Social media is giving me childhood flashbacks. There was a time when I justified my actions with one statement: “because all the cool kids are doing it!”
That seems to be the reasoning, at least in part, behind the results of a survey that shows 70% of SMBs plan to use social media. The study shows businesses are unclear about how social media will help them but they are forging ahead anyway, with about 42 percent of respondents saying they already use Facebook, Twitter or both for business.
Of the firms surveyed who are already using social media, 84 percent report that it has increased awareness of their business but only 68 percent say social media has helped them make more money. If the point of running a business is to make money, then all strategies, including social media, should be measured and contributing towards that goal.
In a New York Times article, More Tips from Social Media Pros, the author offers a primer on how-to do social media for business. The rules are simple: keep it personal and listen to the online conversation.
What advice do you have for businesses embarking on a social media strategy?
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