3 Social Media Strategies to Set You Ahead of Your Competition
Posted by Beth Hrusch on Tue, Jan 26, 2010
While social media is a global phenomenon, it's becoming popular in local circles as well. If you're running a brick and mortar business, chances are you've got quite a few competitiors - even if you live in a small town. By networking both on and offline, you can increase awareness of your goods and services and use social media strategies for free advertising.
One easy strategy for social media advertising is to set up an online coupon at a URL that you only advertise on Twitter. Explain in your Tweets and on the page that followers will receive the coupon by Direct Message after following you on Twitter. Then encourage them to share this information with their friends and family. Everyone loves to get something for free - especially when there is very little effort required.
Another strategy for local advertising is to set up a fan page for your business on Facebook. Doing so allows your customers to interact with you, provide feedback, and share the word about your business with their friends. Each time someone posts on your page, becomes a Fan, or links to you site from their Facebook page, their status is visible to all of their friends. This allows you to reach a huge network of local people quite quickly. Social media strategies like this one allow you to spread your business's influence through word of mouth.
Many offline business have also had success after setting up a blog for their business. Blogs allow your customers to see what's new in your industry, what promotions you're running, and what your business has to offer - all in an easy to read style.
Social media strategies only work when they're applied, so take the time to put one or more of these tips to work for your business today. You'll quickly see the results in the form of increased traffic to your website.