What is Social Media? This is a guide to understand what social media is and where/how to start using social media for your business!

1. Social Media
A Guide

2. What is Social Media?
 Social Media is a web based and mobile based
interactive form of communication.
 Social Media combines, posts, updates, images,
videos, marketing, advertising, comments,
discussions, forums, community networks,
reviews, feedback as well as user generated
content (from a person/brand).
 Social Media is considered a form of inbound
marketing or new media marketing using a
combination on methods to reach and interact
with people.
 Social Media is defined by Reach, Accessibility,
Usability, Immediacy and Permanence.

3. Why use social media?
- By 2013 most companies/businesses will have social
media accounts.
- Social Media is primarily used to reach and engage with
people.
- Social Media is considered a viable and vital tool for any
individual, or business; anywhere in the world.
- Social Media will drive people to your website; through
your blog, Twitter and Facebook accounts.
- Social Media can build an engaged community of like
minded users who freely share, exchange, use and
promote tools, tips, suggestions, businesses, brands,
ideas, education/learning and a social environment
online.

4. The 5 Hats of Social Media
You’ll need 5 different hats to use social media well:
- Public Relations Hat (PR Hat) – to deal with any mishaps, issues or crises
– set up a crisis management strategy and social media policy.
- Content Hat – for finding, editing, sourcing, researching and generating
content – this is very similar to the thinking cap – so this cap requires
you to write, think strategise and plan – set up a content/editorial
calendar.
- Customer service hat – for attending to all customer service
inquiries, queries and services needed .
- Advertising/Marketing Hat – Social Media/New Media still requires
old/traditional media methods to reach your fans/followers/customers.
You’ll still have to promote, advertise and market your business and use
email marketing for a wider reach.
- Communications Hat – this hat is to be used for communicating, sharing
information, building relationships, informing , enlightening and using
social media on a regular basis.
- By using all 5 hats (often all in the same day) your social media will be
holistic and well handled. Use each hat to focus on each task at hand.
To understand how to use each hat – Use Edward de Bono’s six thinking
caps to build up your understanding of social media
http://www.debonogroup.com/six_thinking_hats.php

5. ‘Social MediaQuette’
 Find your own light/ voice of the brand
 All content becomes public.
 Use Facebook, to connect with your ‘fans’ so ask questions,
attend to queries, acknowledge them and be considerate towards
them.
 Check everything before posting an update/Tweet/status/blog
post
 Check people you are ReTweeting/ RT @ - if they sound dodgy
they probably are! Look at their accounts, their bios and their
latest Tweets (updates/posts) – before linking your brand to
them.
 Check links/videos/photos/ anything else before referring other
people to click on links etc. this will build trust with your fans and
followers

6. ‘Social MediaQuette’ 2
- Respect other peoples’ opinions
- Pretend you have a manager looking over your shoulder asking you
why you are putting up the post, photo or link or video ... this ‘manager’
will help you become a better marketer
- Pick your battles – try to stay away from contentious issues, such as
religious/political opinions (unless there is sound reason for you to do so
and you are happy to be involved)
- If you have a problem with a person, business, or company please
contact the person/company via email (telephone or fax!).

7. ‘Social MediaQuette’ 3
 Answer, thank and respond to queries, compliments and message
 If ... someone is unhappy, posts something about your product; respond
to them as soon as you can - please contact us on – make contact
offline as soon as you can.
 Watch out for spammers and spam links
(accounts, people, emails, content etc) – there are plenty. Hire someone
or enlist someone to check and clean out spam and watch over your
account/s.
 Please adhere to all the terms and conditions on each account.
 Link to the original source of each image/post/news item you are using
 There are many rules regarding online competitions, contests and
giveaways; if you want to hold a competition; please consider all the
rules prior to doing so.
 Try to be as positive as you can.
 Set up a social media policy.
 Be mindful of the legal requirements regarding your brand and business
 And remember: Social Media is always about people. A real person
just like you.

8. Content requirements:
 Facebook – an update is generally 3 -4 sentences. Mix and Match content. Aim for about
10-12 enlightening, informative, inspiring updates (videos, quotes, images) to one
marketing/promotional updates
 Tw itter – 140 characters – Mix and Match content as above – product announcements,
links from the blog, engage with others, communicate others, share links, exchange
information and try not to constantly talk about your brand.
 Blog - use images, use/embed videos (have to insert source/original link underneath),
posts are usually 200 – 250 words but can be longer if required. A blog can be primarily
about your business. Try for one blog post at least every fortnight/3 weeks
 Images - simple jpegs are required for social media.
 Ensure that your content is mobile friendly
 Social media accounts do not accept Adobe formats of any kind, if you want to insert a
pdf; please use a link to do so.
 Stay away from Flash sites or gif/animated images if you can; they take a while to load
and may frustrate your readers – simple and quick is best!
 Pictures/videos/links can be inserted onto any account – make sure there is info/link back
to original source – always credit the original source of content no matter where you got it
from (be sure to check the source; stay away from inappropriate content/ads/ subject
matter)
 Drive info/content back to your website/blog when appropriate – click to contact, insert
website link, click to purchase, images of products etc.

