4. Benefits of Social Media It’s FREE! Builds deeper relationships Increases brand awareness Broadens your network Helps SEO Increases website traffic Can help reach journalists/media Empowers fans to be viral ambassadors for your brand Source: Social Media for Tourism Pros
5. Basic Social Media Strategy Incorporate into existing marketing & PR plans Listen to the conversation Review and analyze what you learn Engage if and when it makes sense Monitor and adjust Measure results Source: Social Media for Tourism Pros
6. Social Media = Biz Cocktail Party Business cocktail party Meet people and start conversations Answer questions and help others Ask questions and trust others’ advice Social media Become a member of the “community” Add value to the community Ask and answer questions More effective than live cocktail parties No boundaries of time or space Other people can listen in easily Source: HubSpot
8. What Is Facebook? A social networking service that allows users to connect to friends and colleagues Post updates. Share links, photos, and videos Can comment on others’ activity Well over 250 million active users Fastest growing demographic is 35 years old and up Over 8 million users become fans of pages each day Remember: Personal profiles are for people, not businesses. Develop a fan page instead. Facebook
10. Facebook Benefits to Biz Low cost Engage with fans of your business page Fans receive your updates and can upload comments, photos, and video When fans engage you on your page, their activity shows up in their friends’ streams This can prompt others to check out your page and your business! Facebook
11. Facebook Benefits to Biz Can incorporate content from other social media platforms Ex: blog posts, updates from Twitter, pictures from Flickr, videos from YouTube, etc. Targeted advertising opportunities (cheap too!) Facebook
12. What Is a Blog? Online journals with entries (or posts) in reverse chronological order Readers can leave comments for the author on blog posts Readers and author can interact via these comments A place to store detailed information/content about your business Link to this content from Facebook & Twitter Blogs
14. Blog Benefits for Biz Low cost Increased website traffic Increased credibility and trust Increased profits Engage in casual dialogue with customers Increased visibility in search rankings Be seen as an expert Blogs
15. What Is Twitter? Free social networking and micro-blogging site that allows users to send and read messages known as “tweets” Tweets can have no more than 140 characters & are delivered to the author’s subscribers, known as “followers” 44 million + users 72.5% joined during the first half of 2009 Twitter
17. Twitter Benefits for Biz Low cost Speed of feedback Potential reach of message Customer engagement/service Track what people are saying about your business Create buzz around upcoming events Promote your business and other content you create Twitter
19. Facebook Setup Login to your personal Facebook page Click on “Advertising” at the very bottom right of the page Click on “Pages” Click on “Create Page” button Choose a Page Category & Name
20. Facebook Setup (cont’d) Complete detailed information Upload a photo or logo Write a brief bio/description Address, phone number, website, hours, etc. Click “Publish” Viola!
21. Facebook Setup: Next Steps Enter some content Add a status update Link to a great article about your biz Create an event Upload some photos
22. Facebook Setup: Next Steps Promote your page Update your personal status with a link to your new page – hit up your friends Become a Fan of other local/related pages Include links in your E-mail signature, on your website, in E-newsletters
23. Twitter Setup Go to http://twitter.com Click on the “Join the Conversation” button Create a username and password Add an E-mail address Type in the security code Click on “I accept, Create my Account”
24. Twitter Setup (cont’d) Click on “Settings” at the top right Account Settings: Select English and Central Time Zone DO NOT protect your tweets Profile Settings: Upload a profile photo Enter real name/business name Enter actual location (Ex: Elgin, TX) Enter website URL Enter bio – VERY IMPORTANT
25. Twitter Setup (cont’d) Click on “Design” at the top right Choose a background or upload a new image Viola!
26. Twitter Setup: Next Steps Enter some content (140 characters) Tell the world you’re on Twitter! Link to an interesting article related to your business Use a URL shortener like http://bit.ly to save space Talk about an upcoming event, sale, a new product/service Look for interesting people/organizations to follow Click on “Find People” at the top right Search by name, username & location
27. Twitter Setup: Next Steps Promote your page Update your Facebook status with a link to your new page – hit up your friends Become a follower of other local/related people/businesses Include links in your E-mail signature, on your website, in E-newsletters Set up HootSuite (www.hootsuite.com) Select columns to display
28. Blog Setup Go to http://www.blogger.com. Click on the orange “Create a Blog” button. Create a Google account, or sign in using your existing Google account. Name your blog. Choose a template. Start blogging!
