Social media is the most effective communication method for vast numbers of people.

In Australia, the majority of young people who can afford smart phones use social media to run their day to day life.

Facebook is more than an information source. It is how people talk to each other. There need not be a phone call, an SMS or an email. Everything is on Facebook. Images can be shared, news can be passed on and entire social groups can plan to get together on Facebook.

Business people should not look to advertise on Facebook but they should be a part of Facebook communities. It is not about telling them to buy a car or a brand of honey but it is getting involved and talking to people about cars and honey. The sales pitch is not the message. The aim is to be the expert on cars or honey on a Facebook network.

The "like" system is social is the modern newspaper and bush telegraph. If you accumulate likes... not paid likes but genuine appreciation from Facebook users, it is effective social media advertising.

Facebook is the best place to start with in Social Media because it can be linked to a Twitter automatically. A Facebook post will appear in a linked Twitter account.

Google Plus is becoming more important for business. Google now allows business profiles so any business can form circles of family members, customers or acquaintances to enable them to relate to people. It is not advertising.. It is relationship building and that is what Social Media is about in 2013 and the foreseeable future.

The role of Social Media Marketing.

The role of Social Media and marketing.

Not long ago management consultants told business owners that they needed a website to succeed in business. Now many recommend a website and a social media policy that includes Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter and YouTube.

A business needs to be on all of these social media websites. They all do different things. One is fine, two is good, three would be adequate and being on all four would be just right.

The power of communication with a combination of all four social media websites grows exponentially. Why ?

Smart consumers ( the ones smart business people chase ) are mobile. They get about. They shop in physical stores and simultaneously check online to see what people are saying. "Who has the best price. What business has the most recommendations or Which one looks the best?"

Consumers, customers or clients investigate before they make buying choices. Every one of the four most influential social media websites has the capacity to influence buying decisions. A business has to be in the mobile online customer race. Not turning up to the event means that a business misses out on more and more cash.

Buyers of products and services have cash. They decide where to spend it based on what they see.

A business needs to do at least these things on Facebook.

1. Be there ! It is a bad look not to be on a Facebook business page. Apart from the obvious inability to interact with a potential client, buyers think thoughts like."What are they hiding. These people can't be very popular. These people are incapable of keeping up with technology. I won't trust them."

2. Start with the basic Facebook start page and then always add extra features like header images with contact details clearly visible embed in the picture. ( Be sure to include the company logo ) Never just leave the basic sign up start page. Take an interest and show potential buyers that you are not ordinary.

3. Post something on the Facebook Business Page every ( that is EVERY ) day. Build a dialogue. Create a conversation. Get real life friends to become online Facebook friends in the form of likes. Get them to comment on the posts. Build a community of people who interact with the business on the business page. It is vital. An active up to date Facebook page shows that the business is vibrant. The comments can be testimonials. Buyers like favorable testimonials.

4. Google will visit a business Facebook page and gather all sorts of information that will affect the amount of traffic that is delivered to the page in response to online searches. Make sure that the posts have keywords that are appropriate for the business. "Coffee, Hair, Office Supplies ...."

5. Accumulate "Likes" but do not buy likes. People who sell "Likes" do not come online to post on the Facebook page. Search engines can see the fakes and will either ignore them or worse, penalize the pagerank of the business pages.

6. Link to articles, images and website pages that relate to the business. Remember that Facebook does not restrict the size of posts in the same way that Twitter does. Go for it. Use it. Posts beget comments and social media buzz

Using Twitter to grow a business.

1. Twitter is not a passing fad. It is a part of cyber life. It is a source of news and information. Often it is the source of breaking news that beats the major news businesses. If a business has "news" then Twitter is one place to use to ensure that the news reaches a lot of potential buyers - customers - cash.

2. Followers are great. Twitter people who look forward to a business post on Twitter are called "Followers". They want to hear from the business or its people. Just like real life, you have to talk to people you care about. If you don't, they will opt out of a Twitter feed and will they will no longer get marketing news. Keep the flow of information going. They signed up for it. Deliver it.

3. Follow your followers. Don't just send out Twitter messages. Receive them and respond. Sign up to receive Tweets from the people who were kind enough to "follow". They will have something to say to a business. They will give valuable clues to their likes and dislikes. That information is valuable and it is marketing gems that a business can exploit.

4. Use Twitter to post links to new, valuable and informative new content on the business website.

Using Google Plus to grow a business

1. Google spent a lot of money to create Google Plus. It is brilliant. There is so much to do on Google Plus. There are "Likes" in the form of Plus votes, video chat facilities, advertising opportunities and many ways to interact and categorize contacts. Take the time to learn about Google Plus. It requires a Google account that also permits access to gmail which is also brilliant, indispensable and a valuable communications tool in its own right.

2. Post news about the business to everyone who has signed up.

3. Seek out and read posts by people who interact with a business on Google Plus. Their comments are valuable. They will appreciate the feedback and many will return the favor by becoming buyers, customers or clients.

4. Use Google Plus to have video conferences. Present news, new products and a weekly bulletin with news that customers want. It can be the communications hub of a business.

Using YouTube to grow a business.

1. You tube is the perfect place to host business news videos. Compile catalogs. Create videos ( cheaply on an iphone ) and upload them to YouTube on a channel linked to a business gmail and Google Plus account. Be sure to embed videos from YouTube to the business' website to reach more customers.

2. More people visit YouTube than any business website, so be where the people ( customers ) are ( Constantly ) .

3. Actually create content for YouTube. Do not just send junk up there.

4. A business will have a free talking sales person if they put well planned and produced advertising on YouTube.

5. It is a perfect medium to introduce a business and its people.

6. Create and post new video content weekly. It keeps people thinking about the business and its products.

Social Media advertising

A business should take advantage of the advertising opportunities offered by Google and Facebook. They send messages to potential buyers in a very targeted way. The cost is not high when the lifetime value of a customer sourced from Adwords or Facebook advertising.

Advertising on social media should be a part of a business marketing mix. Startups, new business or established enterprises, all have to use social media from 2012 onwards. For success ( beating competition ), it is not optional.

Summary

Social media takes work. It is not easy. For a business it can be expensive. The cost of not using it is too much to pay. Business managers that "do social media" will gain turnover, friends, loyal customers, profits, asset value and respect.

Be real. Don't be insincere. Don't talk crap in social media. People can spot insincerity instantly. Only post valuable information.

Post links to the posts, information and content on a business' four social media outlets.o that people ( potential and actual buyers ) can float between them seamlessly. There is a flow.. Website to social media and back and forwards. It is information circulation that picks up customers on the way like a cyber recruiting drive. It is all free to use. Money for nothing from new social media friends ( customers )

Remember this - Social media is not private. Google indexes everything. Make sure that only good news is posted by the business. Make sure that bad posts made by the public are removed. Appoint someone in the organization to monitor social media everyday. Plan B is to appoint a PR firm to do it professionally.

Using Social media in business marketing is something that many people do not know they need to know, until they learn about it ! Explore. Start today by finding out more about using Social Media to make money 24/7 x 365.

The author

Greg Rogers is a journalist at Businesses.coma.u provides advice social media marketing services.  Email him on ceo@rogersdigital.com or call 0498 136 869

This article is reproduced with permission from RogersDigital.com