If you’re thinking of doing more with your social media campaign or just starting one you’re probably feeling a little overwhelmed with all the different types of social media sites. Don’t panic we’ve broken down to help you figure out which is best for you.
Your Blog
This is basically like your kitchen. You can decorate it however you want, add any appliances, and use it to cook up a delicious smelling brand. The important thing to remember is what kind of impression you want to give and what your goals are.
Personally here’s my recipe for a well baked blog: 3 parts personality, 3 parts informative, and 2 parts promotion. Add that up and you get 1 cup full of a great blog. Why three part each of personality and information? Because just as much as consumers want information they want to be entertained and feel that you’re not a cold corporation but a group of people coming together under one roof and calling it a company. Two parts promotion is just enough because while people expect a little self-promotion on a company blog no one likes those who boast so keep you promotions slightly less than the rest of your content.
Tone: Semi-professional / may vary per industry or post
Audience: Consumers / Industry professionals
Type of Content: Articles, videos, pictures, info graphics – basically anything you want
Goals: Creating a brand identity
Linked in is more like the office break room. It’s a great place to survey your peers, ask opinions, talk about news or the latest project you’re working on but you don’t want to whip out the latest LOLZ cat photo. LinkedIn is a bit more professional and really a great resource because you have access to not only your break room but thousands of others in all industries. You literally have the opinions and experience of millions of people at your fingertips.
LinkedIn is also being used almost as a replacement to your CV these days. This allows other professionals to see the experience, skills and education that establishes you as a credible and trusted industry leader. Or vice versa.
Tone: Generally Professional but may vary to business casual depending on industry
Audience: Industry professionals
Type of Content: daily/weekly updates, polls, announcements, linking, industry news, articles, CV
Goals: Building credibility in your brand and yourself as an industry discussion leader, connecting with and reaching millions of industry professionals
Facebook is like if everyone’s living rooms were connected. This is the place the average consumer goes to relax. You’ll find clips from the latest TV Shows and internet fads, unanswered invites, magazines open to their favorite article, music/CD rack, movie posters,, pictures of friends, family, hobbies, pets, parties and just about anything that they might be interested in including the occasional bottle of beer on the table.
Facebook is perfect for anyone who wants to reach the average consumer just remember to knock first. People don’t like being interrupted unless it’s something they’re really interested in or is entertaining.
*WARNING* There is such a thing as posting too often. Once a day is more than enough otherwise you’re hogging up space and being needy or worse, annoying.
Tone: Semi-casual, casual is okay but be careful using slang
Audience: Consumers
Type of Content: Anything you want but links to articles, videos, pictures work best here
Goals: Connecting with consumers on a regular biases, building your brand identity
Twitter is like a cell phone that only allows texts. You’re only allowed to put so much before it’s too much for one message and you can send actual photos but you can send links to them. This isn’t for any detailed information or long convo but a short blurb to inform or entice maybe with a link attached.
*WARNING* Same as Facebook: There is such a thing as posting too often. The occasional exception is if there’s an event of some sort where it’s okay to update more often about progress.
*NOTE* It is possible to link your Facebook and Twitter accounts so if automatically post to the other when you post on one.
Tone: Semi-casual, casual is okay but be careful using slang
Audience: Consumers
Type of Content: Short text messages with links if necessary
Goals: Keeping in front of consumers and showing that your company is active
Imagine if you had a wall that went on forever. On this forever wall you have a corkboard of your own and around your corkboard are corkboards that belong to other people. That’s Pinterest.
You can pin pictures of basically anything you can photograph. You can also look at other people’s corkboards and pin anything you like on yours too. Again this is a place most people come to be entertained so keep it interesting.
Tone: casual as you’re not really talking much here
Audience: Consumers mainly. The number of females is also four times the males.
Type of Content: Anything you can photograph
Goals: Creating an image for your company using images
Google+
Google+ is the name of the new coffee shop around the corner. You go there to hang out with your friends and maybe look at the community board to learn about other local businesses.
If you’re a business make sure that Google+ knows about you and had positive information on your business. But the keyword here is: local. Don’t bother trying to use Google+ to reach people in Boston when you’re based in LA. However if your local, this is a good place to get a reputation.
Tone: Casual
Audience: Consumers / Industry professionals
Type of Content: information, photos or links of anything that may be relevant to customers. Try to encourage people to leave favorable reviews.
Goals: Build a reputation with the locals.
Slideshare
Slideshare is like the photo book on your coffee table or in your wallet but instead of vacation photos it has information. Some of the other Social Medias have apps for Slideshare which allows you to share your presentation on other avenues including embedding it into your website. The trick is to not just make one for the sake of having one. There needs to be a purpose to your presentations, like labeling a photo book per vacation or holiday.
As always its quality not quality; more than 15 maybe 20 slides is more than most people will care about. You also want to make sure that the content is useful and visually attractive.
Tone: Semi-formal but varies per company and presentation.
Audience: Consumers / Industry professionals
Type of Content: PowerPoint presentations, documents, PDFs, videos
Goals: Use this as a tool to relay information in an attractive way
YouTube
Going on YouTube is like going to a movie night at the park or recreation center. The great thing about it is you can put up your own movie and talk to others about theirs.
Use this wisely a good video can do wonders for a business but a bad one can do just as much damage. Put the time, effort and resources needed to create a good quality video that shows off your business best. Video testimonials are probably the best thing you can have on here.
Tone: Varies per industry, video, purpose
Audience: Consumers / Industry professionals
Type of Content: videos
Goals: Show your company, work, success stories
Yelp
Yelp is like a visitors guide. They describe themselves perfectly as an “online urban city guide that helps people find cool places to eat, shop, drink, relax and play, based on the informed opinions of a vibrant and active community of locals”.
Tone: Casual
Audience: Consumers / Industry professionals
Type of Content: information, photos or links of anything that may be relevant to customers. Try to encourage people to leave favorable reviews.
Goals: Build a reputation with the locals.