How To Build Your Business With Social Media (presented By Kodak)

Be aware that employees may have personal blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other social media connections. Create a comprehensive social media policy to protect both individuals and the company as a whole. Encourage truthful, respectful posts that also protect confidential information, and take online security risks seriously.

Find reinforcements. Enlist social media-savvy people in your organization to contribute to company blogs, Twitter feeds, and more. This not only provides content for your business, it gives you a wider social base for your online campaign.

Engage in a two-way conversation. Don’t just inform people about company products and events; add value to your social media strategy by sharing industry news, linking to outside web sites, and responding to comments. The stronger your relationship with your customers, the more they’ll spread the word about your business.

Don’t hide from negative feedback. Ignoring social media won’t prevent critical comments; negative conversations will continue without you. Instead, take the opportunity to address concerns, improve your product, and understand your customers.

Amplify your current strategy. Get ahead of the conversation by listening for new opportunities to meet customer needs. Augment conventional forms of communication like press releases and traditional events like trade shows with social media components that engage your customers and maximize your investment.

Determine what success means for your business and how to measure it. Track metrics that are driven from social media efforts, such as sales leads, direct purchases, search engine rankings, online and press mentions, and site traffic, and use that information to fine-tune your strategy. By being active in social media, you can reach customers and build your business in a whole new way.