Anna

I am online specialist. I work with small businesses to devise their online communications - webcopy and social media. I am also a researcher and author writing for diverse audiences and different industries on just about any topic. I regularly write for Dynamic Business (http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/). Please visit my website www.annacairo.com to find out more.

The Benefits of Social Media for Business

Brand Awareness, Online Marketing, Social Media, Social Media Tips No Responses »

Sep 172012

Social media continues to grow. As such it offers many benefits to SMEs. Although, there are a number of pros and cons related to social media platforms, not considering these platforms is possibly a negative for businesses.

Think of social media as an opportunity that needs to be part of a broader overall marketing strategy to maximise benefits. If used consistently and strategically there are many possible advantages.

Here are some possible benefits to consider:

Increase your Visibility

When you participate in the network, there is greater potential that others see you and come to know you, extending your network and improving your chances of creating business opportunities.

Industry Conversation

Participating in a conversation that is relevant to your industry makes you visible. Reporting on industry news and providing commentary promotes your expertise.

Improve Your Google Ranking

Social media platforms are ranked quite high up in a Google search. Thus when people look you up via a search engine anyone can easily find you and connect with you.

Competitive Intelligence

Useful information can be gleamed by monitoring what your competitors are doing and saying. This constructive information can be used for dynamic intelligence merely by scanning their content.

Brand Awareness

SMEs can keep their brand at the top of mind for people. By easily linking to articles or content on your website, the brand name can be kept at the forefront.

Feedback Mechanism

Launching a new product or website? Social media platforms allow instant reaction. Not only is it free, the feedback is valuable as it is from your target audience.

What are people’s experiences?

Thanks for reading!

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Employers Can Manage Social Media Risks

Online Media, Online Reputation, Social Media, Social Media in the Workplace, Social Media Policy, Social Media Risks No Responses »

Sep 102012

Social media is growing rapidly and with it comes endless opportunities and many advantages for business. However, with hand held devices increasing and social media sites embedded in people’s lives comes a blurring of the lines between professional and private space. Bearing this is mind employers cannot ignore social media as it is here to stay and it has wide reaching implications for those employers who choose to bury their head in the sand.

Some of the risks that can occur include:

leaking of confidential information
employees airing their dirty linen in public
adverse impact on brand reputation
negative comments posted online which triggers bullying allegations

So the key question is “how do employers manage their social media risk?”

A Social Media Policy is a good start however this as a stand-alone is not sufficient. It needs to be part of coordinated HR management strategy that includes the following:

A strong Employment Contract – which highlights the types of behaviours which may lead to dismissal
A Social Media Policy – which is linked to the Employment Contract and includes acceptable/not acceptable behaviour and inappropriate usage in and out of the workplace
Guidelines on Usage of Social Media during Work Hours – should there be a blanket ban on personal use in the workplace?
Employee Training – regular training can be an effective tool to make sure that employees understand what is expected from the policies.
Discipline & Termination Procedure – a policy without discipline consequences is unlikely to be effective. It can be used as a deterrent to discourage employees from using social media negatively.

What do others believe is effective?

Thanks for reading!

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Is there such a Thing as Privacy on Social Media?

Data Collection, Data Storage, Privacy, Social Media No Responses »

Sep 032012

Privacy and social media covers a range of topics which is complex and difficult to police. As these sites become additionally popular and individuals interact further on them they are likely to disclose more information. In the process everyone opens themselves up to a number of things including identify theft, the hacking of personal information and so on. Not forgetting of course the controversial issue of data storage and harvesting of personal information. Already the information you give up is harvested and sold off to companies so the information is valuable.

Social media sites actively encourage disclosure of information and in most cases people willing give up the information without anything thought. Birthdays, employment information, friends, photos and slowly a picture of your life is online. The more individuals engage with social media sites, the more likely they give up information. Once the information has been volunteered it stays there permanently.

So the question needs to be asked whether privacy actually exists on social media sites? If people keenly give up personal information what are their expectations in terms of privacy? Do they believe their information is protected, should be protected or do they really care? Should we be open to changing our mindset about privacy when it comes to social media? Or do we still have the expectation that this information is private and should be kept so even though it is harder and harder to control and police.

What do people think?

Thanks for reading!

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Social Media in 5 Steps

Online Marketing, Online Media, Social Media, Social Media Tips No Responses »

Aug 272012

Social media is about communicating, connecting and building relationships. For business, it is another tool to communicate with clients and partners. Not engaging in this space means missing out on opportunities to explore an exciting environment. Social media, although free to use, requires time and effort as well as strategic thinking and planning to obtain results.

The following 5 steps provide a straightforward approach that can enhance your business value over a period of time.

1. Plan: Have a social media strategy as part of overall marketing and business objectives. A structured approach provides a focus, manages expectations and targets development.

2. Content: In order to get noticed by your target audience, share interesting and informative content. Share news, opinions and articles relevant to your industry and provide different formats of content including text, clips, and graphics.

