This document summarizes a webinar presented by the Evanston Chamber of Commerce on promoting local businesses through social media. It provides an overview of the promotional tools used by the City of Evanston's Economic Development Division, including their website EvanstonEdge.com and social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. It also describes the Business Promotion Program that provides free website resources and a Business Recognition Program for local businesses. Lastly, it offers best practices and tips for using various social media platforms effectively as well as information on additional social media resources and an advanced webinar.

1. EvanstonEdge Social
Media Webinar
May 1, 2014

2. Webinar Overview
• Greetings from the Evanston
Chamber of Commerce
• Presentation of City of
Evanston Promotional Tools
• Social Media Tips & Best
Practices

3. EvanstonEdge.com
• Main website for the
Economic Development
Division
• Blog covers local
businesses & events
• Get your business
featured!
• www.evanstonedge.com/
get-featured/

4. Facebook
• Average Likes Per Post YTD
417
• https://www.facebook.com/
EvanstonEconomicDevelop
ment

5. Twitter
• Followers 412
• Following 414
• https://twitter.com/Evanston
Edge

6. Pinterest
• Followers: 135
• Following: 57
• Pins: 130+
• http://www.pinterest.com/ci
tyofevanston/economic-
development/

7. Instagram
• Followers 309
• Following: 100
• Post: 156
• http://instagram.com/city
ofevanston

8. Business Promotion
Program
• Provides small business owners
with 1 year free
o Custom Domain Name
o Web Hosting
o Educational Resources
• http://www.gybo.com/illinois/

9. Business Promotion
Program
• Business Recognition
Program
• Celebrates Business
Anniversaries
• Free Business Promotion!
• https://cityofevanston.wufo
o.com/forms/happy-
birthday-evanston-business/

10. Multichannel Challenge

11. Blogging (Tumblr, Wordpress)

12. Email (GetResponse, Constant
Contact, MailChimp, AWeber)

13. SMS/Texting (Tatango, ZipWhip)

14. Website (Wordpress, Squarespace)

15. Mobile Website
(DudaMobile, Mobify, goMobi)

16. Tint
(RebelMouse)
ArtsBuzz

17. Storify (scoop.it)
Tweet-Alongs,
Ward Meetings,
Community
Events

18. Facebook Groups
facebook.com/addgroup

19. Facebook

20. Boosting Posts

21. LinkedIn

22. Twitter Analytics

23. Best Times to Post

24. • Ideal Tweet length is about 100 characters (about 20 words)
• Ideal Facebook post length is 80 characters or less (about 16 words)
• Ideal length of a headline is six words (users typically read the first
three and last three words of a headline)
• Ideal length of a blog post is 1000-1600 words or about a seven
minute read
• Ideal length of an email subject line is 28-39 characters (5-8 words)
• Ideal width of a paragraph is 40-55 characters (8-11 words)
• Ideal length of a seminar is 18 minutes (think TED talks)
Ideal Lengths

25. HootSuite

26. NextChapter
Evanston @
Evanston Public
Library
http://www.nextchapterevanston.com

27. Doug Meffley
NU Director
Digital and Social
Communications
@VoiceofMeffley

28. Additional Resources
blog.hootsuite.com
blog.bufferapp.com
academy.hubspot.com
teamtreehouse.com
lynda.com

29. EvanstonEdge
Advanced Social
Media Webinar
May 29 at 1:00pm