Let's Talk About Social Media Marketing For a Minute

Some might call you a late bloomer, if you don't have a Facebook or Twitter yet. But not me. I understand. Social media is a trend. I recently made a video for an upcoming Chamber of Commerce event honoring business survivors of the 20th century, and to make it entertaining I included bits of trivia for each decade of our last century, with a focus on: entertainment (top grossing films of the XXs and best selling music albums), fashion, technology, and other fads.

I'd be lying if I said this is interesting, cause you already know this. Fads fade and pass. Even in social media. Look at Myspace!

However... I will add now that it's okay to dip your foot in the social media pool. You won't get in over your head (if you're smart about it) and you won't regret it. I promise. I can't predict that social media "is the future" because who knows what 10, 20, or 30 years will bring.

Things change a LOT.  This is what an Apple computer looked like in the 80s:

That's only 20-something years ago!!!

But I can tell you that social media is the right now. Sure things will change, and that includes social networking. More importantly, there's a good reason why businesses and organizations utilize social media.

But...

• It's not about getting a return on investment.
• It's not about increasing sales.
• It's not about self promotion (too much).

Social Media Marketing is about brand engagement.

If you have a business, you should care about your brand because your brand is what results in your business (services or products) being chosen over a competitor. No matter how unique your services may be, you are an option and your brand is a deciding factor. 

Social media helps with that. And there are different social networking platforms, each offering their own unique benefits.

• Facebook is ideal for largest demographic reach (so far.)
• Twitter is ideal for viral link building and trendsetting.
• LinkedIn is ideal for professionalism and promoting B2B services.
• G+, or Google Plus, is the newest network and it might not do to Facebook what... Facebook did to MySpace... but it is significant in many ways and only getting started. If you're already concerned with search engine optimization, this Google owned social network could be your favorite new power tool.

So... what are you waiting for? Do you find the process intimidating? Good! 

If you don't know what you're doing or how to do it right, then the worst thing you could do is dive right in. Effective social media marketing requires a clearly defined Plan, Strategy, and Policy. Besides understanding the basics, such as how to use each network effectively; or which network to utilize if you're going to only focus on one.

Luckily, there are professional service providers dedicated to helping you understand, set up, and get the most out of web marketing strategies including social media. One in particular is BAM! Copy Writing who offers social media set up (includes consulting and guidebooks for your own use), social media management (saving you time and energy) or social media training.