Should You Jump On the Facebook/Twitter Bandwagon?

Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn have grown in popularity over the past couple of years. So what’s the deal? Will this avenue of marketing REALLY help your business? What should you post on it? Who should you connect with?

Let’s start with the basics.

Facebook

Facebook is one of the most visible and recognized brands in the social networking space, where “friend” is a verb. You can use Facebook for your business by combining business and social contacts. Facebook is a great way to stay in touch with your customers and prospects without spamming them with e-newsletters and wasting money on direct mail. It is also a great way to advertise charity events and other public events you may host.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a more professional social network. Like the old three-ring binders of business cards that you may have in the office somewhere, LinkedIn is a great way to store a real-time virtual collection of business cards. LinkedIn is a great way to establish and maintain a professional network of businesses that can refer you and support your business.

Twitter

Twitter is probably the loosest of all of social networks. While it has declined in popularity in the shadow of Facebook, it has recently made an agreement with Google to start “indexing” all it’s users tweets. What this means is, if you tweet about a new offer or a useful tip you’d like to share with your public, Google is going to start picking those up in the near future and displaying them in it’s search results.

The point? Never underestimate the power of connecting with your customers on a personal level. Social media makes you more like real person, not just some greedy entity who wants to gobble up their spending dollars.

Next Week: How Much Time Should I Invest Into Social Media?