Social Media Explained

For People with Real Jobs

 

People hear the term “social media” and think of sites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.  Everyone knows that the big brands like Nike and Reebok spend lots of time and effort on these outlets.

But if you are a small or medium sized business – what does all this have to do with you?  The answer is – a lot!

 

 

 

Why Should You Care About Social Media

The biggest reason business owners should care about social websites is that Google is going to show listings and pages from these sites about you – whether you like it or not.

And you may not even realize that their profile on LinkedIn or Facebook will probably outrank your company website when you search your own name.  Test it out and see for yourself.

That means when people search your name or your business name on Google, the results will often include reviews, comments, social profiles, etc.  And we all know that those first listings that come up speak volumes about your credibility. 

 

 

Best Case Scenario

In the best case scenario, when someone “Google’s” you they will find lots of nice reviews from consumer sites, a nicely updated website and various other social media profiles that you have put together.  These listings would all re-enforce to the searcher that you or your business is credible and trustworthy and they might even learn something about your area of expertise.

 

Worst Case Scenario

Unfortunately things aren’t always that simple.  I recently heard a commercial warning that “the internet doesn’t fact check,” and this is definitely true when it comes to social sites.

 

Did you know?

• Anyone can grab a Twitter username that looks like it might be you?
• Anyone can setup a Facebook page that looks similar to your business
• Anyone can post a review about your business on hundreds of websites (including Google)

The bottom line is that if you aren’t protecting your social profiles, you run the risk of finding negative information in there (true or otherwise) or having someone “pirate” a username and pretend do be you.  Either case is no fun to try and unravel.

 

 

What Can You Do

So even if you hate social sites like Facebook and think they are useless, my suggestion is that you spend some time protecting yourself by doing a few things:

• Register a profile with all the major sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
• Complete most of the basic information and upload a picture or logo so the profile looks somewhat complete.
• Search Twitter and see if there are usernames that look like you.  Create another profile and reserve them if you can.
• Look around to see if there are other changes to complete an online profile where your competitors might be.  The local chamber or BBB sites might allow you to enhance a listing.
• Go to Google, Yahoo and Bing and claim your local business listings.  Again fill out as much as you can.

 

Taking these steps will at least ensure that your accounts are setup and that those results are positive for you when people search your name.  And you will also be notified of any negative reviews or comments so you can address them if they come up.

 

 

Still Need Help?

If you are not a “do-it-yourself” type and would like help in this area of social websites, contact us today.  We offer several social media consulting packages in this area that may be able to help!