How to conquer social media- A guide for small business

8/12/2019 How to conquer social media- A guide for small business

1/35Composed by Olivia Roat | Designed by Michael Biondo

CONQUERSOCIAL MEDIAA GUIDE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

HOW TO
http://www.mainstreethost.com/


2/35

About the AuthorOlivia Roat

Check out Olivias articles onMainstreethosts Blog.

@MSH_Olivia +Olivia Roat

Olivia Roat is an inboundmarketer at Maintreethost,

a digital marketing agencyin Buffalo, NY.

She writes for the Mainstreethostblog on topics such as socialmedia marketing, contentmarketing, branding, andadvertising.

01

About the Author | Olivia Roat

How to Conquer Social Media | A Guide for Small Business
http://blog.mainstreethost.com/author/oroathttp://clicktotweet.com/f7bKThttp://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://blog.mainstreethost.com/conquer-small-business-social-media&t=%20I%20just%20read%20Mainstreethost%E2%80%99s%20new%20ebook%20%E2%80%9CHow%20to%20Conquer%20Social%20Media:%20A%20Guide%20for%20Small%20Businesses%E2%80%9D%20written%20by%20inbound%20marketing%20specialist,%20Olivia%20Roat.https://plus.google.com/u/0/116472280349203733677/postshttps://twitter.com/MSH_Oliviahttp://blog.mainstreethost.com/author/oroat


3/35

Introduction .................................................................................... 03

Part I:Why Does Social Media Marketing Matter? .................... 05

Part II:What Do People Want from Brands onVarious Social Media Channels? ..................................... 08

Part III:Examples of Small Businesses That Run SolidFacebook, Twitter, and Pinterest Campaigns ................ 17

Part IV:Measuring Social Media ROI ........................................... 29

Conclusion ...................................................................................... 32

Sources & Further Reading ............................................................ 34

Table of Contents

02

Table of Contents

http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://blog.mainstreethost.com/conquer-small-business-social-media&t=%20I%20just%20read%20Mainstreethost%E2%80%99s%20new%20ebook%20%E2%80%9CHow%20to%20Conquer%20Social%20Media:%20A%20Guide%20for%20Small%20Businesses%E2%80%9D%20written%20by%20inbound%20marketing%20specialist,%20Olivia%20Roat.http://clicktotweet.com/f7bKT


4/35

It seems like social media is an inescapable part of our society, and not justfor people who use sites like Facebook and Twitter to connect with family,friends, and circles of peers. Brands have also hitched a ride to the convoyof various social sites that are making words like tweet, newsfeed, andpin part of the vernacular of everyday individuals and the dialogue of

marketers.

Major brands such as Starbucks, Coca-Cola, and Red Bull can devote largebudgets to their social media campaigns, developing beautiful Facebookcover photos and employing round-the-clock customer service reps tomonitor social media conversations and immediately address consumercomplaints voiced via Facebook and Twitter (General Motors spendsaround $30 million on Facebook marketing alone.)

However, a business doesnt need to have the budget or resources of aleading Business2Consumer juggernaut to conduct an effective socialmedia marketing campaign. Small businesses can engage and acquireconsumers through social media, too.

Introduction

n fact, 42% of small businesses say that theyve acquired 2of their customers through online or social media channe

03

Introduction



5/35

Yet, running a social media campaign can seem quite daunting, becauseeach individual social site has a wealth of complexities. Plus, posting to siteslike Facebook and Twitter without a well-developed strategy, merely hopingthat something sticks, most likely wont even begin to scratch the surface oflead generation and customer engagement. And much of the social media

marketing advice out there is shrouded in vague, unspecific buzz phrases:engage fans! and post interesting content! et cetera.

This ebook is for those small business owners who want to harness the powerof Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest but dont have the time, money, orresources of big-budget brands. Its aim is to help make social mediamarketing a little less overwhelming and to replace those buzz phraseswith specific, concrete guidelines.

