A Small Business guide to why and how to implement a Social Media strategy for your business. Presented at the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce Social Media Conference, October 2013.

1. Mountain View Chamber of Commerce
Social Media Conference
October 23rd 2013
Dave Steer
Owner / Marketing Consultant
WSI Digital Marketing
Dave.Steer@WSIDigitalFootprint.com
(855) WSI-DIGITAL
http://www.wsidigitalfootprint.com

2. Consumer Decision Making
Has Moved Online
Your Competition Is No Longer
The Store Down The Street
Success Now Depends On Winning
Hearts And Minds Online

3. A New Customer Profile
Search savvy - from any device
Motivated by online recommendations
Will use social tools to rate or review
services and products - positively or
negatively
Will make their buying decision based on
online information - even for traditional
retail
Has a Reach that can make or break your
business

4. Demographics

5. Why Use Social Media?
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Branding & Awareness
Communication with Customers
Promotions & Offers
Competitive Edge, Share of Mind
Relevance in a Changing Business World
Social Proof, Validation
Drive Traffic to Website

6. Social Media for Businesses
Rule 1: Social Media is a Conversation,
not a Broadcast
Rule 2: Give to Get.
Add Value. Contribute.
Rule 3: Understand Your Audience Who, What, Where; Engage Appropriately

7. Before You Start... Content Planning
Plan your Content
Plan your Content
--Content is Key. Make aa1-3 month Content Plan
Content is Key. Make 1-3 month Content Plan
--Create aaProfile of your audience (will vary through the buying cycle)
Create Profile of your audience (will vary through the buying cycle)
--Create or Curate content that will appeal to your target audience
Create or Curate content that will appeal to your target audience
Choose Social Channels That Fit Your Business
Choose Social Channels That Fit Your Business
--Publish where your customers are going to find you
Publish where your customers are going to find you
--Choose places that are aafit for the content you will produce
Choose places that are fit for the content you will produce
Have an Activity Plan
Have an Activity Plan
--Create aacontent timetable, and stick to it
Create content timetable, and stick to it
--Plan your Social Media Activity --write content at least one month out
Plan your Social Media Activity write content at least one month out
--Create your ““Riverof Information””--inspiration for ongoing content ideas
Create your River of Information inspiration for ongoing content ideas
--IfIfyou don’tthave the time or the capability, Outsource it
you don’ have the time or the capability, Outsource it

8. What Makes Great Social Content?
Original
Informative
Insightful
Conversational
Brief (100 words)
Visual
Add Value
Funny, Quirky
Answer the “Why”
Shareable

9. Personalities of Social Media
Blogging - Content, Personality, Freshness
Twitter - Real Time, Immediate Relevance
Facebook - Nurturing, Conversational
Houzz, Pinterest - Images, Viral,
Inspirational

10. Which Social Channel to Use?
General reach, Leisure, Personal
The “Recreational” Network
Essential B2B network.
Excellent source of prospect
information. Professional updates
Google’s answer to Facebook
Highly linked to search properties
An essential resource for businesses
World’s #1 Video Sharing Site
World’s #2 Search Engine
User Experience Reviews. Critically
important for local businesses
Rapid-fire, short lifespan messages
syndication, events, promotions
Visual ideas, designs, concepts.
Demographics heavily female
Visual ideas, designs, concepts
Focused on Home & Decor
Search Engine Friendly
Presentation Sharing
A blog is highly recommended for
most businesses. Preferably hosted
on your own website.

11. Turn a Blog into a Presentation
Post on Slideshare
Create an Infographic from a Blog
Post on Pinterest, Facebook, Flickr
Make a Video from a Voiceover & Images
Post to Facebook, Vimeo, YouTube
Syndicate all these to Multiple Channels

12. Social Validation
163 Views over 10 days

13. Even the greatest content is worthless unless it
reaches your target audience
•Organic : Rely on natural sharing and
recommendations within your network to
propagate content and grow your network
•Paid : Sponsored Stories and Promotion of
content to expand your network

14. Facebook EdgeRank

15. Facebook EdgeRank
Affinity
Affinity
How well Connected” is the follower to you?
••Howwell ““Connected”is the follower to you?
What is the Engagement” of the post and brand
••Whatis the ““Engagement”of the post and brand
How close is the Engagement to the follower
••Howclose is the Engagement to the follower
Decay
Decay
Posts are Worth Less over Time
••Postsare Worth Less over Time
Publish the most valuable” posts at high-engagement times
••Publishthe most ““valuable”posts at high-engagement times
Weight
Weight
What type of post was it?
••Whattype of post was it?
Video, Image, Link, Text (decreasing importance)
••Video,Image, Link, Text (decreasing importance)
Weight linked to Post Type and Engagement
••Weightlinked to Post Type and Engagement

16. Facebook EdgeRank
To Make Your Post Visible:
To Make Your Post Visible:
••Nurture aa Fan Base of Engaged Followers
Nurture Fan Base of Engaged Followers
••Post Compelling Content that Fans will
Post Compelling Content that Fans will
Like, Comment and Share
Like, Comment and Share
••Post Rich Media -- Ideally aa Picture with Each Post
Post Rich Media Ideally Picture with Each Post
••Post at Times when your Fans are Active
Post at Times when your Fans are Active

18. Have an Existing Customer
Have an Existing Customer
Database?
Database?
•Import Email Lists, Phone Lists
•Import Email Lists, Phone Lists
into Facebook
into Facebook
•Facebook will match that data,
•Facebook will match that data,
and create a Custom Audience
and create a Custom Audience
that you can use in Ad Targeting
that you can use in Ad Targeting
next.....
next.....
•Retarget visitors to your website,
•Retarget visitors to your website,
and advertise to them on
and advertise to them on
Facebook
Facebook

19. Growing Your Customer
Growing Your Customer
Database
Database
•Product giveaways/draws are a
•Product giveaways/draws are a
great way of capturing
great way of capturing
interested fans
interested fans
•Be sure to use “Fan Gates”
•Be sure to use “Fan Gates”
(must like page to enter)
(must like page to enter)

20. Social Tools, Productivity, Measurement
Efficiency and Measurability
with Social Media Tools
•Post Scheduling
•Link Shortening / Tracking
•Engagement Reporting

21. Tools:
EdgeRankChecker

22. Social Business Checklist
Create Your Content Plan
Describe Your Target Audience
Select You Social Networks
Repurpose and Syndicate Your Content
Grow Your Organic Network
Use Paid Promotion for Targeting
Set Up Scheduling and Tracking Tools
Measure, Analyze, Rinse & Repeat