A Social Media Reality Check
Posted by Naylla Kassam on Thu, Jul 22, 2010
Facebook announces its 500m mark of active users: the United States having the highest user rate at 127m, Brazil coming in at second with 28.7m users, and the UK at 24.2m users. These numbers only have one place to go and that’s UP. So can you afford not to be on Facebook? Or Twitter? Or any other social media site?
We’ve heard the excuses on why you're not engaging in social media:
- It’s too much noise
- I don’t have the time
- Social Media is not for my business
- I can’t waste my time on social media, I have a business to run
The fact of the matter is that social media drives traffic to your website, generates leads, and generates real customers. If there are 500m users just on one social networking site, I’d seriously ask yourself if you can afford not to be on there in some shape or form.
So rather than dwelling on whether to get involved in social media or not, the best advice I can give is: just do it!
Here are 5 tips to help you get started with social media:
- You have to listen as much as you talk. The only way to be heard is to listen.
- It takes discipline! It’s called “social” media for a reason. Make it part of your daily routine. It didn’t take you long to get in the habit of checking email did it?
- Don’t be a walking billboard. Become a trusted advisor, a valued resource, and a person YOU would want to speak to.
- Do your homework. Don’t keep aiming in the dark – look around you and see what people are saying and who is already successful at this strategy.
- Who’s the message for? Who is your ideal client? Target your message to the people you want to engage with.
Still not convinced? Join us on our free webinar for the Latest Trends in Social Media on July 29, 2010.