Updated May 2017
If you’re new to social media marketing and trying to figure out where to start, it can be a daunting task. There are so many different sites; where do you go first?
Even if there is a social media site devoted specifically to your industry or teeming with your target market, I still think you need to be using at least one of the “big three” – Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. And unlike the big three automakers, these three are not running out of steam. They are growing by leaps and bounds, with no signs of stopping.
The hardest choice is between LinkedIn and Facebook. LinkedIn has a more professional feel. You include a professional bio and can get professional recommendations from people in your network. Notice how many times I’ve used the word professional? While there are people who have quirky job titles and humorous job descriptions on their LinkedIn profile, for the most part, LinkedIn users treat their profile as an online resume or online marketing platform. You should too.
LinkedIn is set up to make it difficult to contact people you don’t know because they want it to be a networking site, not a spam site. Like all social medial platforms your LinkedIn profile includes a profile photo and it really had better be a professional looking one. No avatars or goofy shots of you in your Halloween costume please.
In recent years, LinkedIn has allowed people to add a whole range of multimedia messages to your profile: photos, reports, videos, SlideShare. It truly makes your LinkedIn profile a multimedia marketing tool.
If you are B2B (business to business), in other words, you provide a service or product geared towards other businesses, LinkedIn is probably the best place for you to start. This is particularly true if your target market is larger corporations rather than microbusinesses or if you’re in the technology field.
If your customer base is consumers, Facebook is probably the best place to start. Many people use Facebook daily to socialize with friends and family, and their Facebook use has nothing to do with business. But that’s not the only thing people are using Facebook for. Many small businesses and solopreneurs also have a Facebook presence. So even if you are targeting them, Facebook might be good for you as well.
The key to remember is Facebook started out on college campuses, therefore Facebook tends to have a more playful feel. While you can create a page for your business, your main profile page is about you. In addition to your own photo, you can add as many photos as you want as well as videos and audios. You have a wall where people can post their own comments and you can respond.
Overall, Facebook is more personal, even if you’re using it for business. The key to remember is to not get too personal if you’re using Facebook for business. No photos from wild parties, no comments you wouldn’t want potential customers to see. Keep it professional, even if it’s a little more playful than on LinkedIn.
If your customers are consumers try Facebook first. If you are targeting small and microbusinesses, look to see how many of your potential customers are on both sites. Depending on your industry, you might find one better than the other. If you are targeting people in the technology field, LinkedIn is probably better. If you are targeting small businesses that serve consumers, they are more likely to be on Facebook.
What about Twitter? Twitter is a bit of a different creature. If you’re brand new and only going to be using one platform to start, Twitter may not be the best choice, depending on your market.
The nice thing about Twitter is it’s short and sweet – you have 140 characters to make your point. However, you can also upload photos to tell your story.
Twitter is fast and easy to use. If you have a blog you can send links to posts via Twitter. By following people in your industry or potential customers, many of whom will follow you back, you can build a following of your target market. The key is to try to get them to visit your website at some point.
Ultimately, don’t spend tons of time agonizing over where to start. Pick one, spend some time learning the ins and outs of using the site and be a regular. Once you’ve mastered using one social media site, you can consider adding another one to your marketing mix.
Andrea J. Stenberg
Great advice, Andrea. I use Twitter most, followed by Facebook, then LinkedIn. Recently, though, I am seeing a need to be more involved in Facebook. For example, my blog feeds in to Facebook, and I often get more comments on blog posts there than I do on my blog!
Each site has its best uses. You are absolutely right that the best thing to do is just jump in and start using at least one. That is the best way to learn which works best for your purposes.
Ditto! (ie, great advice!) Since I’m an author promoting a book, I’ve only been on Facebook, so now won’t plan on Linkedin, but will start to use Twitter.
Ladies,
I’ve been amazed at they synergy that comes out of using multiple social media sites. Some people use them all, but many people are seriously loyal to one site. Many people don’t read blogs but are on Facebook every day so clearly that works best for you.
Adding Twitter to the mix just makes sense when you’re on Facebook. I know I frequently find people start following me on Twitter, then I get a friend invite from Facebook then I see their name on my ezine subscriptions. These are people who many never have found me otherwise.
You make a good point about the importance of a professional bio. I think for most people the hardest part of writing a professional bio is choosing what to put in and what to leave out. Because after all, a bio is supposed to be short. But most of us have done lots of different things in our work careers. How do you decide what to focus on?
I often tell people that There’s a simple answer: focus on what’s going to be most relevant and impressive to your target reader.
You see, a bio is not a resume. You don’t have to list everything you’ve ever done. Just focus on the parts that are going to “sell” you to your reader.
For example, when I wrote my bio for my site http://www.HowToWriteBio.com, I focused on my technical writing and business coaching background – which is the information that shows that I know what I’m talking about when it comes to writing bios.
Because that’s what potential clients want to know about me in this context. They don’t really care about all the other types of jobs I have held.
A bio is a little advertisement for you. So think about who will be reading your bio and what you want them to know about you. Then advertise your best and most relevant features!
Barbra,
I agree, the focus is important. When I first set up my LinkedIn bio I included everything I do. It sounded like the “jack of all trades, master of none”. Not surprisingly, I got little response.
Then I focused on what I really wanted people to know about me. I got specific. And now I get a much better response.
Whoa… this site is pretty awesome 🙂 your layout is really well designed, and your blogs are (judging from what i’ve read) very interesting. heehee… consider yourself favorited. 😛
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Why not go with all three? They each serve very different purposes. If I want something fun and personal, I go with Facebook. If I want a professional networking site, I go with Linked In. If I want to keep in touch with websites whose articles I’m interested in reading, I go with Twitter.
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