There are so many social networks out there that can help promote your small business, but how do you decide which are right for you and then how do you manage them all? Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine, LinkedIn, Foursquare, Google Plus and the countless others that will pop up tomorrow, all have value for certain audiences (i.e. customers) but who has the time to manage all of those? Managing too many social media accounts is daunting and likely counterproductive. This is why I suggest to my clients that they choose wisely and use wisely.
The last thing you want to do is sign up for more than you can manage and fail miserably at all of them. Instead, consider committing to managing one to three of these well. Sign up for only the social networks you know you can handle well. Identify which networks your customers use most and choose those. If you are not sure where your customers are, simply ask them! Once you have created your profile or page, add the app to your smart phone and tablet and be prepared to check in daily to post status updates, share a deal or post a photo. Be sure to activate notifications so you’ll know instantly when a comment or questions has been posted and be able to respond quickly.
Once you feel confident that you can handle the few networks you started with, then go ahead and add a few more. Social media is part of our daily business now but that doesn’t mean you have to be everywhere at the same time. Choose wisely. Use wisely.
Need help with your social media?
Learnthat.com has some really great tutorials for free that can help you with social media. Check out 5 Social Media Musts for Small to Medium Sized Businesses.
This blog also appears on the Redondo Beach Patch.