Thursday 14 August 2014

Getting started on social media as a business

It's been a while since I wrote about where to get started on social media. As you'd expect the technology has advanced and the platforms have developed so the advice has to change to keep up!

If you've not got any social media presence - at all - for your business there are 2 "must haves":

1. A personal profile on LinkedIn

  • Use it to build up your online network of business contacts to complement your offline activities.
  • Research which of your contacts knows the people you want to connect to. 
  • You can be found by name online and can be easily contacted


2. A Google+ business page and up to date "map" information

  • Critical if you have a premises. Important even if you don't!
  • Google+ is an integral part of your maps presence so make the most of it!
  • It's Google - of course you want your business information on there!


How much effort you put into maintaining these profiles will obviously have an effect on how well they work for you. Having said that, a little can go a long way on both LinkedIn and Google+. A few minutes a week can really make a difference.

Try looking at LinkedIn at least once a week (Yes, I know keen users will feel that's too little!) Here's a checklist of activities that'll take you no time to do:

  • Like a few updates
  • Find some new contacts
  • Accept the contact requests you feel are valuable to you
  • Put out an update that's business related

Ten minutes and you're done... Once you feel at home, look at who you can recommend and who can recommend you too.


With Google+ 5 minutes a week is all you need to get started

  • Find people to put into circles
  • Put out a business update - use a picture if you have one
  • +1 a few updates
  • Check your profile for reviews

Of course there is a lot more you can do with both these platforms. But you need to start somewhere, so what's stopping you?