Social Media

Social media are computer-mediated tools that allow people to create, share or exchange information, ideas, and pictures/videos in virtual communities and networks. Social media is defined as “a group of Internet-based applications that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content.” Ebizmba has identified the top social networking sites by Estimated Unique Visitors per Month (February 2015):

1 | Facebook 900,000,000

2 | Twitter 310,000,000

3 | LinkedIn 255,000,000

4 | Pinterest 250,000,000

5 | Google Plus+ 120,000,000

Other significant sites include, in order of popularity:

Tumblr, Instagram, VK, Flickr, and Vine. Following are some best practices, courtesy of American Express.

Promote Your Business on Social Media

Socially savvy entrepreneurs know that it’s all about engaging the right audiences with valuable content. Small-business owners face a challenge when it comes to striking a balance in using social media to engage and promote.

• 1. Follow the one-in-seven rule. This rule is where only one of every seven posts overtly promotes your business. The remaining six should be focused on sharing valuable content, including posts from the community.
• 2. Ask conversation-starter questions. Most people enjoy sharing their opinions, so ask Facebook fans to weigh in on topics that are relevant to your business and interesting to them.
• 3. Share your expertise. Post little-known, fun facts in the form of questions with a special offer presented to the first person to answer correctly.
• 4. Provide value. While including fun posts that reflect your personality is a must, it’s important to create content that benefits your followers. That can mean posting tips on best practices, providing access to white papers, or offering special deals on products or services.
• 5. Create a Pinterest board. Make sure the board has eye-catching visuals and run a contest through it that will inspire and reward customers for their participation.
• 6. Avoid syndicated messages. While you can use tools that allow you to write one message and have it appear on a variety of social media outlets, you risk losing the sincerity behind the message.

Apply these practices and your social media program will be a success.