Guilty as charged. I spent an evening several weeks ago relentlessly searching for a particular pair of leather leggings by a favorite brand. Had I known that Facebook was tracking my every move and intended to taunt me with reminders of my obsessive quest, I might have used caution! I have since been crept by Facebook advertisements by that brand that appears on every web page that I visit. Where are the boundaries?

Thankfully, there is an easy way to put a stop to these ads. Simply go to the settings section on your Facebook page and select the Ads tab. There you will have the ability to turn off Ads and Apps in various capacities. Be aware that this will not stop Facebook from gathering personal information on your habits nor will it stop ads from appearing altogether but it will provide an illusion of privacy.

LinkedIn, Facebook, YOUTube, Twitter & Pinterest are the top FREE online marketing tools for businesses. We have all heard about how valuable, even necessary, it is to engage on social media however, that is easier said than done. Each of the platforms mentioned is more complex than they initially appear and what’s worse they evolve daily.

Diving in without understanding the individual platform can be overwhelming. Also, it takes knowledge and a bit of marketing savvy to see results. But never fear, there is plenty of information out there to help small business owners be successful.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional social network with 238 million users with 2 new members added every second. The platform allows colleagues and business associates to connect with each other and businesses can connect with current and potential employees. At the same time, community development thought leadership, and content sharing are promoted. The platform offers tremendous referral potential, particularly for B2B leads.

How are people using it?

• Individual profiles are essentially online resumes
• People can connect with each other and make recommendations
• It is a great place to search for a job or an employee
• It is a valuable publishing platform where professionals can establish themselves as an authority in their field.

Personal Page: Leslie DiNanno

Company Page: Coca Cola

Facebook

Facebook started in 2004 with the primary purpose of connecting college students. Twelve years later it has more than 1.65 billion users. It is the most widely used of the social media sites and has essentially shaped the way we interact online. Facebook connects friends and families as well as brands and consumers. For businesses, it is great for community building with current, past and potential clients, Search Engine Optimization, insight into a market niche (through analytics), communication, and viral opportunities.

How are people using it?

• Groups – whether they are private or public, professional, community or special interest related.
• Events – users can organize around a point in time. Again, security can be customized and the event can be exported to other calendars which is a valuable feature.
• Business Pages – these fan pages have evolved over the years and now offer quite a bit of functionality including review capability, shopping carts, calendar syncing, and more.
• Messenger – combines email, instant messenger, and Facebook messages.
• Content, post timing, and moderation are all factors that must be considered for business and personal use.

Twitter:

Did you know that the Twitter bird logo known as Larry was fashioned after Larry Bird from the Boston Celtics? Twitter was established in 2006 and allows users 140-characters to share appetizer bits of information. The interface is simple and conducive to sharing breaking news in any arena. Users choose areas of interest and there are 400 million tweets sent daily. Using Twitter you can find people interested in your marketing niche, stay abreast of the latest news and trends in your field, to market your product, drive traffic to your website, to stay in touch with your clients, build a reputation as an authority in your field & network with others.

How are people using it?

• Everyone is using Twitter – from Brands to Government officials, to athletes, to Hollywood stars stirring up drama.

Remember: Be aware of your brand and your voice. Be interesting and add value

Donald Trump Twitter Page: The Real Donald Trump

YouTube

has emerged as the second-largest search engine after Google – 6 billion hours of video are watched monthly on YouTube. This means that people are not only going to find the answers to their questions but they will be able to see a demonstration which is preferred. YouTube has launched many to internet fame.

How are people using it?

• Consumers watch content and share it with others.
• Much of the content is helpful and much is in a how-to format.
• There is a lot of incentive participation – that is, brands asking users to create videos and share them on behalf of the brand using hashtags for promotional purposes.

SixPackShortCuts: https://www.youtube.com/user/sixpackshortcuts
GoPro: https://www.youtube.com/user/GoProCamera
FoodHeaven: https://www.youtube.com/user/FoodHeavenShow

Pinterest

Demographics are a large part of the success of Pinterest whose client base is largely female. Many ‘pin’ items found on the web including clothing, home décor, and recipes. It is a terrific platform for brands with emotionally charged products that can rely on beautiful images for “pinning”.

How are people using it?

• Brands use Pinterest to engage their audience with picture sharing … it is simply visual.

WholeFoods: Whole Foods on Pinterest

Like it or not, the Selfie Generation has set a precedent that is here to stay. Today, getting the perfect shot is as important as the experience itself. In fact, the experience is often planned with the photo opp in mind, and the number of likes that will be generated.

Alas, a social media platform has devised a plan to capitalize on the selfie. SNAPCHAT announced this week that it will be partnering with brands to sponsor “lens filters” for selfies. It was only a few weeks ago that SNAPCHAT released a set of filters that allowed users to do such things as sprout an angel halo or vomit rainbows.

How can this be translated into dollars earned for brands? If a new horror movie is being promoted, for example, the company can sponsor a “lens filter” on SNAPCHAT that makes the person in the photo or video visibly grow fangs and facial hair. The film company would pay dearly for this opportunity in hopes that their selfie will generate lots of likes. Just file under Thinklikeaselfie!

Small businesses are certainly on overload when it comes to learning the ins and outs of effective online marketing. To avoid a bad rap, stay clear of these 4 no-nos in your marketing campaigns.

DON’T send blanket email blasts that ignore customer preferences. For example, if a client signed up to receive emails about wine tastings do not include them in general interest email blasts. It will be perceived as discourteous and poor customer relations.

DON’T ignore local listing optimization. 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine and “near me” mobile searches have grown over 500% over the last two years, according to Google. So that you don’t miss out on all these potential customers, you should ensure your business locations are updated and accurate and you should look at other aspects like business hours, phone numbers, and latest offers. Alternatively, you could use a company like LeadJig who will take care of the local listing optimization for financial advisors.

DON’T be a no-show or a wallflower on social media. Avoiding exposure on social media for fear that disgruntled customers might air their complaints online is a technique of avoidance that is not lost on customers, particularly when a company already has a reputation for poor customer service. Smart brands use social media platforms as an opportunity to improve customer service by staying in touch with their target audience.

DON’T serve customers low-quality content or continuous feeds and retweets by other businesses. While it is certainly acceptable to share valuable content that is posted by others in the industry, the majority of posts should be with original content in order to become a trusted authority in a particular industry or profession.

Which social media platform should I use and how should I use it?

I am asked that question time and again. The answer to the first portion depends upon which platform is better suited for the business and the level of commitment that the business owner is willing to make. When answering the second piece of the question, I often relate engaging in social media to being invited to someone’s home for dinner.  As an invited guest you should never arrive empty-handed, would be engaging without monopolizing the conversation, would be a good listener, and just as importantly, a good sharer.

Recently, I found a cute little scenario that was written about a doughnut that helped to explain the virtues of each social media platform. I thought that I would expand on that scenario using one of my favorite foods, cheese, in order to illustrate the differences.

Social Media

Twitter:

Good Wine. Good Friends. Good #Cheese.

Facebook:

I could live on CHEESE alone.

Foursquare:

This is where I go for good CHEESE.

Instagram:

Here’s a vintage photo of my favorite CHEESE.

YouTube:

See the proper way to serve CHEESE.

LinkedIn:

My skills include eating CHEESE.

Pinterest:

Here’s a recipe for making homemade CHEESE.