Social media is taking over the world. Whether for business, or personal use, everyone needs to maintain an online presence. But with over 350 various networks in which to belong, it is all to easy to overwhelm yourself into abandoning the project all together.
The first phase is to determine where you should be marketing. Besides what I like to call "The Big 2" (Facebook and Twitter), most social media sites are designed to serve a specific function. Pinterest is better for people looking to use photos and visuals. However, if your looking to post written text and links, Tumblr is designed for blogs. For most businesses though, you shouldn't try to expand into all of these sites, just find the 3 or 4 that work for you.
In my experience, the best bet is to do what you know, and do it well. Unlike marketing for a brand, which needs a consistent aggressive presence over a wide range of networks; maintaining a personal online presence can be much more lax. So pick your favorite network, or your favorite few networks, and make them most of them. "Pimp" out your profile with apps and add-ons, post (appropriate) pictures, and let others know whats up with you. The real secret to successful social media networking is that your profile is not about you. It is about what you have to share with your friends.
A rookie mistake for social media newbies is also to have your twitter feed (or Facebook Status') linked to auto post to other networks (ie, linked in). Tweets are for twitter only. If you post everyone of your tweets to every single social network you are on, you will make your audience crazy. Twitter is designed to have a live stream of constantly updated recent news and events. 50 tweets in a day won't bother anyone on twitter, but 50 Status updates, will leave you with no Facebook friends. So Remember, each network is unique, with its own unique purpose a separate audience. "Target" your posts to the network you are using. For example, twitter followers tend to respond to updates about "trends" or current events, while your friends on linked in would appreciate a relevant blog post, link, or article.
By using each network as it is intended, you not only maximize your social presence, but you also eliminate the need for surplus accounts (and maybe save yourself some sanity... and time, you can spend interacting with human faces instead of computer monitors).
Several programs exist to allow you to do this cheaply and effectively. The most widely used being Hoot Suite. Hoot Suite allows you to post on multiple sites at once or just one. You select which sites and what to post, and when to post it. Take advantage of these programs if you aren't already, it will make your social media life easier and more efficient!
By: Will Pearlman
