This document provides an overview of using social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for business purposes. It discusses why businesses should use social media and how to leverage each platform through best practices like creating engaging content, developing networks, and connecting accounts. Tools and techniques are presented for monitoring social media presence and examples are given of businesses successfully using social media strategies.

1. Lunch and Learn:
Facebook, Twitter, & LinkedIn
"how to": tips, tricks, and best
practices

2. Objectives
During today's Lunch and Learn we will discuss:
● Why use social media
● How to leverage social media for your business or organization
● Best practices for using Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn
● How to manage your social media accounts

3. WHY
What should we care about social media?

4. Why should businesses care about social
media?
22% of all time spent online now is on social networking sites http://blog.nielsen.
com/nielsenwire/global/social-media-accounts-for-22-percent-of-time-online/
52% of Facebook users and 33% of Twitter users engage with the platform
daily
http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Technology-and-social-networks/Summary/Findings.aspx
The overall number of people using social media sites has nearly doubled
since 2008
http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Technology-and-social-networks/Summary/Findings.aspx

5. The Big Boys of 2011 in the U.S.

6. GOALS
Why use social media?

7. Goals for using social media as a business
Website optimization
● Increase traffic to your website & boost SEO
Increase awareness of your company / service
● Promote brand awareness
● Attract and engage potential customers (virtual "word of mouth")
● Better manage and monitor your brand and online presence (keep an
ear out for what people are saying about you)
Connect with your customers
● Provide customer support
● Solicit feedback
● Establish your industry expertise and provide valuable resources

8. HOW
Best practices for using Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn

9. Making the most of social media
● Integrate social media into your existing marketing efforts
○ Include social media links in your email signature, website,
blog, email newsletter, etc.
● Amplify existing content
○ Publicize existing content such as blog posts, email
newsletters, and upcoming events
● Streamline your social media processes
○ Reach wide audiences with minimal time expenditure

10. Facebook vs. Twitter vs. LinkedIn
Facebook
Personal and professional online network based around "friends" and "fans"
Twitter
Public "microblogging" site for instant communication and information
sharing
LinkedIn
Focused business networking

11. Facebook

12. Facebook: Setting up a page for your business
● Profiles are for people, pages are for businesses
● Characteristics of pages:
○ Always public
○ Can designate multiple admins
○ Can choose an appropriate page "category"
○ Don't need approval to become a fan
● Groups vs. pages: Groups are for communities of people with a common
interest, pages are for brands or entities with "fans"
● Places: Location-based marketing (use "check-ins" at your location)

13. Choosing a page category
● Helps you rank in more relevant searches
● Can't change a category after you've created a page
● Each category has different fields on the Info sub-page

14. Facebook for Business (facebook.com/business)
● Access tips for business page optimization
● Ads enable you to target specific demographics

15. Best practices for using Facebook
● Create engaging content: Use applications like YouTube video box to
enhance your page, add photos and videos, create contests and polls,
or pose questions
● Develop a network: Interact with fans, "like" other businesses and they
may "like" you back
● Connect to your other digital platforms: Link your email signature,
website, blog, email newsletter, Twitter, Slideshare, YouTube, and more
to your Facebook page

16. Facebook's EdgeRank Algorithm
The more engagement your posts receive, the more recent the engagement,
and the greater the affinity between user and "edge" creator, the greater the
likelihood that your posts appear in your fans newsfeeds.

17. Example of a strong Facebook page

18. Twitter

19. Twitter Glossary
● Tweet: A post or status update of 140 characters or less
● Mention: Can mention someone else's account with an @ symbol (e.g.
"lunch and learn hosted by @synotac")
● Retweet: Click Retweet below someone else's message, and you can
share it with your followers (e.g. retweeting a useful article)
● Hashtag: Use a # symbol before a word to create categories (e.g. "keep
updated with Synotac lunch and learns http://bit.ly/pVXZau #lunch")
● Message: Start your tweet with DM or D to send a private message to
someone (e.g. "DM @synotac what is the lunch and learn topic?")

20. Example of a Twitter Reply

21. Example of hashtag use

22. Twitter for Business (business.twitter.com)
● Access resources such as tweet and follow buttons
● Opportunity for advertising through promoted tweets, etc.

23. Best Practices for using Twitter
● Create engaging content: Establish a consistent voice, share links and
resources, ask questions, use hashtags, use photos, use geolocation,
and more
● Develop a network: Comment on others' tweets and retweet what
others have posted, find potential leads and regional tweets with
Advanced Search
● Connect to your other digital platforms: Link Twitter to your LinkedIn
account and to your blog, website, eNewsletter, and more
Additionally:
● Use Twitter Search to monitor what's being said about your organization
or product

24. Helpful tools for using Twitter
● Use Tweetdeck to streamline your twitter activity and get realtime
updates when someone tweets a phrase or topic you're following
(allows you to monitor your brand and seize opportunities)
● Use a URL shortening tool like bit.ly
● Find people in your industry on twellow.com (like a Twitter phone
directory by industry)
● Use twittergrader.com to evaluate your Twitter influence

25. LinkedIn

26. Best Practices for LinkedIn
● Create engaging content: Offer educational content in your profile,
use applications such as Slideshare or ReadingList by Amazon, link to
your blog, products, etc.
● Develop a network: Lead or join a "Group" to discuss industry-related
topics, update your status frequently, and use the Question and Answer
function to engage in industry-related conversations.
● Connect to your other digital platforms: Link your email signature to
LinkedIn, and link to your website, blog, etc.

27. Example of a strong LinkedIn profile

28. Managing your social media presence
Monitor
● Scan Google Alerts for your name, brand, and products
● Use Social Mention or Topsy to monitor your online presence
Update
● Streamline and automate your updates using Hootsuite or by linking
your accounts
● Write blog posts and push out to all your social media accounts
Engage
● Scan LinkedIn questions, Facebook conversations, etc. and spend a
few minutes responding

29. MORE TOOLS
Tools for monitoring and managing your social media
presence

30. Hootsuite.com
Streamline your social media process and schedule future posts

31. Topsy.com
Real time search for the social web

32. SocialMention.com
● Monitor your "mentions" in social media
● Can receive social media alerts via email

33. Google Alerts (google.com/alerts)
● Get email alerts of the latest Google results on a specific word or topic
of your choice

34. Examples
Businesses effectively using social media

35. Matthew Weiss

36. Matthew Weiss

37. Matthew Weiss' Specific Techniques
1. Regular, relevant and timely content on his blog
2. Using Facebook and Twitter to amplify the reach of his new content by
posting links to new articles
3. Following Twitter topics (hashtags) that his prospects will use, and direct
messaging them valuable resources

38. Spohn Ranch Skateparks

39. Bramble Berry

40. Questions & Answers

41. Activity
Pick a tool: Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn
Pick one or more techniques:
● Create engaging content
● Develop a network
● Connect to your other digital platforms
Develop a social media strategy using the tool and technique(s) you've
chosen.

42. Resources
1. Social media in plain English (Video) - http://bit.ly/nvuWjM
3. Best business social media tools (Inc.) - http://bit.ly/nQK0xl
5. Twitter overview and lexicon - http://bit.ly/opwm00
6. URL shortening tool - www.bit.ly

43. Additional resources
www.synotac.com/lunch - weekly lunch & learns on digital
marketing
www.synotac.com/resources & www.synotac.com/blog - resources
related to digital marketing