The power of social media is not lost on business owners, but they are often unsure how to make the most of this marketing opportunity. While many businesses have created Facebook pages to engage with their customers, there are a number of other social media sites often well suited for B2B promotion and relationship building.
Regardless of your specific vertical or niche, these social media sites can help you improve your brand, connect with your customers, and enhance your bottom line. Here are four social media sites to consider including in your Internet marketing plan.
#1. Google+
Google+ has been called the Facebook of the business world, which is a well-earned title because the network has a number of important advantages over competing sites.
Perhaps most importantly, Google+ can help businesses build SEO results. The keywords and data entered in a Google+ profile is indexed directly into Google search results. Need to see proof that social media marketing is worth your time and effort? Build your Google+ page for your business and watch it boost search rankings in a very short time. Be sure to verify your website when setting up your Google+ page so that you can customize your URL and get the most accurate tracking and analytics.
#2. LinkedIn
You may know LinkedIn as a place for personal networking on a 1-on-1 level; but businesses that have a LinkedIn business page set up with sharply branded images, a complete profile, and proper content management can enjoy great results.
Enhance the exposure of your LinkedIn presence by making sure your employees are appropriately reporting their job status, gain followers by sharing company updates on your personal LinkedIn account, and even experiment with creating an industry group and leveraging it for your business.
#3. Twitter
Twitter is one of the most powerful social media sites for B2B marketing, especially for businesses that operate in niche categories. The trick is identifying, finding, and engaging with your audience in the right way. For example, if your potential customers aren’t on Twitter, are your investors? What about independent consultants or other businesses? Or, individual employees at the businesses you are looking to work with? Possibly an industry trade group… the possibilities go on.
The smart use of hashtags can vastly improve your Twitter results and help you reach the right customers. And targeted searches can identify conversations where you can offer advice or commentary, creating brand exposure and goodwill.
#4. Honorable Mention: SlideShare
The web is primarily a visual medium, and that is what makes SlideShare such a powerful social media site. As a business owner, you have probably put a lot of time and effort into creating a killer presentation recently. Make the most of it by sharing it on SlideShare.
Business owners can use SlideShare to optimize their visual content, share it on other social media sites, and link to your website content. Search engines give high placement to SlideShare content, knowing that the content is likely educational and content-rich.
Social media can be a powerful boon for any business. If you are trying to improve your online marketing results, taking advantage of the social media sites listed above is a great way to attract more attention and build community around your brand.
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