Throughout this ebook, Ill be focusing on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.These are the three social media sites on which the average socialnetworking user spends the most time, the sites that have the most monthlyvisits, and the sites that are most conducive for B2C social media marketingefforts.

04

Introduction



6/35


7/35

For one, social media marketing makes sense simply because of the

undeniable popularity of sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Why Does Social Media Marketing Matter?

Part I

43% bought somethin

following a recommendatio

on social med

63% of 18-25 year olds state they

have used social media to

esearch a brand.

Facebook recently

reached the one-

billion-user mark

Twitter has about

170 million active

users

Pinterest reached

10 million monthly

unique views faster

than any standalone

site in history

These sites are contemporary culture staples. What better way to reach

potential customers than to speak to them through a medium with whichtheyre already familiar and frequently access?

Secondly, social media sites also directly influence consumers purchasingbehavior:

One out of every

seven minutes

online is spent

on Facebook

06

Part I | Why Does Social Media Marketing Matter?


Social media marketing campaigns are proven to be effective for businesses.


8/35

Pinterest is also proven to be effective from a marketing perspective:

People who follow brands on Facebook and Twitter are more likely to conside

a brand when in the market for a product, buy the product or service from thebrand, and recommend the brand to others.

These peer recommendations alone justify social media marketing, becauseconsumers trust recommendations from peers above all other forms ofadvertising (websites, TV ads, print ads, billboards, emails). Peer recommend-ations also drive sales: people are more likely to buy something if a friendrecommends it online. Sites like Facebook and Twitter enable businesses toreadily tap into the power of word-of-mouth marketing.

55% of companies said theacquired a customer throug

Twitte

7% of B2C companies surveyedy HubSpot said they acquired austomer through Facebook.

Facebook & Twitter

Pinterest

The digital corkboard site accounts for 40% of social mediapurchases. (Facebook accounts for the other 60%.)

Buyers referred from Pinterest are 10% more likely to buy something than

visitors referred from other social networks. These buyers also spend 10%more on average. People use the site to get information about products,find out about new merchandise, and seek advice and recommendations(again, heres the power of word-of-mouth marketing at work).

07

Part I | Why Does Social Media Marketing Matter?



9/35

Part IIWhat Do People Want from Brands on

Various Social Media Channels?


10/35

What Do People Want from Brands on VariousSocial Media Channels?

Part II

One of the first steps in conducting an effective social media marketingcampaign is outlining goals. Before posting, tweeting, and pinning away,a small business needs to define its aims, i.e., what it hopes to accomplishthrough Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Whether its acquiring leads,raising brand awareness, conversing with existing consumers, or sparking

the interest of new consumers, these aims are something a small businesscan revisit over and over again when assessing whether its marketingcampaign is on the right path and what features of the campaign needtweaking.

Another aspect of social media marketing is knowing how to appeal topeople. Social media is expanding at an incredible rate, and consumershave already built strong social networks. They have a handle on Facebook,Twitter, and Pinterest. And they have certain expectations from brandswhen it comes to social media. People follow brands for specific reasons,and in order to use social media to its maximum potential, brands need tokeep these reasons in mind. They need to connect with consumers, meetthem on their level, and stay in touch with their unique needs and desires.

The reasons why people follow brands on Facebook and Twitter(in order of importance):

They want special offers/deals They are current customers The brand posts interesting or entertaining content Their friends are fans of the brand They want access to service, support, or product news

+++++

09

Part II | What Do People Want from Brands on Various Social Media Channels?



11/35

The main reason people follow brands is to receive special deals.Here are two examples of small businesses that keep this in mind:

When it comes to offering exclusive deals for Facebook users, research showsthat using the phrase $ off generates twice the engagement of % off.Dont make consumers do the math; keep the offer simple and straightforwardand tell consumers exactly how much money theyll save.

