If you are representing your business online, then you will have read that social networking can be useful for you. The question is, how?
Many people use the suck it and see approach, they basically have some sort of presence on a few social networking sites, and see what happens.
However the best way like most things in life is to have a plan.
To get the most out of a social network, you need to be seen as an expert in one or two key areas... spread the net too wide and you lose credibility, don't make it clear where your expertise lie, and people again won't see the value that you can add.
Now, positioning yourself as an expert and actually being an expert are two different things. For long term credibility you need to be both things; so if you don't think your expertise are where they should be then train yourself up in an area before making a foray into social networking.
Once you have an area of expertise, post about it, write about it, answer questions on related topics on the social networks you use, and you will almost without realising it start to become identified as someone who knows their stuff in that area... over time this will lead to people finding your posts through search engines on a good site and making contact, not to mention the members of that actual social network also getting in touch.
In summary:
- Be specific to your field of expertise
- Encourage dialogue on that speciality
- Answer questions that come up on that speciality
- Take a long-term approach
... and reap the long term rewards
|
