Introduction to Social Mediafor Skills South East

Presented by Mark Walker

Introduction to Social Media

• Your Questions About Social Media

• Where are we now?• Getting to grips with social media– Listen, look, learn– Be useful– Review and improve

• Next Steps

Outcomes from this session

• Have a better understanding of how social media could help your business

• Begin to review your current use of social media

• Identify next steps– Individuals– Organistion

Where are you now?

What is social media?

What is Social Media?

• Podcasting• Blogs• Video-sharing• Microblogging • Delicious• Social Bookmarking• Document-sharing• Video Conferencing• Doodle• Wordpress

• LinkedIn• Google Docs• Twitter• Ning• Yammer• Slideshare• SurveyMonkey• Wikis• Email forums• Bulletin boards

What is Social Media for?

• Marketing• Sales• Communications• Information• Interaction• Trust

More Effective Communications

Better Services

We are changing the waywe make decisions.We are changing the waywe make decisions.

We still listen to whatthe seller saysWe still listen to whatthe seller says

… but we are paying MUCH more attention to what buyers think

… but we are paying MUCH more attention to what buyers think

Who is Using Social Media?

• Young People• Older People• Wealthy People• Poor People

• Your Clients• Your Colleagues• Your Friends• Your Family• Your Suppliers• Your Contractors

What are they using Social Media for?• Entertainment, education, health, work• Asking questions and sharing answers• Making recommendations• Checking technical information• Supporting one another• Creating communities• Bypassing mainstream answers • Building relationships

Get to grips with Social Media

The Problem with Social Media

• Too Many Choices• Too Little Time• Too Little Direction

• Evidence

• Patience• Focus• Routine• Measurement

The Problem The Solution

Step 1: Listen, Look and Learn

• Where to look– Facebook– Twitter– LinkedIn– Cricket Blogs/Podcasts– Argus Forums

Tune in using Tweetdeck

Step 2: Be Useful in Your Network

• Listen• Share what you know

– Comments, reviews, ratings• Help where you can

– Retweet, signposting, responding• Use your knowledge and intellectual assets to build a profile and enhance your reputation

Step 3: Measure and Improve

• Small Steps• Adjust Your Routine• Build a Network• Be Patient• Be Selective• Be Focused

Step 3: Measure and Improve

Normalise your social media evaluation - remember, this is just another media type.

Don't do it in isolation - integrate it with your mainstream media analysis so you have the ability to view a complete and comparable media landscape

Chartered Institute of Public Relations Guide to Social Media

Step 3: Measure and Improve

• Spreadsheet– Hits, friends, posts, comments, polls– Sales, margins, costs

• Track links using www.bit.ly– What are people interested in?

• Communications campaigns– Direct costs, people’s time, trends

Next Steps

• Start with where you are now– Marketing– Commmunications– Audiences

• Set achievable goals• Understand your networks• Share what you know• Be useful

How long does it take?

Make it part of your routine

20-30 minutes a day• Update your website/blog• Post comments • Tweet useful links and news• RT useful links and new• Talk to colleagues, clients, partners• Recommend something

Make it part of your routine

Marketing and communications plans• Audience• Key messages• Keywords• Added value• Reputation• Integrated campaigns

Next Steps: Individual

• Learning by Doing, eg– I will install Tweetdeck and spend 20 minutes a day researching the use of social media in my field

– I will talk to my clients about their use of social media

– I will include social media tactics in my marketing plans

Next Steps: Organisation

• Marketing– Research + website + other online

• Strategy– Income + research + services

• Human Resources– Skills + training + job descriptions

Wall and Pleece Support

Brand / Marketing Social Media auditFit with existing marketing strategyTraining and support to implement strategyBi-weekly meetings • Campaign management• Key messages, goals, support needs• Measuring activity/analysis of results• Adjusting/updating strategy• Teamwork and one-to-one support

Useful Guides

• Introduction to Social Media for Business– Wall and Pleece http://bit.ly/g14ezv

• www.icrossing.co.uk/what-we-think– eBook: What is Social Media?

• www.nixonmcinnes.co.uk– Marketing Guides

• www.cipr.co.uk/socialmedia– Chartered Institute of Public Relations

• Me and My Web Shadow– http://amzn.to/9paTvZ

Keep In Touch

Email mark@wallandpleece.co.ukgary@wallandpleece.co.uk

Web www.wallandpleece.co.uk www.markwalker.net

Twitter @scipmarkLinkedIn scipmark

www.slideshare.net/scipmarkTel +44 (0) 1273 44 70 01