People also follow brands to read interesting/entertaining content. The over-whelming majority of people interact with brands on social media sites byreading the posts that appear in their news feeds. Thus, content is key. Asmall business can post, tweet, and pin constantly, but if its not postingcompelling content that reaches people, its efforts will be all fornaught. Exactly what type of content is most effective?

Posting Tips:


10


Oh Pour Lamour Du Chocolat is asmall chocolate shop in Buffalo, NY,that extends offers exclusively to fansof its Facebook page.

Let us know what you have planned for the weekend. A free babycone goes to four local facebook friends who comment. Winnerswill be chosen at random.

Oh Pour Lamour Du Chocolat

Do you want to win a handful (6) of free truffles? Simply like thispost AND share the picture on your page. Tomorrow morning wewill pick a winner out of the people who shared the pic!

Sweet Jennys - Buffalo - NY

Sweet Jennys, an ice cream shop alsolocated in Buffalo, NY, gives Facebookfans the chance to win special contests.


12/35

Facebook is a must when it comes to social media marketing campaigns,because it is the social site that has the greatest impact on purchasingbehavior. Its also the site thats most useful for establishing, promoting,and protecting a B2C company.

When it comes to Facebook, photos receive more likes, comments, and

shares, followed by status updates, then videos, and then links. Accordingto Facebook,

Also, very short posts (sub 30 characters) or very long posts (over 600 charactereceive more likes, and long posts receive a greater number of shares.

Fill-in-the-blanks and posts that ask questions also generate more engagemenWhen it comes to questions, its best to use the words where, when, andshould, and avoid the word why.

FacebookContent & Timing

Content:

180%

120%

100%

posts that include a photo

album generate about

180% more engagement

posts with pictures generate

120% more engagement

posts with videos generateabout 100% more engageme

11




13/35

Timing:

According to social media scientist Dan Zarrella, content posted later in theday receives more likes and shares: shares peak around 6 pm EST, while likespeak around 8 pm EST. And posts published on the weekends generate agreater amount of engagement. Zarrella chalks this up to a phenomenoncalled contra-competitive timing: social media chatter slows down on the weeends, so brands that talk when everyone else is silent receive more attention.

There is one caveat to this information. Timing varies to some degree foreach individual business, depending on the age and location (among otherthings) of its target demographic. The best way for a business to determine itsideal posting times is to experiment and test: post at different times, see whichposts garner the most responses, and see who responds.

When it comes to posting frequency, small businesses also want to postregularly enough so that fans see their posts, but not so often that they clutterfans news feeds (one of the main reasons people unlike Facebook businesspages is because a business posts too often).

Research by Buddy Media reveals that posting one to two timeper day produces 40% higher engagement rates compared toposting three or more times per day.

12




14/35

According to Dan Zarrella, in order to receive retweets on Twitter, about60-80% of the tweets an account sends out should contain links. Ten percentof tweets should be replies.

And because I cant talk about Twitter without mentioning those distinctive,ever-present hashtags, including hashtags in tweets can generate increasedengagement, but only up to a certain point. Tweets with one or twohashtags receive 21% higher engagement than those with three or more.

A small business certainly wants to tweet links to drive traffic to its site, buttheres also something to be said for a business that converses withcustomers through Twitter. Coca-Cola recently laid out its new social media

strategy in a YouTube video entitled Content 2020 and said this:

TwitterContent & Timing

Content:

Lets not just listen; lets converse.

13




15/35

A brand that can talk to its audience through social media is a personable,responsive, and attentive brand that is in touch with its consumers andinterested in their opinions. Whether its responding to followers, answeringquestions, or simply retweeting kind words, a business that can talk with

individuals seems less like an intangible, indefinable commercial entity andmore like an approachable, accessible person with whom people can talk.

An example of a small business listening and conversing with one of itscustomers and thereby putting the words of Coca-Cola into practice:

Again, timing depends on thesocial media habits of abusinesss consumer base.There are several tools that helppeople determine their idealtweeting times:Tweriodlooks atan individuals tweets andthetweets of followers to determinethe time that will gain someonethe most exposure on Twitter.

