What can social media really do? And exactly how important is social media to your business, your career and your networking abilities? Truthfully, if you’re really asking these questions, you probably haven’t explored the possibilities enough; social media is just plain hot.
Consider what social media has already done in the entertainment business for the career of Betty White. After a stellar Super bowl ad in 2010, Facebook fans ran a grassroots campaign to get her on Saturday Night Live: her career soared.
And the political world is no different: Tens of thousands of Egyptian citizens recently protested against their government, organizing primarily through social media websites Facebook and Twitter. Their methods were so effective the Egyptian government blocked access to the sites. Social media’s power continues to grow and it’s now one of the biggest ways to reach out and communicate.
As professional investigators you have the opportunity to network and make contact with more potential customers than ever before through social media. There are dozens of social networking websites out there, but the two you should be paying most attention to are Facebook and Twitter.
Facebook makes it easy to set up a page for your business, and from there you can start posting content and interacting with current and potential customers. (See Pursuit Magazine’s Facebook Page as an example) Word of mouth is important in the physical world, and the virtual world is no different – if you create your page and invite current customers to (in Facebook parlance) “like” it, you’ll be extending your reach to all of their profiles, which will drive more traffic to you.
But be careful that you follow the rules of Facebook etiquette so that you don’t come off like this:
Twitter is a whole different beast than Facebook – when asked to compare the two, I often say, “Take the status updates of Facebook and make them shorter; that’s Twitter.” It’s an oversimplification, but it gets the point across. Twitter revolves around networks of conversations based on status updates (or “tweets”) 140 characters or less. Similar to Facebook, Twitter allows people to “follow” you, which means they’ll see all of your updates in their timeline. Likewise, you can follow others that you find relevant to your business.
It’s key that you maintain your presence on social networks – it’s not enough to set up a profile and then let it stagnate for a month or two. Consistent, relevant posts will keep those who follow you involved and interested, and if you don’t keep putting relevant content in front of your customers, they won’t be as engaged or enthusiastic about you.
IRBsearch is currently hosting a four-part series of marketing webinars centered on using social media to promote your business:
Intro to Social Media – Get a great overview and learn how to get set up on Facebook and Twitter.
Watch it now at www.irbmedia.com
Writing for Social Media – Learn to write compelling posts that generate interest and awareness.
March 10th at 4pm EST
http://goo.gl/83NRo
Social Media is a Two-Way Street – Discover how to take advantage of the two-way nature of social networks.
April 14th at 4pm EST
http://goo.gl/C7qNo
Social Media is Always With You – Easy tips on how to keep your profiles updated while on the go.
May 12th at 4pm EST.
http://goo.gl/K6hHZ
All webinars are free of charge and last about an hour—to sign up, head on over to www.irbmedia.com. Social media is a great opportunity for your business; make sure you don’t miss out!