbord of all your Social Media profiles in one place
Android is currently the market leader in Smartphones and some tablets - Google will be activating 1,000,000+ Android devices a day
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
One of the most popular blog-publishing applications in the world
Used by millions of individuals, businesses and organisations
Maintain content, engage in social media, appear in searches & minimise costs
Blogs alert your followers to new content
Integrates elegantly with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other platforms
‘Open source’ - all code and files are free to use, customise, and enhance
Use templates, search-engine friendly links and widgets (drag-and-drop sidebars, Facebook like boxes, etc.)
Free analytics to measure the impact of your blog and traffic to your website
Skim reads content and suggests relevant or popular keywords (as do podcasts)
Publish retrospective posts based on original date, e.g. existing testimonials/blogs
Make blogs ‘sticky’ – choose what to promote regardless of publishing date
Download to your Smartphone or iPad
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
A Social Media Dashboard which enables you to connect to all your Social Media channels and post messages simultaneously
Launch marketing campaigns, identify and grow audiences and distribute targeted messages across multiple channels
Users include governments, artists and even The White House
HootSuite sends you a summary of mentions and weekly analytics
Sync with Google Analytics and Facebook Insights
Showcase your Social Media success by creating custom reports
Ensures messages are never missed - draft & schedule to send when your followers will be online
HootSuite can be used on Smartphones and Android devices
View all your Social feeds from within Hootsuite
Hootlet enables you to ‘hoot’ about pages you would like to share
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
It needn’t be a content safari!Choose one or two channels to start with and do them well, instead of overloading yourself with too many - a few simple tasks can enhance your presence:
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
Many companies have yet to be convinced by Social Media because it doesn’t result in short-term ROI, or they cannot see how it enables them to measure ROI. It is true that the impact of Social Media needs to be measured, but marketing based solely on ROI misses the point.
Rather than “What’s the ROI?” we should be asking “What does or will success look like?”
Today’s Social Media savvy customers publish and share their experiences
Social Media is as an extension of good business ethics
Invest in resources and building your network beyond prospects and investors
Social Media has a far greater impact on the overall customer relationship
See every online exchange as an opportunity to enhance & nourish relationships
What about Return on Investment?
Value of Exchange rather than Monetary Return
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
3. Builds new relationships
7. Builds trust
4. You can demand higher prices
2. Increases referrals
6. Increases familiarity
5. Creates visibility
1. Makes you credible
8. Offer your products & services
The relationship between your brand, employees & consumers which is more than justsingle transaction or subscription
Value of Exchange
9. You will be seen as an expert
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
3. Builds new relationships
7. Builds trust
4. You can demand higher prices
2. Increases referrals
6. Increases familiarity
5. Creates visibility
1. Makes you credible
8. Offer your products & services
Social Media success!9. You will be seen as an expert
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
In the year 2062, a bunch of elderly hipsters are interviewed about the good old days of Social Media
Source: www.futurehipsters.com
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
Summary
Social Media is online word of mouth
Content is King - the more you post the more you will be found
Free PR & instant feedback
Recommendations over advertising
Spreads messages to those who want to hear what you have to say
Use in conjunction with your existing strategy
Value of exchange rather than Return on Investment
Engage and share with customers and peers
Doing business with people that know, like & trust you will make your money - Social Media is merely a platform!
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
www.facebook.com/socialite www.youtube.com/user/ithedorsetpa
www.twitter.com/so_cialite https://plus.google.com/u/0/116650548288193622804/posts
www.linkedin.com/company/thedorsetpa www.yoursocialmediator.wordpress.com
March 2012A presentation by © Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
Soci@lite Tips, Tricks & Tip-offs to help you navigate the world of online marketing & master the metrics!
“The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.” Oscar Wilde
“The question is no longer should we be doing Social Media, it's are we doing it right?” Erik Qualman, Socialnomics
“You can’t just say it. You have to get the people to say it to each other.” Ford Motors
“Our head of Social Media is the customer.” Macdonalds
Quotations