TweetWhenandWhenToTweet

are other great tools.

And according to Buddy Media,the sweet spot for postingfrequency is tweeting four timesper day, although again, thismay change depending on a businesss target audience.

Timing:

14



Three donuts from @PaulasDonutsin the last two days haschanged my life

David Maher@David_Maher4 13 Oct

Expand

@David_Maher4thank you for your business! lets keep thatstreak going :)

Paulas Donuts @PaulasDonuts 13 Oct

Hide conversation Reply Retweet Favorite
http://www.tweriod.com/http://www.tweriod.com/http://www.tweriod.com/http://tweetwhen.com/http://tweetwhen.com/http://www.whentotweet.com/http://www.whentotweet.com/http://www.whentotweet.com/http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://blog.mainstreethost.com/conquer-small-business-social-media&t=%20I%20just%20read%20Mainstreethost%E2%80%99s%20new%20ebook%20%E2%80%9CHow%20to%20Conquer%20Social%20Media:%20A%20Guide%20for%20Small%20Businesses%E2%80%9D%20written%20by%20inbound%20marketing%20specialist,%20Olivia%20Roat.http://clicktotweet.com/f7bKThttp://www.whentotweet.com/http://tweetwhen.com/http://www.tweriod.com/


16/35

Because Pinterest is so visually oriented, it has a dynamic all its own. Thus,while any business can use Facebook and Twitter effectively, Pinterest ismore suited to business that can harness the power of visual content.

Beautiful, eye-catching, intriguing, humorous, and/or aesthetically pleasingimages are Pinterest gold. Hence, the top categories on Pinterest:

Any business in the clothing/fashion, culinary, photography, or home goods

field can do extremely well on the site, because it has those attractive,Pinterest-friendly pictures. Pinterest is also very heavily female, as 68.2% ofusers are women. (Most Pinterest users are between the ages of 26 and 54.)

But, thats not to say a business that doesnt sell clothes or food or furniturecant do well on Pinterest. General Electric conducts a fantastic Pinterestcampaign, and an electrical company on Pinterest seems counter-intuitive.Mashables Pinterest thrives on infographics and pictures of tech gadgets.The important thing to remember is that Pinterest etiquette prohibits overt

self-promotion. Of course, the aim of a Pinterest marketing effort is to drivetraffic to a business site; however, its really more about curating and sharingcontent related to a given brands vision than it is about selling. Businesses usePinterest to promote a lifestyle, not to push products.

PinterestContent & Timing

Content:

+

+Style/FashionFood

+

+Inspiration/EducationaSeasonal/Holidays

++

HomeArts and Crafts

15




17/35

For example, a furniture store wont get very far pinning solely images of itsown products. Instead, it should pin its own products in addition to things likeimages of beautifully decorated and/or inspiring rooms from other, popularbrands, such as West Elm, Home and Gardens, or Real Simple. The same

goes for a clothing company: images of the companys own clothes cando well, but its Pinterest account should consist of other pins: fashion icons,inspirational ensembles, designers, etc.

One thing companies engaged in Pinterest marketing want to keep in mindis the Pin It button. This button is a social sharing button, like the Facebooklike or the Twitter tweet, and adding it to a website invites people to share confrom that site on Pinterest.

The ultimate aim of Pinterest marketing is to drive traffic to a specific websitethrough links. However, if a business uploads a pin of one of its own products,that pin will have no link. Thus, when a Pinterest user clicks on that pin, theywont be directed to the businesss website. To get around this and to direct

users from a pin to a specific page on its website, a business can add a linkto the pin. After uploading a pin, hover over the pin, and click Edit.

(Pinterest offers step-by-step directions on itssite on how to install the Pin It button.)

And from there, add a link.

16



Pinned onto Nike Brand

Storytellingfrom Uploaded by

user

The Nike+ Fuelband, Nikes latest

product set to launch on 10/31/12.

