Small Business News: Social Media and Blogging Basics
Posted on July 15th, 2010
Social media and more specifically blogging have become increasingly important to marketing a small business in today’s evolving business world. But probably no part of running a small business has evoked more debate or created more stress for entrepreneurs unsure just what their blogging and social media campaigns should look like. And how can small business owners grapple with a specialization often so distant from their core competency? Still, social media and blogging give small businesses a great reach, a literally global reach. We hope this small business news roundup answers some questions and perhaps raises some for discussion too. Read on.
Tools and Trends
Managing your social media. OK. You know you need social media for your small business: Facebook, Twitter and probably more. But how do you go about managing it all? How do you schedule and monitor and keep track of streams of communication and interaction on all these channels without loosing focus on your main business? What if there was a tool that helped you do it all? See this product review from Tim McMahon. TheBizCATS.com
The Old Spice social media campaign: A case study. Actually the Old Spice campaign incorporates more than simply Facebook, Twitter et al. It’s a truly integrated marketing campaign and the wave of the future. But not just for big brands. It can be used for your small business too. CIK Marketing
Tips and Tricks
So what do you write in that blog or company newsletter? We know it can be daunting staring at that blank computer screen. Blogs and newsletters, particularly e-mail newsletters, are still a form of social media, since they help you communicate interactively with clients, customers and partners. But they are much longer form than a Tweet or Facebook update. Here are some suggestions for topics. Sociatic
Building Community
You’ve probably heard about building fans and engagement. But what does it all mean? OK. You’ve created a Facebook fan site and you Tweet regularly about everything that comes into your head. (Hopefully, most of it is about business.) But what’s next? Where to you go from here? This post gives five simple steps that should take you to the next level. Vertical Response Marketing Blog
How many small to medium sized businesses are using social media? And what do they report about their success? Well, actually the usage of social media is still quite low among small businesses that could probably benefit from them the most. But there are some success stories. Here is an infographic that provides a visual overview of how much businesses have become involved and the kind of success they’ve had. All shared using a theme inspired by Coolhaus, an LA-based ice cream business that is truly rocking the social media space with big results. DIYSEO Blog
The Blogging Zone
Better blogs in five simple steps. The blog could be looked at as the great granddaddy of social media. But though it may not be as sexy to talk about your blog as to discuss the finer points of Tweeting and Facebook marketing these days, that doesn’t mean your blog should look boring. Here are some ideas to make sure it doesn’t. Small Business Trends
Quality versus quantity and blogging on a schedule. How often should you post and how regularly? Gurus, of course, promote a rigid editorial calendar, but most admit doing something is better than doing nothing at all. Should you post around your schedule or only when you have something to say? Pat Henry has the following meditation. We’d love to hear from you. Small Business Community
Video
Looking for some new ideas in your social media marketing campaign? You may have heard that video is hot. But, in fact, online video is also incredibly social. Combine it with your social media marketing and you may be surprised at the results. BizSugar Blog
Operations
It’s not just for marketing anymore. According to recent data, increasing numbers of business owners are now using social media to recruit new hires. Forget the newspaper classified or even Craigslist. Have you thought of using Facebook, LinkedIn or even Twitter for your next hiring decision? Small Business Trends
Going Global
Target the world with social media. Besides the marketing you can do in your own home town, blogging and social media allow you to have a global following. And that could come in handy in tough economic times like these when generating revenue from beyond your own community or even country of origin can be critical, as Verne Harnish explains in this article. Though it’s not about social media directly, consider Harnish’s suggestions when using blogging and social media to target international markets as well. CNNMoney.com
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