Leveraging Social Networking Sites to Build You Business' Online Presence using Facebook as the Primary Example

1. Leveraging Social Networking Sites
to Build Your Businessʼ Online Presence

2. Developing Presence
“Presence is a multi-dimensional concept; i.e., there are
different types of presence.”
Lombard and Ditton list six conceptualizations that have been developed to define the
ambiguous concept of presence.
One facet of these conceptualizations involves a social interaction.
The social aspect of presence, in terms of a faceted classification scheme, would include
the concept of social richness as well as some of the following conceptualizations that
focus on social elements of interaction as mentioned by the ISPR: “social presence”, "social
actor within the medium", "parasocial interaction" , "co-presence", "transportation: shared
space", and "medium as social actor".

3. Presence as a dual action
A social interaction involves both an input and an
output from both the business and the users.
Social networking allows this interaction to be
seamless, easy and intuitive.
The business becomes more humanized through this
online medium.

4. What is a Social Network
Service?
A social network service
focuses on building online
communities of people who
share interests and/or
activities, or who are interested
in exploring the interests and
activities of others. Most social
network services are web
based and provide a variety of
ways for users to interact, such
as e-mail and instant
messaging services.
---Wikipedia

5. Using Facebook
A few statistics to
remind you why
Facebook is viewed as
one of the places to be
seen on the internet.

6. Creating a Facebook
Business Page
Link is available on the login screen at the bottom.
By allowing Facebook users to become “fans” of your
page they act to make your business more “present”
and reputable.
Fans can write on your business’ wall, upload pictures,
and add content to discussions listed on your page,
depending on the permissions set.
A Facebook page also allows mass communication
with your fans by posting your changes to their walls.

7. Sample Business Page
The business page for Rosakranse Web Design

8. In the
sidebar
Fans, Favorite Pages,
and Photos
In this example the Fan
photos are not enabled

9. Leveraging the Facebook
Platform
Several applications developed specifically for
Facebook provide additional “presence” elements such
as blogging applications that allow your RSS feed to be
posted to your page.
Flash applications and games can also be embedded
in your page.
Changes in any application will appear in your fans’
newsfeed. If they then comment, like or use the
application, this will show up in their friends’
newsfeeds.

10. Word-of-mouth
Check out
this page. She
makes such cool
clothes.
Each interaction your business starts creates a “social
story” that can continue to be shared as your fans and
their friends comment, “like”, or otherwise interact with
your information.

11. Facebook Insights
Provides a way for the business owner to analyze the
traffic to their page with metrics and analytics.
Interactions are divided into comments, wall post, and
likes.
Also provides demographic information of your fans so
you can adjust marketing accordingly.

12. Fan Demographics
The metrics for Fan subscription over time for
Rosakranse Web Design.

13. Facebook Ads
Your business can pay to advertise on Facebook.
The ad shows up in the right hand advertisement bar.

14. Facebook Polls
Polls engage the participant in a less directly marketing
manner.
Allows you to construct and send out a one question
poll in a short period of time and to see the results from
hundreds of users.
Draw traffic to your page from people who may not
already be fans.

15. Building an Application
A creative
application
also draws
traffic to your
page and
will gain fans
for your
business.

16. Making It Work
In order to make the most of your Facebook page:
post engaging content often
leverage the wall posts, links, and photo elements
add plugins and applications to draw traffic
answer questions and respond to wall posts
promptly to keep your fans
promote your page outside of Facebook

17. Promoting Your Page
Outside of Facebook
Facebook is not an island.
You can embed your Facebook link into your other
websites and into your blog by selecting the “Add Fan
Box to your site” button located beneath your
business’ logo.
Keep the “social story” going.

18. Presence continued.
P.S. Think of your page as your extension into a
community of people. Aggressive marketing and a
constant information stream will not make you new
friends or fans.
Created by Christine Rosakranse for RPI - COMM