The Nike+ Fuelband, Nikes latest product set

to launch on 10/31/12.


18/35

Part IIIExamples of Small Businesses ThatManage Solid Facebook, Twitter,

and Pinterest Campaigns


19/35

Sometimes the most effective way to learn something is by example. Thefollowing small businesses use social media to its fullest potential, posting

regularly, engaging fans, and all the while generating brand awareness. Inhomage to my meteorologically maligned hometown of Buffalo, NY, all ofthe following businesses are from the Queen City. These businesses provethat marketers dont need the budget of a Starbucks or Pepsi in order torun solid campaigns; small businesses can post, tweet, and pin effectually, too

Examples of Small Businesses That Run Solid Facebook,Twitter, and Pinterest Campaigns

Part III

18

Part III | Examples of Small Businesses That Run Solid Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest Campaig



20/35


21/35

Travers Collins also shows some love for the local community by posting on

Buffalo events, giving the company a very down-to-earth, in-touch-with-its-

roots vibe.

20



Travers Collinsshared alinkviaMuseum of disABILITY History.

October 3

Bully featured at disABILITIESFilm Festivaltonawanda-news.com

The Mueum of disABILITY History andPeople Inc. will host the eigth annualdisABILITIES Film Festival and Speaker.

October is Anti-Bullying Month. You can participate by attendingthe 8th annual disABILITIES Film Festival and Speaker Series at 7

p.m. Thursday at the University at Buffalo North Campus. Click

here for more details!

Museum of disABILITY History We hope to see you there!http://www.facebook.com/events/350170815066480/

8th Annual disABILITIES Film Festival andSpeaker Series

Thursday, October 4 at 6:00pm at Center for theArts, University at Buffalo

Travers Collinsshared alink.

September 20

For todays Throwback Thursday, we have a special commercia

from 1989! Can you imagine hauling that phone around?!

1989 Radio Shack Cellular PhoneCommercial

Look at the size and look at the priceThey were heavy, the battery life wasshort, and the per-minute rate wasprohibitive. But her, lets take it to the

Jess LafalceHoly Crow!! $799! Thats amazing

September 20 at 9:18am


22/35

FacebookExample 2

The Buffalo ice cream shop Sweet Jennysis one small business that truly taps into the

visual power of Facebook. Their Facebook

page is filled with pictures of the delicious-

looking sweets the shop makes.

Sweet Jennys updates Facebook fans on

the latest products in the store, special

events, and local culinary happenings.

The Sweet Jennys Facebook page is highlyactive and constantly filled with intriguing,

visually appealing content. Additionally,

they frequently run contests, offering users

the chance to win free sundaes and ice-

cream pints. They also make a habit ofreplying to questions and comments

posted on their wall, which makes thebusiness stand out from the social media

crowd in a very positive way, as 95% of

questions posted by consumers onFacebook walls go ignored by companies.

Whether its thanking a customer for kind

words or answering specific customer

questions, they always craft a prompt and

helpful response.

21



Our newest gelato is rated PG for pumpkin ginger snap

Sweet Jennys - Buffalo - NYOctober 26


23/35

Lake Effect Ice Cream,a small ice cream store in Lockport, NY, a suburb ofBuffalo, uses Twitter to broadcast store news, informing followers on the latestand greatest ice cream flavors and store sales. It also showcases pictures ofcustomers.

TwitterExample 1

The store stays highly engaged with fans: retweeting them, replying to them,and engaging in witty banter.