3. Consistency: Posting regularly is a good way to see opportunities come your way. People get to know you and what you are about. A publishing schedule can support the consistency needed.

4. Commitment: Before commencing to engage in social media make a commitment to persist for the long term. Results will not be immediate so dedication is needed to keep participating, being enthusiastic and developing.

5. Listen: once you are engaging on social media, take the time to genuinely listen to what is being said by your audience. Understand what their requirements are so that you are able to respond appropriately.

Social media is a long-term process. Have an open mindset and a commitment to stick with the plan. Be flexible even when results are not forthcoming. Keep working towards the goals by being active, consistent and engaging.

Thanks for reading!

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What Makes Social Media ‘Social’

Online Content, Online Media, Social Media No Responses »

Aug 202012

So what is it about social media that makes it ‘social’ and challenging to traditional media? Social media has a ‘many to many’ structure, it is immediate and the creating and publishing of user generated content makes participants ‘active’ in an environment that is more ‘bottom up’ than ‘top down’. Its characteristics are more inclusive and appealing (although these same characteristics can also be used negatively).

Here are 4 aspects that make social media more social:

Openness

Opinions, contributions and sharing of information are the core aspects of social media. Businesses that interact and engage with the audience via this space must get to know and understand their audience. They must build relationships based on respect and integrity.

Participation

Traditional media is a linear medium that broadcasts or prints information to an audience in a one-to-many structure. Social media is collaborative with contributions from the audience (user generated content) allowing them to participate in a two-way interaction of sharing, contribution and conversation. The user is both the producer and the consumer in a many-to-many structure.

Community

Groups are formed easily to develop communities that are based on shared common interests. These communities share information and engage according to their topic of interest. People feel a sense of belonging that they can interact with like-minded people.

Connection

Social media flourishes on being connected. Not only are you connected to the people in your network you are also linked to their connections. Thus, users are able to utilise links, resources and people from a vast network.

Businesses must remember these key points if they want to connect with their audience!

Thanks for reading!

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Benefits of Using Twitter for SMEs

Brand Awareness, SEO, Small Business, SMEs, Twitter No Responses »

Aug 132012

Twitter is one of the fastest growing social network platforms in the online space with unbelievable growth. As such it offers many benefits to SMEs. It can be used for a number of purposes and if used consistently and strategically there are many possible advantages.

Here are 6 benefits in using Twitter for business:

Brand Awareness: Twitter allows SMEs to keep their brand at the top of mind for people. By easily linking to articles or content, the brand name can be kept at the forefront.

Competitive Intelligence: useful information can be gleamed by monitoring what your competitors are doing and saying. By scanning their tweets, profile and contacts valuable business intelligence can be gained.

Industry Conversation: participating in conversation makes you visible. Reporting on industry news and providing commentary promotes your expertise. Listening to the audience as they engage provides useful knowledge.

Twitter and Mobile: as Twitter is limited to 140 characters, its mobile interaction is effortless. Receiving updates is easy via SMS and it becomes a transportable communication tool – very influential for modern day business communication.

SEO Increase: use Twitter to drive traffic to your website (or a preferred page), particularly if you have valuable content for you audience. This may assist in enticing conversion.

Feedback: Do you have specific questions that you want answered? Use this mechanism to gain feedback by posting your queries on Twitter with instant and helpful comments.

Although these benefits can also apply to other social media platforms Twitter’s uniqueness of 140-character limit can be used to advantage. Most individuals don’t want to read long pieces of information so short tweets providing valuable content which your target audience finds beneficial is priceless. The future lies in mobile communication and Twitter is ideal for this interaction.

Thanks for reading!

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How SMEs Can Utilise Facebook for Business

Facebook, Online Content, Online Marketing, Small Business, SMEs, Social Media, Social Media Tips No Responses »

Aug 062012

Although primarily a social platform, Facebook can be utilised effectively as a business tool. Here are 4 key fundamentals that need to be put in place to support the process.

Have a Goal

Anyone who establishes a Facebook page for business purposes needs to have a goal for what they want their page to achieve. By creating a clear objective, this can be used to assist in shaping online perceptions about your business.

Some examples of goals to aim for include:

o Building community

o Raising brand awareness

o Enhancing customer service

Create a Publishing Schedule

Publishing content is time consuming and repetitive. Content needs to be published regularly to have any impact. However, posting too much may annoy your Fans. A schedule allows you to track your activities and strike a balance in terms of content upload as well as consider topics of interest, research and creation of content in a strategic way.

Link your Facebook Profile

If you have other social media profiles, then link these to your Facebook page. A blog, Twitter account or LinkedIn page should all be connected. These interrelated platforms are a great way to promote your business across platforms and establish a presence.

Create a Resource

Use your Facebook page to “add value” to your customers. Offer information, create contests, offer deals and provide solutions to customer issues. Post questions on your ‘wall’ so that your Fans can respond and be interactive. Get them to share insights, opinions and reward them for their feedback.

