Are you pondering the what the future of social media holds?
On Friday, September 27, 2013 a very knowledgable and diverse group of small business owners and social media consultants discussed what is working in social media and what they think the future holds.
This mixed group covered a vast array of business cultures and had amazing tips to share summarizing some best practices for social media.
1. +Valentina Cirasola San Francisco, California and Italy
Valentina Interiors and Design
"Italian Luxury for Comfortable Living" Offering design consultations on-line.
Author of Design books and cooking from Italy.
TAKE AWAY TIP: Keep track of your time with social media and with clients. Create a plan and set an actual timer and stick to the plan. Each social media platform is unique be careful about what you are sharing and why.
2. +Luis Galarza Leominster, Massachusetts
Galarza's Internet Marketing Services
Marketing consultant, Web Designer, Lead Generation, Social Media, Mobile Apps, Mobile Marketing, Google Places, SEO, Video Production, Video Marketing
TAKE AWAY TIP: Content is KING! Constantly be creating unique and different content. Don't do what everyone else does. Be creative and different.
3. +Joeann Fossland Tucson, Arizona
Life consultant
Need a coach? Support for the frazzled, unfocused & time challenged! My vision is to ignite joy, creativity & love! I can help you relax & produce remarkable results!
Purple Sage Realty, Tucson, AZ
TAKE AWAY TIP: Define your perfect client and determine where they hangout then be specific in your posts. Create a plan with a schedule and know where you are going to post and why. 90% of your posting should be relationship building not selling!
4. +Katie Katz Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Bernard Katz Glass
+Bernard Katz Glass features hand blown art glass by Bernard Katz. Bernard Katz alongside his wife Katie Katz co-design high quality art glass for art galleries, trade design and private collections worldwide.
TAKE AWAY TIP: Don't shout buy, buy, buy. Social media is a party and a two way street make new friends. When posting your photos be sure to use keywords to drive the search engines back to you.
5. +Ken Cook Atlanta,Georgia
Digital Content Creator | Blog Content | Web Articles | SEO Research | Video | Audio | Graphics
Ken writes accurate and timely articles, optimize existing content for search engines, create videos (YouTube), perform competitive research to determine who your search competitors are and how you can compete with them and win, work with you on predictive content creation based on seasonal and market trends, provide in-depth analysis of your website and your competitors.
Listen live to Social Media Edge Radio every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific
TAKE AWAY TIP: Content is key and giving is so important in building relationships. Great concepts to think about:
APE Assess Plan Education
FUR Frequent Unique Relevant
Think from a transactional level, don't shout out what your selling.
6. +Shelley Roth Houston, Texas
Social Media Navigator | Trainer | Consultant | Speaker | Author
Brings passion, energy and creative thinking to businesses with the goal of directly impacting companies bottom line and corporate identity.
Since 1999, Springboard has been helping businesses create and implement ways to grow sales.
TAKE AWAY TIP: Give to Grow. Work from a principle of abundance not scarcity. Give, give, give.
7. +Alex McClure From Phoenix, Arizona
Olympus Visionary Trail Blazer and COMMERCIAL Photographer
TAKE AWAY TIP:
Understand each social media venue and adapt what you say and how you share to the specific site you are posting on. Don't use the same language on twitter as facebook or google+.
8. +Carra Riley Williams, Arizona "Gateway to the Grand Canyon"
Small business consultant and developer of the NEW World wide photographer directory +Photo Tour Global Directory™ where the consumer can connect and research their own Global Personal Photographer™.
PTGD is a website with names and contact information of creative photographers worldwide who are willing to create custom photography experiences for global travelers AND small businesses who need help with their digital imagery.
TAKE AWAY TIP: Your about or profile pages are the key to success for anyone determining if they want to circle, like or follow you. All venues should have a profile completely filled out with links back to every social media venue you participate in. Introduce people to each other on your stream. You know who is there for business so open the door to a new connection when they come to visit you. SHARING content is the highest compliment you can give anyone so share valuable content on your streams to your followers.
Social media evolves faster and faster each day. What works one morning has completely changed the next day and learning how to adapt to the fast pace and changes will help with the stress level when this fact is understood. The bar of expections of being perfect in this fast pace is an unrealistic expectation and will cause frustration if you the dots are not connected correctly.
If you are confused by Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Linkedin, foursquare and others take the time to take a workshop to understand the cliff notes of the venue and determine if the platform is a place that your perfect client participates in. Be careful not to post in a area that you are not going to follow and respond to potential prospects that might be talking to you. Not being there is better than being there and not responding. Not answering a social tag is a sure fire way to get kicked to the curb with no overs from a digital citizen.
The future of social media is solid. The big companies are driving the public to Twitter and facebook for voting on Reality shows, discounts and even the news. Digital imagery is the latest hook and is here to stay. Work on your photography skills or find a photographer to work with. Watch for snapchat and think about how you are going to get your message out with an 8 second window! That is te future of social media!
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