Social Media Tools Pinpoint Your Marketplace
By definition, social media is interactive media, it is about give-and-take and honest open communications. There is a relaxed and informal aspect to it.
However, just signing up for a Facebook and Twitter account and being willing to “dive right in” isn’t necessarily the best approach to launching your social media strategy. Like any other aspect of conducting business, there are risks associated with poor execution. As you take your first steps into the world of social media, you want your early interactions to be seen as relaxed but also knowledgeable and competent.
Every other organizational endeavor you have initiated at your company likely included research, strategy, goals, objectives and metrics for measuring success. Your social media efforts deserve no less. You need a plan and that plan needs to fit your business, your industry and, most importantly, your customers.
Start by focusing on your customers and prospects. Where are they on the social web and what are they doing? Who and where is the competition, etc. That’s the research you have to do before diving in. That means searching Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google for information about your market; homing in on the people and companies that are most relevant to your business and industry; and monitoring the conversations talking place.
Here’s the really good news. There are dozens of tools that can help you do this research. Most are easy to learn and use. Even better, many are free. Here are a few available free and paid social media tools that will get you started:
Exploring, listening and monitoring your social media marketplace is the first real step to “doing” social media and doing it well. So get started. Sign up for the free tools and start exploring.
To learn more about social media strategy, planning, and development, contact us at Nickel River.
 | Dana M. Bacciocco Communications Coordinator Nickel River Partners, LLC |