30. How To “Listen” Go to http://www.google.com/alerts. Sign into your Google account. Enter your search term, set the frequency and method of alert delivery. Use quotes when searching for specific keywords, names or terms. Select “Comprehensive” for alert type. Check your E-mail for your alert. Google Alerts
31. How To “Listen” Click on the “+ Add Column” button above your columns. Select the “Search” tab and type in your search term (keyword) in the blank. Use quotes. Your new column will appear at the end of your existing columns. Watch it populate with tweets! HootSuite
33. So What Do I Say? Customer FAQs Tutorials Company news Events you’re attending Your own content Content from others Observations What you’re reading or watching
34. Rules of Engagement Listen more than you talk Remember: It’s about them, not you. Always “listen” and interact/engage Provide value far beyond your particular site or service Source: Social Media for Tourism Pros
36. Formula for Success 70 20 10 70% of content = value-added, audience-based & not about you at all 20% of content = spontaneous interaction with followers, fans, or friends 10% of content = unabashed self-promotion Source: Social Media for Tourism Pros
38. The Unplanned Social media is a quick, easy way to react to unplanned events Affords the ability to react (in minutes) to hot topics Examples: US Airways/Hudson River incident Ft. Hood shootings Source: Visit Baltimore Social Media Presentation
41. The Unplanned Establish social media channels before a crisis. Build your relationships and credibility before you need to use them Lesson Source: Southwest Airlines/Paula Berg
64. United Linen Family owned and operated company in Bartlesville, OK Founded in 1936 as a personal laundry and dry cleaning business Sells linens, uniforms, and restaurant supplies to other businesses Focus on customer service and empower all employees to deliver it Measurement
71. Promise Pizza Founded in early 2009 in Round Rock, TX Locally-owned small restaurant Key Goals: Social responsibility Better product Tasty pizza Community-minded
Hands up activity.Handouts: Social media myths & tipsSocial media glossary
Social media is the venue for all the message and information you want to share about your destination or business.
After the video:Social media is here to stay. The various tools might change – and probably will – but the idea of user-generated content & direct interaction with customers isn’t going away.
Can help reach a different demographic – one that doesn’t respond to traditional advertising (no newspapers – can get news on your phone)SEO = getting found onlineViral = now people will tell friends in a more public way
Social media is a tool just like any other type of marketing or public relations outreach. It’s not meant to replace what you’re already doing – merely to complement it. So it’s important to bring it in to your overall marketing and PR strategy.
Handout:Twitter Like a Chamber Luncheon
Handouts:Blogging IdeasSources for Blog Topics
Handout:Ways to Use Twitter
Google Alerts will pick up any web-based content related to the search terms you specify. It will present you with alerts when your search term (or keyword) is mentioned on a website, blog, Facebook post, video, etc.
Provide value >>> that way, you’re not always marketing TO them, you’re being helpful.
70% = whatever news or information your followers/customers most want to hear about. It can be links to articles or blog posts, tips, info on national trends, etc. It’s sharing information that benefits them, not you.20% = is the back and forth conversation: answering questions, asking questions, or just chatting about topics of mutual interest. This is the part where you show you’re listening and can respond as a human being, not as “big company”. For a good example of this, look at how well Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) does this on Twitter.10% = After all the great interaction and sharing of information, you deserve to toot your own horn a little bit. Go ahead, you’ve earned it! Plus, you won’t come across as being spammy or entirely self-promotional. Talk about your business, recent accolades, links to articles about you, promote an event or a blog post, etc.
