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Social Networking Pages and the Small Business

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Social networking sites are internet behemoths. You would be hard pressed to find a person who is not connected to any one of the popular sites. Many small businesses are also clamoring to sigh up for an account and start networking. Let’s take a look at social networking from a small business point of view.

The amount of people who spend their time posting, tweeting and blogging grows each day. Facebook alone is one of the most visited websites in the world. Users are avid about checking their pages and sharing their lives. If they like something, they will proclaim it proudly with the click of the very recognizable thumb icon of Facebook. They will also link that site to another account like Twitter and in one post, shout out to the world at large.

Small businesses may gain an edge in participating in social networking sites. Depending on what kind of business you have, or who your customer base is, you can reach people like never before. Not only are you able to connect with existing customers or clients in your area, you can expose your brand to a broader market. By optimising your use of such sites you might find that your customer list will blossom.

If you have an upcoming sale or special event, you can alert your followers in an instant. It can be challenging for small business owners to expand their brand in the marketplace. Social networking sites are a good resource to introduce yourself to the networking world.

 

Filed Under: Blog Marketing, Marketing Basics Tagged With: , ,

3 Ways Auto Companies are Using Social Media

Social media has turned into a great selling tool for many businesses, and auto companies are no exception. Social media serves as a platform to reach new customers who may not be watching TV to see car commercials. Indeed, recent surveys suggest that more than half of companies are now using sites like Twitter to connect more personally with the public.  Naturally, more of the marketing budget is now heading toward online social media and away from conventional avenues like television and the Sunday paper. Here are three ways auto companies are using social media to move vehicles.

1.) Twitter- Auto makers such as Volvo, General Motors, and Ford Motor Co., have been using Twitter almost since its inception to connect with users and get the word out about their latest line of vehicles. Twitter can be used for everything from launching a new line to advertising car refinancing and there is an open eared public hungry for the updates.

2.) Corporate Blog- GM is just one instance of a premier auto maker using a blog to inform the public of what’s new at the company. This has been especially valuable for a company like GM. They have received bad media publicity and this serves as an outlet to get their own voice heard. GM has also made great use of Twitter, assigning up to 40 employees to post on the site.

3.) Facebook- Nearly all auto makers now have a Facebook page. In addition to traditional websites, Facebook allows auto makers to reach the car buying public and keep them updated on the newest cars they have to offer.

 

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4 Tips for Advertising Online

To be effective in your online advertising, there are several things that you need to make sure that you do. By following these tips, you will increase your market base, improve your click through rate, and make more sales.

First, you need to identify your target audience and their demographics. Who is a typical customer?  What is his level of education?  What is his age?  What are his interests?  Once you identify the demographics, you will be able to grab his attention and speak the language that will get him to make a purchase.

Tweeting bird, derived from the initial 't' of...

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Once you have identified who your customers are, identify the best places to put your ads. Do your customers use Twitter?  Facebook? If so, be sure to give discounts and special codes that are available only on those places?  Do your customers visit your web page and read your blog? If so, make sure that your landing pages and your blog articles have a call to action to get them to buy your product, sign up for a newsletter, or to request a white paper or case study.

Make sure that you write compelling headlines. Studies have shown that you have ten seconds or less to capture your customer’s attention. Your headlines have to be appealing. They have to grab your readers, draw them in, and convince them to keep reading.

After you have written a great headline, make sure that you list the benefits of your product or your service. Don’t tell the features. Customers want to know how your product will help them, help solve a problem, or make their life better. Determine one main emotion and connect those benefits to it.

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