22



Lk. Effect Ice Cream@lake_effect_icThe Bradleys representing at the Lake Effect Ice Cream 2ndannual pint sale! Nice! pic.twitter.com/tJQaOfdi

7 Oct

Hide photo Reply Retweet Favorite
https://twitter.com/lake_effect_ichttp://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://blog.mainstreethost.com/conquer-small-business-social-media&t=%20I%20just%20read%20Mainstreethost%E2%80%99s%20new%20ebook%20%E2%80%9CHow%20to%20Conquer%20Social%20Media:%20A%20Guide%20for%20Small%20Businesses%E2%80%9D%20written%20by%20inbound%20marketing%20specialist,%20Olivia%20Roat.http://clicktotweet.com/f7bKThttps://twitter.com/lake_effect_ic


24/35

By conversing with followers, LakeEffect Ice Cream shows that itsconnected to and grateful for itsconsumer base. This fan-brand inter-action makes the store seem verycongenial and amiable, and thehumor that appears in tweets and

pictures gives the store an extremelyapproachable feel. It reveals thatthe store enjoys serving customersand that they aim not to givepeople just a product, but alsoan experience. These are allqualities that endear a business inthe eyes of consumers.

23



Alyssa Kraatz@lysskraatzFIVE more minutes til I can leave work and go to@lake_effect_icfor the first time ever #newbie #soexcitingExpand

20 Sep

20 Sep

2:50 PM - 20 Sep 12 - Details

Lk. Effect Ice Cream @lake_effect_ic

@lysskraatzSoooooo... How was it?Hide conversation Reply Retweet Favorite

Expand

Lk. Effect Ice Cream @lake_effect_ic@VeraPizzeria1st anniversary party! Packed and ropic.twitter.com/52wBI1GU

View photo


Erin McPartlan @29andHungry@lake_effect_ichave a cocktail for me :)

Lk. Effect Ice Cream @lake_effect_ic@29andHungryDone! pic.twitter.com/J7VYWcaG


25/35

And like the Travers Collins Facebook page, the Lake Effect Ice Cream Twitteraccount shows love for the local Buffalo community, again enhancing thatfriendly, personable vibe.

24




26/35

The Roaming Buffalo,a mobile food truck that roams throughout the WNYarea, is another example of a small business with a fantastic Twitter page.Its highly active on Twitter: tweeting multiple times per day, which is keygiven the fast-paced nature of the site. The food truck uses Twitter primarilyto inform followers of its latest location.

TwitterExample 2

A food truck is the type of business that can benefit tremendously from Twitter,because the site thrives on a stream of brief, concise posts. Thus, a food truck,which frequently updates people on its whereabouts, is the perfect business

for Twitter (and The Roaming Buffalo actually uses Twitter in conjunction withFoursquare,an app that allows people to check in at various locations).Its Twitter account serves as a reliable, easily accessible resource for all thosehungry Buffalonians curious as to where the food truck will be parked next.

25



20 SepRoaming Buffalo @RoamingBuffalo1

Parked right in front of M&T Bank on Main & Delevan 1130-2 (@

The Roaming Buffalo Food Truck w/ 2 others) 4sq.com/SToWrP

View photo
https://twitter.com/RoamingBuffalo1https://twitter.com/RoamingBuffalo1https://foursquare.com/about/https://foursquare.com/about/http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://blog.mainstreethost.com/conquer-small-business-social-media&t=%20I%20just%20read%20Mainstreethost%E2%80%99s%20new%20ebook%20%E2%80%9CHow%20to%20Conquer%20Social%20Media:%20A%20Guide%20for%20Small%20Businesses%E2%80%9D%20written%20by%20inbound%20marketing%20specialist,%20Olivia%20Roat.http://clicktotweet.com/f7bKThttps://foursquare.com/about/https://twitter.com/RoamingBuffalo1


27/35

But The Roaming Buffalo doesnt stop at these frequent, location-based

updates; it also gives followers behind-the-scenes glimpses at the truckslatest culinary undertakings.

The food truck also makes a habit of replying to followers and quicklyanswering any questions people have.

26



10 SepRoaming Buffalo @RoamingBuffalo1Delivery of the best crumbled blue cheese. You know what thismeans? #chickenwingsouptime #Buffalo pic.twitter.com/zhbM1o2I


10 SepRoaming Buffalo @RoamingBuffalo1Today we are testing out a new menu item. Cheddar andBACON JAM stuffed burgers! Not on the menu just ask for the BJspecial!

