Social Media & Small Business
Shashi Bellamkonda
Social Media Swami Network Solutions
Small Business = Already Savvy Socialites
• Understand word of mouth • Want to try new methods of communications • Too much to do and so little time
WIFM
• • • • Connect with customers Online reputation Brand development New customers
3 word Mantra
LISTEN PARTICIPATE
CONTRIBUTE
Photo: courtesy: http://flickr.com/photos/metrojp/92038203 /
Photo Courtesy: http://flickr.com/photos/redcarpet/50339 009/
Photo Courtesy: http://flickr.com/photos/presta/12983283 6/
Conversation Goes on 24/7/365
• Find out who is talking about you •Checking Google for your own name is no longer about vanity • What are your customers saying about you? • What’s the competition is doing
“Americanized Chinese food with Indian ingredients. There is a demand for that kind of food, but it's not my cup of tea. – Chow Hound”
Masala Wok was a great experience and we truly felt like we were eating back in India after many years. - local.yahoo.com
“The people behind the counter know very little about the cuisine. – foodopedia.blogspot.com”
Then place is very neat , food very good. Portions are good and you can take left overs away. – eatcurry.blogspot.com
Listening Tools
• • • • • • • • • Google Alerts Technorati Twitter search Board Reader Blog pulse Tweetscan Radian6 Buzzlogic BuzzMonitor
Participate
• Blogs/Podcasts/Videocasts
– Comment and answer
• Forums/Community Boards • Online Chats • Answer Question
– Linkedin /Yahoo Answers – Wiki answers
Contribute
• • • • Tell your story Make videos of your expertise Talk about your employees Share exciting events/news UNIQUE : AUTHENTIC:TALKABLE
From Rohit Bhargava’s book “Personality Not included” UAT formula
Contribution Tools
• • • • • • • • Blogs/Podcasts Social Networks Press Release Social Bookmarking Multimedia Doc Sharing MicroBlogging (Twitter) Widgets/Badges
Social Networks
Facebook – Make pages – Post to your wall – Add links to profile – Post on network
• Myspace • LinkedIn
– Update your profile – Answer questions
• Gather • Ning
Press Release
• Your story can now be headline news • Use free press release services
– – – – – Pr.com PRlog.com i-newswire.com Prleap.com 24-7pressrelease.com
Blogs
• Know the Type of Blog you want to start • Connect with other bloggers in your space to link content and promote each other’s stories – read & comment on other people’s blogs • Building an audience takes time • Make it easy to share your posts (Send by email, Submit to sharing services, etc • Offer a variety of ways to read the blog (RSS, by email, etc) • Be interesting & unique • Use Feedburner & Google Analytics to track where your traffic is coming from (collaborate with the traffic source & build partnerships)
Multi media
• • • • • • • • Flickr Jumpcut Youtube Blip.tv Tubemoghul Seesmic Oovoo And hundreds of others
Social Bookmarking
• • • • • • • Del.ico.us Stumbleupon Furl Ma.gnolia Blogmarks Simpy Popurls
Social aggregators
• Digg • Mashable • Mixxx
Easy to submit to multiple social bookmarking and aggregators •AddThis : SocialPoster : SocialMarker:ShareThis
Document Share
• Slideshare.net • Docstoc.com • Scribd.com
MicroBlogging
• Twitter/Jaiku/Pownce/Plurk/ Friend Feed
– Quick feedback – Recommend places – Build relationships
Widgets
• Short pieces of code that allow you connect with other websites
– LinkedIn profile widget – Amazon search box
• You give your customers and friends widgets/badges
– “My Fav food place Indique Heights” – “Proud donor to American Red Cross” – “My dad rocks – He is a Dell customer”
Questions ?
• Shashi Bellamkonda shashib@gmail.com • Day job Blog : http://www.Solutionsarepower.com • Web developer Community : http://www.LinkTogether.com • Small Business Network : http://www.MySolutionSpot.com • Personal Blogs:
– Technology & Social Media: http://www.shashi.name – Digital Thoughts: http://readythoughts.blogspot.com – Restaurant Reviews: http://www.carryoncurry.com