I sent a YouTube link to some of my friends about the social media revolution . It’s a dynamic video by company that has made three or four of them. The Statstics they quote are mind boggling, and I love how they use different effects and music to make their presentation so entertaining to watch. I first saw one of their videos at a New Horizon’s class about Social Media. It’s what got me to thinking about Social Media as my next career move.
Most of the friends I sent the link to responded with a Wow, or that’s interesting, which is what I thought about the video. But there has always got to be one friend in the bunch who just loves to stir the pot!! So I send out this link, I get a bunch of comments like I expect, ranging from Wow, to that’s nice. And then there was this guy.
He said, great video, but too bad social media isn’t really good for anything!! I giggled. There was a time when I would have taken offense at his remark. But not this time, I was on to him.
I knew full well the person who sent me this not so favorable response was doing it tongue in cheek, I took him up on his challenge, made a funny and that was that. Or was it? I began to think about what he said.
What is social media good for? I knew it was good for business, because I make it work for people all the time. But how to convince my friend?
I could quote all those statstics I have seen in my Marketing Seminars, or from the YouTube Videos. All the hype about it being the newest and best way to promote a business. But I knew that was NOT going to convince my friend. Thinking, thinking,thinking, no copping out by simply quoting statistics, no using google tools that would show results, this was like preparing for a debate.
I started at the beginning. This whole social media thing began with blogging and people trying to connect with other people on college campuses through MySpace & Facebook. It was about connection. From that very basic element, connection,social media evolved as a platform for people to express their opinions and share information. Until today, where it has become as much about marketing and promoting causes and points of view as it was about connections then.Yet it is still about connection, connecting with an audience, or a potential customer base..
Social-Media work that I do is a combination of four major sectors of the social media platform. Sector One is a good Web Site, with relevant content, pictures that help tell the story, strong keywords and an offer of service. Sector Two, a blog, where information can change frequently, and trending topics in a company’s area of service can be posted. Sector Three, a professional Facebook Page, which links to the blog articles and keeps people on Facebook informed of trends in the industry or specials and sales. Sector Four, Twitter , Short and informative messages that lead people to want to know more about you and your company. Everything must go full circle, and lead people back to your site.
Back to my friend, I thank him for his challenge. I don’t know for certain I will convince him of it’s worth. He is a techie guy, looking for proof, numbers. Part of what I do does not produce immediate results, it takes time to build up. Getting moved up in Google and Yahoo is not something that always happens as quickly as you would like. But it does happen. I looked at what I do now, thought about his challenge, and actually come up with new ideas to be more effective. I ran programs that checked my statistics and had verifiable proof that with consistence, persistence and a good plan, Social Media does help get companies business. When we got together this week I could tell him without any qualms what social media is good for.
There are six of us who meet every Wednesday, in a coffee shop, doing the most basic form of social media, sharing ideas over a cup o joe. Supporting each other, exchanging ideas, adding value to each other’s lives. My friend’s challenge caused all of my team members, who are some talented, intelligent and caring folks, to come up with ways for me to move my business forward. See there, social media works in all different ways….
Thanks to them
Cindy Fletcher
cinfletch@gmail.com
949.813.3860
Please let me know what you think…post a comment, keep it clean and on topic..
Thank you my friend, for the challenge!!
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