So you’ve now got your web site up and running, is the time right to jump into this new thing called social media?  Well, like everything on the internet, its very easy to jump in and get lost quickly.  Here are a few pointers.

Social media isn’t new

Though its breaking through on mainstream media and even Oprah is tweeting, social media has actually been around for a little while now.  I sent my first tweet back in 2007 and it was already fairly established at that point. Facebook has been around since 2004, MySpace since 2003. So where these networks may seem new to you, they have been around for some time and come with established communities.

Which one is a good fit for your company?

Depends really.  Around 1.5 Million local companies, regardless of their service or products, have a Facebook page. This lets them connect directly with some of the 400 Million + active users that visit the site.  Facebook pages are a good way for your company to raise brand awareness, keep people abreast of events or offers, and have a point-of-contact within the network.

Where Facebook’s demographic is starting to skew older, MySpace tends to appeal to a younger adult, slightly female slanted, and teen audience.  This may suit you better if you operate in that market space.  The expectations in MySpace are a little different than Facebook, but a lot of the tools (blogs, video, audio) are similar.

Twitter is a great resource for sending out news blasts, coupons, and if you have time, interacting directly with your customers.  The flood of information can be overwhelming so you should look at using something like HootSuite or Tweetdeck to manage the conversations.

There are a whole lot more social networks out there, but the important thing is to find the ones that have members that want to, or already do, use your company.  At the end of the day its all about building relationships, so start small and participate.

A few things to remember

• It does not matter how many followers you have on Twitter, as long as they are the right ones
• You do not have to be on every single social network
• You must link between your web site and social media profile pages
• Be consistent in choosing a profile name across all the networks you are on
• Listen and respond to everyone

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