Expand


28/35

Edible Buffalo, a Western New York food magazine, has a Pinterest accountthats both stunning from a visual perspective and effective from a marketingperspective. It boasts 15 boards and 162 pins. Boards include a variety ofcategories: Edible Buffalocovers; Edible Buffalorecipes (many of these pinslink back to the Edible Buffaloblog); seasonal boards; local businesses andfarmers; and Wordless Wednesdays (which includes beautiful, eye-catchingphotos of food), to name a few.

Edible Buffalouses Pinterest to raise brand awareness and drive traffic to itsblog, but it also uses Pinterest as a curation tool, pinning from other websitesand Pinterest users. In the process it accumulates gorgeous photos of foodand anything and everything culinary related. This is a prime example of howmarketing works on Pinterest. Edible Buffalouses the site to market itself ofcourse, but also to show its values and mission: its commitment to localbusinesses and high-quality cookery.

PinterestExample 1

27




29/35

Like Edible Buffalo, Kenny Carpets & Floors also uses Pinterest to curatebeautiful images that relate to its industry. Its Pinterest page has 16 boardsand 217 pins. It features boards devoted to beautiful kitchens and diningrooms, creative floors, and colorful dcor. Many of these can serve asinspiration boards for people seeking the right type of carpet and flooringfor their home, making them a great resource for people searching forexamples of the latest and greatest interior design trends. Because KennyCarpets collects and amasses images from various websites and adds its

own brief commentary to its pins, it establishes itself as a knowledgeableexpert in its industry.

Kenny Carpets even finds a way to capitalize on the proclivity andobsession Pinterest users have for animals with the humorous and adorableboard Animals Love Floors Too.

PinterestExample 2

28




30/35

Part IVMeasuring Social Media ROI


31/35

With the amount of time and resources social media marketing requires,

one question immediately comes to the mind of small business owners:

Many so-called social media experts have weighed in on measuring socialmedia return on investment, and they all agree on one thing: its a difficult

task, but ROI can be measured. There are numerous approaches to tackling

social media ROI, and Ive included a list of further reading at the end of this

ebook. Ill focus on some simpler methods here, but before I delve into those,

consider this personal anecdote that I think testifies to the complexity ofsocial media ROI.

Last February, a Buffalo bakery posted on Facebook about a special

Valentines Day brunch. They also concurrently advertised the brunch in a

weekend section of The Buffalo News. I saw the post on Facebook beforethe newspaper advertisement, and it was this Facebook post that prompted

me to call and make a reservation. When I showed up for my reservation,

the bakery had no way of knowing how I learned about the event (the

Facebook post or the newspaper advertisement) unless they asked me.

I was an example of the effectiveness of social media marketing, but thebakery didnt know that.

Measuring Social Media ROI

Part IV

Is it worth the investment?

30

Part IV | Measuring Social Media ROI



32/35

Social media can also offer a return on investment in other ways. Becauseit offers businesses instant access to current and potential customers,business can use it to poll customers and thereby gain their opinions,insights, and recommendations: a restaurant asking people what theydlike to see on the menu, a coffee shop polling people on their favoriteseasonal drink, etc.

Using a Facebook- or Twitter-specific coupon is one way to keep track ofcustomers that arrive at small businesses via social media channels: postingoffers on Facebook and Twitter with the phrase mention this post/tweet

and receive x $ off! is a very simple tracking measure.

31

Part IV | Measuring Social Media ROI


10 OctRoaming Buffalo @RoamingBuffalo1

Rainy day at @RoswellParkgood news is we are right up front.

Better news free drink with any purchase and mention of this post!

@BNMC

from Buffalo, NY


33/35

ConclusionSources & Further Reading


34/35

Conclusion

Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest can seem quite infinite in their complexities,but hopefully this ebook has shed light on some of the best practices of socialmedia marketing. With people using social media to research, discover, andrecommend products, small businesses can effectively tap into the power ofthis type of marketing and offer users a positive online experience, makingthat 97% work in their favor.

