How to Get Started in Social Media

By Kamea Zelisko

*This is part 2 in an 8-series blog about social media marketing. Visit our YouTube Channel to see related blogs and more.

Setting up effective company social media accounts are a bit different than personal ones and there are some tricks involved. So even if you know how to technically set up these accounts or already have social media accounts for your company, you may still want to watch this video to get some interesting pointers that can help make your social media efforts more effective.

The first thing you want to do to get your company started in social media is set up your accounts. Here is a list of some of the major sites that you should start with. There really is a vast number of social media sites out there worldwide, and we'll talk about that in a later blog regarding this topic. But in North America these are the sites you'll want to focus on first:

• Twitter
•  Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Google+

• YouTube

Setting up these accounts is really quite easy. The sites take you through the set up process step-by-step. For that reason I'm not going to go through the steps here. However, be aware that setting up these accounts takes time, so block off a couple hours for yourself to ensure you aren't rushed and you do it right the first time.

I will however give you some pointers to help make your accounts more effective:

1.    Be sure to make your company accounts in your company name, not your own. This may seem like a silly tip but it can be overlooked. Remember your company social media account is a separate entity from you as a person. For example, use your business email instead of your personal email to set up all of your accounts. If more than one person will be managing your social media be sure to set up your sites with an account that can be accessed by all those involved.

2.    Be informative. Fill out the company information on each site. Usually this includes your company name and location, what if anything you specialize in and your contact information - including your website!

3.    Be concise. Nowhere is being concise so important as on social media sites. Don't write long paragraphs describing your business. Keep it short, sweet and informative so people can understand what your company is about in mere seconds.

4.    Decide how you want to connect with your audience. Before you go out there trying to get followers or fans, be sure you know how you want to connect with your audience. This is a particularly important if you have more than one person in your company doing your social media posts. Your answer to this question will vary considerably depending on the way you feel comfortable communicating. It may also depend on your company size, culture and the type of industry you're in. A personal trainer, for example, would more likely have a more personal approach in their social media efforts, maybe discussing some personal fitness goals and meal tips in a more casual manner. On the other hand, a large oil and gas corporation or municipality would more likely take an arm's length approach, discussing the news and events in their industry. However these aren't rules that are set in stone. Social media is for the most part still undiscovered territory, so keep your mind open to possibilities when it comes to how you communicate.

5.    Start posting. Once you have set up your account and know how you want to communicate, start doing some posts. Some companies do 15+ posts a day while others only do one or two. The number of posts you choose depends on your time, your audience and your personal preference. The important thing to remember here is not the number of posts you do, but it's the quality of the posts and how they market your business and hopefully attract followers, fan and potential clients. We will offer some tips on how your can do higher quality posts in an upcoming blog called Tips for Quality Social Media Marketing.