I’ve been working with some clients recently on setting up social media programs. Â It can be a bit daunting for a small business to figure out which platforms (Blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Foursquare, Tumblr, Pinterest . . .) are a fit, get branded pages set up, create content that makes the best use of each platform, and figure out how to fit social media into the company’s overall marketing activities.
One benefit of social media is that is can be very inexpensive to set up—often free. Except that there are other “costs” in terms of the time it takes to generate and manage content. Just setting up a Facebook page isn’t really going to help your business one iota.  It takes time and attention to make these platforms work for you and add value to your marketing.
Let’s start by looking from the perspective of a business-to-business enterprise (business-to-consumer social media is a whole different ball game I’ll discuss in a future post). The keys to effective social media marketing are content, relevance and frequency—on any platform.
It is important to use each different platform (blog, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter) in ways that make the best use of their individual characteristics and strengths. As part of an integrated social media marketing strategy, think of the elements this way:
- Blog: this is the hub in your hub-and-spoke communication structure. The blog is where you can give the most qualitative, in-depth information and analysis—really deliver *value* to your audience. It’s like a formal presentation, a speaking engagement, a round-table discussion, a newsletter.
- LinkedIn: this is a place for networking and professional connections. It’s like a business event where you talk shop with people, meet and greet, and hand out business cards. You’re connecting with like-minded professionals or those who share an interest, or are pursuing a common objective. Some lighter content in the mix is good, but balanced with business-relevant items.
- Facebook: Facebook is the cocktail party. It’s lighter, the tone is chattier, people are having fun. You can go bigger to express the personality of the brand and the company here. You’re making friends, who may be or may become business associates also.
- Twitter: Twitter is grabbing someone as they pass you in the hall to share the latest dish, give a quick opinion on some recent development, or crack a joke. It’s: “psst, hey check this out!†or “can you believe this?†or “have you heard?â€
A blog can include shorter and lighter items, but think about the blog primarily as where you provide substantive value to your site visitors:  information they can use, resources, useful tips, inspiring thoughts and ideas.  It’s a way to showcase your company’s expertise and depth of knowledge, and show why you are leaders in your field. It gives you an opportunity to subtly promote your variety of services and capabilities.
As a part of your website, it becomes part of a permanent repository of information in a way the more ephemeral Facebook and LinkedIn content typically does not. (Facebook and LinkedIn posts can remain on your company pages indefinitely, but most people will just see them in the scrolling news feeds in real time; fewer people will visit your company page and look back through your history.)
If you have a WordPress website/blog, be sure to use the Categories designations for each post to help site visitors search for items relevant to their area of interest. Â The blog is the source document for any substantive content, while LinkedIn and Facebook are the channels where the content will get deployed, excerpted, discussed and become active in the marketplace. Reserve additional the lighter/fun stuff for Facebook
Most importantly, to realize the value from any one of these platforms will require some regular attention to creating and pushing out content consistently. For example, do at least one blog post per week as a bare minimum. In some businesses, three to five per week or even one to two per weekday is optimal.
I don’t follow my own advice here—I tend to average more like one blog post per month . . . and my blog stats reflect that. Note to Self: pick up the pace! In future posts, I’ll talk about different content generation ideas for each platform, business-to-consumer social media approaches, and more.