Social media platforms continue to grow and companies need to understand how to use them. This document introduces 20 social media platforms and provides suggestions for how each one can be used by companies to engage customers, build brand awareness, research trends and competitors, and more. The platforms include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube and others.

2. Mingling with Social Media
Social media applications, platforms and sites are continuing to grow.
As more and more websites and mobile phone apps enter their way into
people‟s daily lives, it‟s up to your company to understand them and find
the best way to use them!
The ABCs of Social Media will:
Introduce you to popular social media platforms
Help you understand how you can make the most of what they have
to offer to build:
A positive ROI
Growing group of loyal consumers and brand ambassadors

3. Alltop is the “online magazine rack” of the web that aggregates
online reading sources such as blogs, webpages, and other news
pages that you are already used to visiting. It also helps you
discover sources that you didn‟t know existed.
How can you use Alltop?
• Stay on top of industry news
• Seek out competition‟s moves
• See what top bloggers are interested in
• Submit your blog to alltop to get extra traffic
• Get up to speed on new product areas—research through alltop
Alltop.com

4. Blogger is a blog publishing tool that allows private or multi-user
blogs with time-stamped entries to blog about any topic they want!
How can you use Blogger?
• Blogs can be an effective way to bridge the space between
product and consumer with educational content.
• Blogs can help reach your target audience
• Your content can be distributed to a variety of platforms
• Influencers create content—start a blog and become an
influencer today
Blogger.com

5. Crowdstorm is a shopping recommendation website where
consumers help each other find the best online prices on a variety
of consumer goods. This social shopping experience allows
consumers to ask experts questions about their future purchases.
How can you use Crowdstorm?
• Blogs can be an effective way to bridge the space between
product and consumer with educational content.
• Blogs can help reach your target audience
• Your content can be distributed to a variety of platforms
• Influencers create content—start a blog and become an
influencer today
Crowdstorm.com

6. Digg is a social bookmarking service delivers the most interesting
and talked about stories on the Internet right now. You would
submit a link, which Digg members vote to decide whether they
“digg” it or not. The more popular, the greater the visibility.
How can you use Digg?
• Digg can serve as a viral platform for content—links can spread
across the web generating numerous inbound links.
• Research what topics or trends consumers are attracted to.
Digg.com

7. eHow is a online resource where professionals from every field
come together to offer expert advice, backed by the additional
support of a can-do eHow community.
How can you use eHow?
• eHow is the go to resource, and if you choose to write for eHow
you can set yourself apart as an expert in specific or multiple
fields
• eHow is also a great research tool—based on the articles read,
you can determine what consumers are really concerned about
or intrigued by?
eHow.com

8. Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and
others who work, study and live around them.
How can you use Facebook?
• Facebook offers a variety of advertising campaigns from sponsorships to
more integrated campaigns
• Build a Facebook page to further brand your product and company
• Utilize Facebook as a real-time focus group, use custom audiences to run
ads on Facebook that complement your emails
• Increase ROI from events—run an ad campaign encouraging customers to
visit your booth
• Drive in-store purchases with mobile ads—use a Facebook Loyalty Program
Facebook.com

9. The brainchild of a powerful search engine, Google Plus+ aims to make sharing quick and easy in a
real-time fashion. You can build communities, connect with them personally through hangouts that
can help brand your company, and even segment your audience to better reach your followers.
How can you use Google+?
• Content and Google+ impact follows you across all of Google‟s
products: Reviews, Maps, Chrome, Ads, Handouts, YouTube,
Drive, Calendar, Wallet.
• A Google+ post can be found during a search in your network
regardless of how old it is.
• Adds a personable touch to your brand/company.
• Connect with your consumers with videos, photos and more.
Plus.google.com

10. Enhance your social media management with HootSuite, the
leading social media dashboard.
How can you use HootSuite?
• Serves as a functional tool to manage all social media platforms
• Track your campaigns and engage with your audience on a daily
basis
• Measure success and track your analytics with their new feature
to create custom reports
Hootsuite.com

11. A fun way to share photos with friends, and transforming those
photos with integrated filters and more. Over 100 million users.
How can you use Instagram?
• Reach a new audience with engaging content: visuals and short
messages
• Introduce mobile marketing into your campaign
• Add contests through instagram to engage consumers by asking
them to use a particular hashtag in their pictures
• Have some descriptions of photos include CTA to promo codes
and more
Instagram

12. Joomla! is the mobile-ready and user-friendly way to build your
website. This site is an award-winning content management system
(CMS), which enables you to build Web sites and powerful online
applications.
How can you use Joomla?
• Share informative and interesting content with users on a
platform more personable platform
• Share content relevant to your customers
• Include capture forms and CTA to get more information about
your clients
Joomla.org

13. Short quick videos allow you to share news quicktime! With Keek,
you can record and upload instant videos to show off new
products, the building of company culture and more!
How can you use Keek?
• Use hashtag campaigns where users can use a # to personalise
a theme
• You can share „keeks‟ via other social media platforms to
multiply results
• Engage with potential customers by researching what kind of
content they engage with
• Use Keek to add a personal touch to your campaign
Keek.com

14. Like a professional Facebook, LinkedIn is the social network that
allows you to connect with other professionals in your area and
connect to build a professional network.
How can you use LinkedIn?
• Join groups to learn more about the experts in your respective
industries.
• Add value to your profile and company by establishing yourself
as an expert.
• LinkedIn Ads allow you to target individuals based on job titles,
responsibilities and other factors.
LinkedIn.com

