Do you struggle to determine where to focus your social media energy and time?

As I provide social media tutoring, training and consulting to individuals and business owners, this matter of finding and using appropriate social media sites comes up frequently.

 

Why are You Using Social Media?

The first question to ask is: WHY am I drawn to use social media? You really need to know your purpose in using these sites before you answer any other questions.

People use social media for many different reasons.

They use it to:

• Be entertained
• Learn something new
• Stay connected with loved ones
• Meet new people
• Increase brand awareness of a service or a product
• Get more customers or clients
• Engage with current, past or potential customers or clients
• Find out what others think of a product, service or company

And I am sure this list could go on and on.

Criteria to Use When Selecting a Social Media Sites

Once you have identified the reasons you and others are using social media, then there are more questions to ask yourself.

Which social media sites are:

• Easiest for you to use?
• Most enjoyable to use?
• Intrigue you even if you aren’t using them?
• Used by your customers and potential customers?
• Used by your strategic partners, power partners, or other referral sources?

I especially recommend you doing some research on the last two points. For example, if your customers are mostly 50 and older, which sites are they likely to use? What are their reasons for using them?

 

Start Small

I have often read that the best approach, especially for a business owner, is to start small.

Get familiar with one social media site, such as Facebook. Create a personal page, and then create a business page. That said, you don’t have to have a personal page any longer to have a business page. But most business people like to have both.

Research your competition and see how those companies are using Facebook. Notice what appeals to you and what doesn’t work for you. Then adapt your page and your overall Facebook strategy to fit you, your business, and your clients.

 

Back to You

What are the reasons YOU are using social media? Why do you think your friends, relatives, clients, etc. are using it?

What other criteria would you recommend when selecting social media sites to use?

 

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel, Founder of Boomers’ Social Media Tutor, helps people relatively new to social media to become more effective and comfortable in their use of this medium. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com