An Introduction to Social Media

Love it or loathe it, social media is a big part of life these days and unfortunately it therefore also has a place in the marketing strategy for your business even if you don’t use it personally.

It probably doesn’t seem that long ago since email and broadband was introduced – it really wasn’t THAT long ago! Now we have social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+, Bebo, Pinterest…..the list seems endless!

I’m not even going to bother quoting any stats on here as by the time you’ve read this sentence the data will be out of date!

There are so MANY social media sites, how are you supposed to know what is used for what and which would be better for your business and reaching your customers? You need to consider what type of business you have, and what type of social media they are likely to use. I have provided separate, more in-depth articles for the main social media sites (I’ll be adding more articles on other sites soon) but the following should help you decide where to start. Depending on your business type you might feel that only one or all of these would work for your business.

Facebook: is probably the most popular of the social media sites. It’s a free social networking website that allows registered users to create profiles, upload photos and video, send messages and keep in touch with friends old and new, family and colleagues. It’s a very relaxed environment where people post about everything from what they’ve had for dinner to announcing that they’re pregnant or sharing funny pictures and videos. Individuals use Facebook but so do companies. Organisations often use paid Facebook advertising to promote their products and services. Find out more about how to make Facebook work for your business.

Twitter: is a free online news and social media site that allows registered users to interact with each other through messages ‘tweets’ that are restricted to 140 characters in length. Twitter is commonly used by businesses as a tool for customer services and to promote awareness of their organisation through the sharing of useful information. Find out how Tweeting could benefit your business.

Instagram: This is a photo sharing site where users can post photos or videos to share with their family and friends. Learn more about Instagram.

LinkedIn: Designed as a business networking tool, Linkedin is a site that enables professionals to connect, exchange ideas, information and opportunities. It isn’t really used for social interactions but is a great place to network within your industry. Get connected on Linkedin.

Pinterest: is a social network that allows users to share and find ideas on topics that interest them – everything from hair styles to craft ideas, home decor, gardening and everything in between.