But more importantly have some fun!

Thanks for reading!

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Promote Yourself on LinkedIn

LinkedIn, Online Professional Networks, Online Reputation, Social Media No Responses »

Jul 302012

LinkedIn continues to grow as a professional network. If you Google yourself or others, it is likely that your LinkedIn profile will be close to the top of any search results.

Although it seems to be an underrated social media platform, like Facebook and Twitter it has enormous potential. Firstly, it is the only platform that brings professionals together and secondly, the network is growing rapidly so the possibilities are extensive.

Your profile needs to be a “work in progress” and here are some of the benefits:

Increase your Visibility

As you connect with others, you increase the possibility that your profile will be seen and the potential that others will come to recognise you extending your network and possible opportunities.

Increase Your Credibility

As a LinkedIn profile lists your current role, past jobs, qualifications, and so on this promotes your credibility as someone who is experienced and knowledgeable.

Integrate with Other Social Media

If you have a business Facebook page or a blog, link it to your profile. Add your company profile and other relevant information.

Improve Your Google Ranking

Having a LinkedIn profile puts you quite high up in a Google search. When people look you up via a search engine anyone can easily find you and connect with you.

Recommendations

Request recommendations from your colleagues or clients. They work much the same way as testimonials and references, almost like an online “word of mouth” referral system.

LinkedIn can be an underrated platform, however, its benefits can be powerful purely because it is a professional social network. Connecting and associating with other like-minded professionals is one step to being proactive in your career and LinkedIn provides this opportunity.

Thanks for reading!

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Does Your Workplace Have A Social Media Policy?

Online Brand Reputation, Online Media, Online Reputation, Social Media, Social Media in the Workplace, Social Media Policy No Responses »

Jul 232012

As social media continues to grow, statistics in Australia show all platforms increasing. With it comes a blurring of the lines between personal and business communication especially in the workplace.

Social media is more extensive than simply having a Facebook account. It involves a spectrum of technologies that include web and mobile technologies including blogging, LinkedIn, text messaging, MSN Messenger and Skype all Web 2.0 platforms that encourage interactivity. This may cause disruption in the workplace as employees can become preoccupied with non-work related issues.

Some employers make social media sites inaccessible in the workplace. However, blocking such sites is neither suitable nor practical particularly in this age of changing communication and youth who have grown up not knowing life without the online space.

The solution is to have a policy that is balanced and makes clear what is appropriate behaviour. No one policy will work for all organisations. Such policies need to be tailored to the culture of the workplace. But there are some key points that are collectively relevant and important to consider:

o Include a definition of social media

o Make employees aware there is a policy

o Have consequences for breaking the social media policy

o Implement it alongside your Internet and email policy

o Have a training session to implement the policy

o Have employees sign off that they understand the policy

There is no doubt that the use of social media in the workplace has become one of the hottest issues in human resources for a number of years. Social media is part of the dynamic and constantly changing world of communication in the 21^st century. A blocking strategy is an overreaction and should be avoided, as employees will resent it. A collaborative approach is more desirable and more in tune with a modern workforce.

Thanks for reading!

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Social Media and Managing Your Online Brand and Reputation

Online Brand Reputation, Online Content, Online Marketing, Online Media, Online Reputation, Social Media, Social Media in the Workplace, Social Media Tips, Social Network Sites No Responses »

Jul 162012

Social media is an important tool for business communications. Despite the positive aspects it brings, the nature of social media means that someone airing their bad experience online does so, instantly and potentially to a massive audience.

As the online environment becomes more crucial to business, and more people are continuously online, increasingly they will comment on their experience with friends via Facebook, blogs, Twitter and so on. This emerges as a risk that all businesses need to manage. Any negative comments from disgruntled customers (or employees) can potentially be very damaging to a business image if it goes ‘viral’.

Here are 3 steps for SMEs to be proactive in managing their brand and reputation:

1. Audit

This is essential to assess your brand and reputation and see exactly what people think about your business. These conversations are happening with or without your presence so there is plenty of information out there. Therefore it is vital for business to be a part of the online community and monitor what is being said about them.

2. Positive Content

It is unlikely that you will be able to have every negative comment or image removed from its original source. Content which is hosted on a third’s party’s site is content that will be challenging to remove. If you have been unsuccessful in asking nicely to have it removed, be proactive and keep publishing constructive content. This can diminish the negative content’s visibility to the lower end of an engine search.

3. Track & Monitor

Think about key words or phrases that you believe symbolise you, your company, and your brand. These can be typed into a search engine to see what comes up. Better still, to be more efficient set up ‘alerts’ (i.e Google Alert) with your key words so that you are notified each time there is a post or tweet that mentions your key words.

Be cautious about trying to have negative comments removed as this may cause more damage as it alerts individuals to the content and suggests you are trying to hide something!! Accept that the online environment is something you can’t control and that negative comments will always be part of equation. Business can only track, monitor, negate and correct factual information.

Thanks for reading!

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