9. Typical content for all
social media accounts:
- Suggestions
- Tips
- Links to other communities/websites/people you have a
relationship with
- Product information/specifications/guides/tools/resources
- Surveys , reviews, other blog posts/websites
- Photos/Infographics
- Videos
- Quotes
- Info about your products/services
- Any information which relates to your brand
- happenings, events, news, launches, announcements
within your business(or within your industry)

10. Use Facebook for:
- You can like, share, comment on link, add
content, check in and make great use of
this social networking platform.
- You can reunite with old customers, clients
and advocates and build a relationship with
them on your business page.
- On your business page you can
communicate with fans, share information,
pictures, videos. You can make
suggestions, ask/answer questions, answer
fans’ private messages and really connect
and communicate with your fans. So use
this *wisely!

11. Use Twitter for:
Think of Twitter as a newspaper:
- When you log in and connect, you
have access to any information from
anywhere. You can
find, follow, ReTweet and reply to
anyone in a public setting.
- You can promote and market yourself
and your business and read the latest
news, find info and resources on
anything.
- Here’s a funny guide to Twitter for
beginners. It will give you an idea of
where to begin.

12. Use Blogs for:
- Blogging is publicising a
personal/business journal online.
-Blogging can be used to inform, guide,
teach, share, invite, explain, show and
promote/market your business.
- Blogging can be used to primarily market, promote
and advertise your business
- You can host competitions, contests,
discounts or specials on your blog
(please check your company’s policies
before doing so and adhere to the
platform’s terms and conditions)
- As blog posts are a public link, they can be easily
shared and blog links can be fed to Facebook and
Twitter

13. Blog Content for
posts:
- A mix of content such as pictures, advertising, marketing,
videos.
- Links (to other websites, blogs, your other accounts)
- Suggestions/How Tos/FAQs/Tips/Guides/Resources
- Top 5 / Top 10
- Products, details, specifications etc
- Events, happenings, functions, launches
- Relationships with other services and providers (their events,
launches, details, reviews etc)
- Blog once a fortnight or at least once every 3 weeks to
drive content to Google and to keep your readers
interested.

14. On Blogging:
Here are a few guides to Blogging and
using blogs:
1) Guide to Blogging site – loads of
helpful resources
2) 10 Steps to Blogging
3) And a free eBook -
http://hunternuttall.com/resources/Th
e-Zen-of-Blogging.pdf

15. How to begin:
 Read as much as you can:
 Facebook guide - http://mashable.com/guidebook/facebook/
 Twitter guide - http://mashable.com/guidebook/twitter/
 Customer Service and Social Media -
http://www.brandwatch.com/wp-
content/uploads/brandwatch/Brandwatch-eBook-Customer-
Service-on-Social-Media.pdf
 Blogging – http://www.basicblogguide.com/
 Find free eBooks/resources/guides/ tips/ how tos
 Search LinkedIn for answers, take advantage of Google!
 Teach yourself, educate yourself; if you don’t know the
answer – embrace learning!
 Read everything you can!

16. And then ... Jump in!
 Read a Guide to Social Media Success and focus on each
step for your business needs:
http://www.simplybusiness.co.uk/microsites/guide -to-
social-media-success/
 Set up a social media calendar – so you can plan your
content and advertising/marketing for the first 3/6 months
– here is an example:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?pli=1&key=0AtV
rdAp_S8N-
dDQzZDhLX0MtZHZ0TFhvaTlPeHMwNmc#gid=4
 Set up a social media policy -
http://www.business.vic.gov.au/BUSVIC/STANDARD/PC_6
2427.html
 Discuss how to handle customer service enquiries and
who is responsible for doing so
 Set up a PR strategy
 And then just begin – login in to each account everyday;
and use each account to interact and communicate online!

17. Even more social media
options:
 Google Maps – list your business
 Manage a Foursquare account
 Join Instagram
 Upload your images on Picasa, Flickr, Pinterest or Photobucket to
drive visual content and links
 YouTube account – upload your own videos or share relevant
videos
 Set up your company on LinkedIn
 Set up email marketing (an then choose to send email to
clients/customers on a monthly or quarterly basis – some
businesses even send daily/weekly emails)
 Plan content for advertising, promoting and campaigns
 Combine traditional print/TV/radio advertising/marketing with
images/videos, guerrilla campaigns and social media advertising
(Google/Facebook ads)
 Find other social networks which will be appropriate for your
business

18. Any Questions?
 Social Status provides social media
training and advice for individuals and
workplaces
 Contact me at ebbyeryan@gmail.com
 Or call 0408 478 224
 Find me on Facebook
 On Twitter
 Or Pinterest
Copyright Social Status 2012