15. At one point, MySpace took a break, but came back as the social
entertainment network powered by fans. Geared more for music,
movies, celebrities and TV, this is a great platform if you or your
company has a strong music or entertainment emphasis.
How can you use MySpace?
• Make the power of visual search work for you through MySpace‟s
navigation
• Take advantage of the expression-centric interface to add a
personal touch to your brand or company
• For the entertainment industry, interactive brand promotion
allows you to stand out in a sea of entertainers
MySpace.com

16. Ning empowers you to take control of your social strategy. With
Ning you can build upon your successful Facebook and other social
channels presence to gather your most loyal and strong advocates
and enthusiasts into a community of your own. (Source: Ning.com)
How can you use Ning?
• Ning allows organizations to share text, website content and
multimedia with followers and receive feedback.
• Use Ning‟s built-in social integration with other social websites
• Promote user-generated content and engage in conversation
with their organization‟s followers.
Ning.com

17. Orkut is an online community designed to make your social life more
active and stimulating. orkut's social network can help you maintain
existing relationships with pictures and messages, and establish new
ones by reaching out to people you've never met before.
How can you use Orkut?
• Orkut allows you to reach out and interact with countless people
all around the world and to do so in an easy and quick fashion.
• Orkut gives you the opportunity to reach an international
audience
Orkut.com

18. The bulletin board has taken a virtual spin. Pinterest gives your company the ability to
post photos on boards that you‟ve organized. For example, you can create a “Kid-Friendly
Recipes” board if you are a kitchen gadget company or “Hair Styles” if you are a fashion
company.
How can you use Pinterest?
• Convert more browsers into buyers by presenting them with your
diverse array of products or showing how your product can be used
• Pinterest drives ten million unique views, attract them with engaging
content
• Use pins to get inbound links
• Pinterest integrates with your website, Twitter, and Facebook
• Research and learn what your audience loves
Pinterest.com

19. Quora is a question-and-answer website created, edited and
organized by its community of users.
How can you use Quora?
• Brainstorm ways to engage with consumers—learn what
prospective customer want
• Network with potential customers
• Gain SEO traction
• Learn more about your industry through expert-panel
discussions
• Learn about new industries
Quora.com

20. reddit is a social news website where users can post links to
content on the web. Other users may then vote the posted links up
or down, causing them to appear more or less prominently on the
reddit home page
How can you use reddit?
• Use reddit for market research through subreddits—user-
created subsection or subforum of the main Reddit site.
• Reddit is a great model for giving bloggers freebie to build a
following
Reddit.com

21. StumbleUpon is channel surfing for the web. You simply choose
specific categories of interest and press “Stumble!” to load a new
page or website for you to view. You can submit your own pages,
like other pages, and growing a following.
How can you use StumbleUpon?
• Post quality content to help consumers vote for you
• Tapping into the viral power of StumbleUpon may help build your
following
StumbleUpon.com

22. Twitter is an online social networking service and microblogging
service that enables its users to send and read text-based
messages of up to 140 characters,
How can you use Twitter?
• Twitter helps you monitor and keep track of keywords that are
crucial to your brand
• Tweet with these right keywords to be found by others much
faster
• Engage where the conversation is happening; get attention and
attraction with quality content
Twitter.com

23. uberVU automates the tedious parts of an enterprise social media
marketer's daily activity: finding insights, influencer mentions,
trends and optimizing posting.
How can you use uberVU?
• uberVU provides immediate insights with real time data delivery.
• Use Smart Publishing to publish your content at the optimum
time and date for maximum engagement.
• Analyze your results in real time
uberVU.com

24. Vimeo is a friendly place where people who take and love videos
can share, watch, discover, and be inspired. The best way to get
started is to upload something you've created. Vimeo Members will
see you're an interesting and creative individual just like them. You
should also watch videos and give feedback.
How can you use Vimeo?
• Content is easily found on Vimeo.
• Community is a more professional crow so use Viemo focusing
on B2B outreach.
Vimeo.com

25. A semantic personal publishing platform with a focus on
aesthetics, web standards, and usability.
How can you use Wordpress?
• Post regular content relevant to your customers.
• Capture information about your customers.
• Learn what your customers are engaging with most to build
brand ambassadors.
Wordpress.com

26. Xanga is a community where you can start your own free weblog,
share photos and videos, and meet new friends, too.
How can you use Xanga?
• Set your brand or company apart as industry experts with
relevant content.
• Create a conversation by tying blog posts with your social media
platforms.
• Use Xanga to share news and keep consumers up to date on
company news.
Xanga.com

27. YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal
employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share
videos.
How can you use YouTube?
• Making videos allows you to engage your audience better than
other media.
• Video is an effective way to explain product functions,
processes, and other concepts that are hard to describe in copy.
• Video is easy to mobile-optimize through YouTube.
• Create conversations with your brand‟s audience through
branded video channels
YouTube.com

28. Zoho offers a suite of online web applications geared towards
increasing your productivity and offering easy collaboration.
How can you use ZoHo?
• Identify Market Opportunities by analyzing data about existing
company/product share, marketing growth and competitor
growth
• Analyze campaign cost and effectiveness.
• Analyze sales patterns to identify cross-sell and up-sell
opportunities.
Zoho.com