Here is our list of tips on how to get started with Social Media marketing of your business:

   1. Register with Google Analytics. Setup Analytics to track conversions (events like an online form being completed, newsletter subscription) rather than just clicks. Clicks don’t mean new business.

   2. Create a blog. Ideally it should be a part of your website however if you have never used blogging – try posterous.com. You can set it up to post your content on all social media platforms at the same time.

   3. You need to regularly create new relevant content – new blog posts. Each blog post should be optimised with keywords relevant to your business. Links to blog posts can be posted on Twitter.

   4. Whichever blogging service you are using – all social media sites can be set up in a way that you only have to post your content once.

   5. Ways to link Twitter with Facebook:
          * Business page can be linked to Twitter
          * Business page can have an RSS feed application installed (SocialRSS) in a separate tab
          * Business page can use a feed directly from you blog
          * LinkedIn can now be connected to your Twitter account
          * WordPress or TypePad blog can be integrated using a special LinekdIn application which you can add to your profile

      Ways to link Twitter with LinkedIn:

   6. Create a single contact list using your Outlook, Apple Mail, Yahoo, MSN, Hotmail contacts and add it to a Gmail contacts account (if you haven’t got a Gmail account you need to create one). Gmail service is the easiest one to integrate and is usually can be automatically synchronised with all social media sites.

   7. Synchronise your contact list with all social media sites, check who’s already got a profile there and connect with those. Be careful about inviting the rest of your list to join the network as not everyone will be happy to receive such invitation.

   8. Add as much information as possible (but only the information you are happy to share with anyone on the Internet, don’t assume that because you’ve set something as Friends Only it can never become available on the wider Internet). The more information you have however, the easier it will be for new contacts to decide whether you are relevant to them and, therefore, whether they should connect with you.

   9. Set out time each day to update your social media profiles – if you are using Twitter then tweet regularly and engage with your followers.

  10. Find new followers by reviewing lists of friends/followers of your existing connections – you can often find people you already know and ask them to connect with you.

  11. Remember that social media is not about selling. Posting the same link to your e-commerce site (as the best shop for X out there) will not engage or interest anyone.

  12. Use tools to help you manage your profiles, friends and content – check this Mashable list for 18 top applications.

  13. Install Ubertwitter and Facebook Mobile on your phone to use the services wherever you are. Before you know it – it will become your second nature to check tweets and post new content throughout the day.

  14. Keep it relevant to your followers and your business. You need to have some social chit-chat during the day, however just chit-chat will not bring you any business in the long term.

 

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I think you all raise valid points, though it would be fair to say that each profession has its own ways of exploiting social media, and some professions rely on it more than others. Within the field of professional audio (which is where I spend much of my time both as a professional audio producer and as a trade association board director), there is a certain degree of networking that takes place, although most of this is face to face. We do have forums and networking sites which are quite active, but they seem to function much more as platforms for professionals to consult their peers and to share news rather than to acquire business. Where I find social media exhausting, is when I have to sift through hundreds of posts which I do not have time to read, offering me services that I have no use for. I delete dozens of unread emails daily (I'm not referring to spam, but to "newsleeters" sent to me by vendors, businesses and networking acquaintances). I have found Twitter to be utterly useless, Facebook is not geared to be a professional platform, MySpace is already a dying dinosaur. LinkedIn is useful and provides a platform for some professional discussion boards which I participate in, but that's about it. The bottom line is, that in my field, the more time I spend on social media, the less productive my business is.

Thanks everyone for your comments. To keep up to date with what's going on in the industry I follow other experts and read their blogs, follow mashable which has a collection of articles about various social media sites and news, talk to other in the field and learn from their example. I think everyone needs to try it - but try it properly. Just setting up an account and never coming back to it doesn't really count! There's lots of advice and help available on the Internet - ebooks, articles, guides - most of which is free (cheaper but longer way). Or you could hire a social media marketing coach who would guide and train you (quicker way). Social media is not just about selling and getting out there to find a new client immediately. It's about building relationships, positioning yourself as an expert. Online networking takes the same amount of time as face-to-face. Good to everyone who's using it or about to start!

I took a decision last year to invest time and effort into social networking for business marketing and development. From the marketing perspective I wanted to increase profile as a specialist as well as developing a database of people whose help I'll need soon in research for my books. It also helps me keep abreast of what's going on within my area of expertise. I have not used it, primarily, to gain clients but I have recently been successful in that area. To me it's essential. Pete

True Gilead - but important however for everyone to dip their toes into Social Media & find ourt what best works for their company, products and services.. I have found that it can take 18 months or so for any results to show and then exponential growth from then on... Keep at it & you will see results and good ROI

I would like to provide a counter-argument to this. Being someone who does spend a fair amount of time online, I feel that there is just too much out there. I have mad a conscious decision not to get caught up in the whole social media thing, because I find it is too time consuming compared to the return one gets. There is too much out there, and people are spoilt for choice. At the end of the day, Social Media Marketing is one step removed from spam, and after a while, it gets treated like spam. So when I'm out looking to expand my cleint base, I do amazing jobs for my current clients, ask for their feedback, and then ask them to pass on the good word.

This is so relevant. It seems you are really an expert on this. These are only some of the things anyone who wants to be noticed on the web needs to do. And most people don't do half of these. I know that most of this stuff updates itself and is constantly on the move. Do you keep updating yourself with new things coming out? Simon