Interactive video lesson plan for: How to Build Your Business with Social Media (presented by Kodak)

Nutella Bread Recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eHPkpCGdEY

Watch more How to Use Social Media videos: http://www.howcast.com/videos/390562-How-to-Build-Your-Business-with-Social-Media-presented-by-Kodak

No matter the size of your business, you've got to be where your customers are. In today's economy, that means being active in social media. Here's how to take advantage of this communication revolution.

Step 1: Understand where your customers are
Understand where your customers are – social media is not just a fad among young people. Those 25 and over account for 84 percent of Twitter users, and the fastest growing demographic for Facebook is people over 35. More than 5 billion pieces of content, such as web links, news stories, and photos, are shared on Facebook every week. Use market research to find out which social media platforms your customers frequent, and plan your activity on those sites.

Tip
Social media is a global phenomenon. About 70 percent of Facebook's more than 400 million active users are outside the U.S.

Step 2: Create a policy
Be aware that employees may have personal blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other social media connections. Create a comprehensive social media policy to protect both individuals and the company as a whole. Encourage truthful, respectful posts that also protect confidential information, and take online security risks seriously.

Step 3: Get help
Find reinforcements. Enlist social media-savvy people in your organization to contribute to company blogs, Twitter feeds, and more. This not only provides content for your business, it gives you a wider social base for your online campaign.

Step 4: Choose to engage
Engage in a two-way conversation. Don't just inform people about company products and events; add value to your social media strategy by sharing industry news, linking to outside web sites, and responding to comments. The stronger your relationship with your customers, the more they'll spread the word about your business.

Step 5: Don't hide from negative comments
Don't hide from negative feedback. Ignoring social media won't prevent critical comments; negative conversations will continue without you. Instead, take the opportunity to address concerns, improve your product, and understand your customers.

Tip
You can't please everybody all of the time. If the commenter is plainly unreasonable, move on.

Step 6: Amplify your current strategy
Amplify your current strategy. Get ahead of the conversation by listening for new opportunities to meet customer needs. Augment conventional forms of communication like press releases and traditional events like trade shows with social media components that engage your customers and maximize your investment.

Tip
Social media can serve as a high-visibility outlet for content you already produce. Uploading a video to YouTube makes it available to the site's 375 million yearly unique visitors.

Step 7: Measure results
Determine what success means for your business and how to measure it. Track metrics that are driven from social media efforts, such as sales leads, direct purchases, search engine rankings, online and press mentions, and site traffic, and use that information to fine-tune your strategy. By being active in social media, you can reach customers and build your business in a whole new way.

Did You Know?
Every day, people take about 45 million pictures with Kodak digital cameras or Kodak film. Go to kodak.com/go/followus to learn more about Kodak’s innovative social media strategies.

Tagged under: build,business,social,media,kodak,metrics,customers,Facebook,Twitter,communication