When asked if an online experience has influenced whethor not they bought a product or service from a brand,

97% of people said yes.

33

Conclusion



35/35

Sources

Further Reading

Mindjumpers

HubSpot

TechCrunch

Mashable

Dan Zarrella

Get Satisfaction

TechCrunch

Mashable

Buddy Media

Jeff Hurt Blog

Compendium

Social Media Today

How to Integrate HootSuite with Google Analytics

How to Define a Strategic Plan

3 Steps to Measuring Your Companys Social Media RO4 Social Media Goals Every Business Should Measure

Sources | Further Reading

http://www.mindjumpers.com/blog/2012/01/social-media-stats-infographic/http://blog.hubspot.com/Portals/249/docs/ebooks/the_2012_state_of_inbound_marketing.pdfhttp://techcrunch.com/2012/07/31/twitter-may-have-500m-users-but-only-170m-are-active-75-on-twitters-own-clients/http://mashable.com/2012/02/25/pinterest-user-demographics/http://danzarrella.com/infographic-how-to-get-more-likes-comments-and-shares-on-facebook.htmlhttp://blog.getsatisfaction.com/2011/06/29/what-makes-people-follow-brands/?view=socialstudieshttp://techcrunch.com/2012/02/07/pinterest-monthly-uniques/http://mashable.com/2012/04/29/pinterest-interest/http://www.jeffbullas.com/2012/02/29/10-powerful-tips-to-increase-fan-engagement-on-facebook/http://jeffhurtblog.com/2012/10/05/7-outrageous-social-media-facts-every-marketer-should-know-infographic/http://www.compendium.com/blog/blogging-to-win-customers/infographic-what-works-for-social-sharing-b2b-vs-b2c?lead_source=PRhttp://socialmediatoday.com/ariherzog/820046/90-percent-small-business-use-social-mediahttp://fullfrontalroi.com/2011/11/how-to-integrate-hootsuite-with-google-analytics-campaign-reporting/http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2202307/Social-Media-ROI-How-To-Define-a-Strategic-Planhttp://www.fastcompany.com/1843675/3-steps-measuring-your-companys-social-media-roihttp://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/4-social-media-goals/http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/4-social-media-goals/http://www.fastcompany.com/1843675/3-steps-measuring-your-companys-social-media-roihttp://searchenginewatch.com/article/2202307/Social-Media-ROI-How-To-Define-a-Strategic-Planhttp://fullfrontalroi.com/2011/11/how-to-integrate-hootsuite-with-google-analytics-campaign-reporting/http://socialmediatoday.com/ariherzog/820046/90-percent-small-business-use-social-mediahttp://www.compendium.com/blog/blogging-to-win-customers/infographic-what-works-for-social-sharing-b2b-vs-b2c?lead_source=PRhttp://jeffhurtblog.com/2012/10/05/7-outrageous-social-media-facts-every-marketer-should-know-infographic/http://www.jeffbullas.com/2012/02/29/10-powerful-tips-to-increase-fan-engagement-on-facebook/http://mashable.com/2012/04/29/pinterest-interest/http://techcrunch.com/2012/02/07/pinterest-monthly-uniques/http://blog.getsatisfaction.com/2011/06/29/what-makes-people-follow-brands/?view=socialstudieshttp://danzarrella.com/infographic-how-to-get-more-likes-comments-and-shares-on-facebook.htmlhttp://mashable.com/2012/02/25/pinterest-user-demographics/http://techcrunch.com/2012/07/31/twitter-may-have-500m-users-but-only-170m-are-active-75-on-twitters-own-clients/http://blog.hubspot.com/Portals/249/docs/ebooks/the_2012_state_of_inbound_marketing.pdfhttp://www.mindjumpers.com/blog/2012/01/social-media-stats-infographic/

How to conquer social media- A guide for small business

Documents

Transcript of How to conquer social media- A guide for small business