Small Business Guide to Social Media, Tools, & Analytics

Facebook, Twitter, Linked-in, Google +, tweets, likes, shares, retweets, mentions,..??@?!!%    >: (   Is it hype?  Is our business social enough?  Does it matter?  Should we twitter, tweet…?&?   Am I saying it right?  Does our business have enough friends on Facebook?  Did you notice how many of my “friends” are really sexy?  Do I look popular?  No wait, that’s my personal account…  Do I care?  Does it matter if I don’t know 70% of them?

I already wear the “HR Hat”, “Customer Service Hat”, “Accounting & Payroll Hat”, “Marketing Hat”, “Sales Hat” and now you want me to wear the “Social Media Hat”.  Is this all bull$)!t or will it really help my small business make money?  Are you ready to stick a spoon in your eye yet?

Communication & Relationships have Evolved

The landscape for small business has changed dramatically over the past 10 years.  Most notably, our communication and relationships have evolved.  Cell phones, the internet, and technology in general have opened the lines of communication, enabled sharing, increased transparency, and increased the speed and velocity of everything we do.

How does Social Media fit into my Business

Social media and content marketing (blog) can help to increase brand awareness.  The right strategy can allow you to reach out and engage with people who are interested or searching for your products or services.  Social media can act a barometer of customer interest and act as a customer care channel.

However it can be difficult to measure exactly what social media is doing for your business.  Like all other facets of your business, social media needs to prove its usefulness to a business, but where to begin?

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