A Digital Printing Network
Anyone else using social networking?
One of my goals this year was to increase my social networking presence. I have updated my twitter account (StevenJacksonIW), worked on the MyVersaCAMM facebook page (see link on the right hand side of the home page), and worked on updating my linked in presence. I have tried a few social networking tools like pingfm, hootsuite and Seesmic. Anyone else doing all this stuff? If anyone wants to share thier pages or twitter accounts, I would be more than happy to follow or like them to try and build all of us up in social presence. Let me know what oyur experiences are out there and what works for you.
So far I have found out it is a LOT of work! :-)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ray on -
Have been working on the social sites also. And yes it does eat up a lot of time!
FaceBook: DigitalCrayon
Twitter: DigiCrayonPrint
linkdin setup also
Merchant Circle page setup also
Google Places!
Google Local
Yahoo Local
bing
Oh also have an online store.
Way to many to work on.
Ray
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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Jackson on -
I have the Linked In & Facebook stuff going but was recently introduced to merchant circle. How does that really work? Is it like Linked In?
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Permalink Reply by Ray on
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Merchant Circle, from what I can tell so far, is more like a search engine. A search engine modeled after the Yellow Pages. Then they added a few social site features. They also constantly want to sell you the next best feature they come up with. I guess you could say they are a commercial version of face book.
Ray
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Permalink Reply by Steven Jackson on -
Ray - I am now following you on Twitter and FB. Nice FB site. I find it hard to keep up all the content.
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Permalink Reply by William Desrochers on -
It is indeed alot of work setting up your company with social sites. So far, I've been disappointed with them. They are not working out for me in my case.
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Permalink Reply by SMR Digital Creations on -
Wonderful post Steven! This is a much debated topic as it is but I'm always so glad to discuss it. To start off, YES social media takes a ton of time, but let me tell you it's well worth it and will become even more worth it a few years down the line. Social media in general is a different part of marketing that isn't the tradition outbound marketing that we are use to. As the newer techni-capable generation begins to grow up and get into business themselves outbound marketing (print ads, television ads, email blasts, cold calls, trade shows, ect.) will become more filtered and less effective while inbound marketing techniques (SEO, viral advertisement, blogs, webinars, feeds, rss, and social medias) become not only the standard for acquiring leads but more effective overall. Social networking plays a big role in all of this. Not only are you better able to track interest in your company but you are also getting higher quality clients.
So lets break down real quick how the social media works for you. Social networking is like sitting in a rocking chair in the middle of a busy mall. You aren't really in the way and only people who are interested will come up to you and complement your beard. Once you've got them in your area, you already know they want beards, so you have quality clients who you don't need to put your big crazy sales beard on for but rather are already interested and want beards themselves. Social networking helps take all the heavy lifting out of beard sales, all you have to do is make sure your client is getting the right beard. Not only does social media help with your web presence and inbound marketing, it also provides very valuable back-links to your website. In-short, facebook for example, links back to your website which in turn gives it popularity. Google sees this popularity and asks where it comes from, finds out and ranks you up because it considers facebook a credible site.
Lets review, social networking helps get the word out about your company/beards, is industry standard, brings in leads, and enhances your overall credibility on the web.Now for some useful advice on social networking.
Facebook - Post at least once a day. Combine it with your twitter with their facebook app. Spend a few minutes each day checking your facebook as well as other social medias. Make a facebook page so you can monitor your impact. Be active on the facebook community; if your clients feel that you care, they'll come back. Basic business practice.Twitter - If you aren't posting a couple times a day on twitter then you shouldn't have on at all. A neglected twitter looks even worse than not having one. Combine your twitter with ever other social network that you can possible combine it with.
Myspace - Ignore. At one time this was a very viable option. Facebook has 720 million people, myspace has 25 million people, many of whom have facebooks as well. If you have the time, myspace is great but I can guarantee your time can be better spent.Blog - Have one hosted on your website. blog.website.com or website.com/blog, no exceptions! none of this blogsite.com/mybeard stuff, no one likes that, it doesn't look professional. If a person is coming to you for a service and they notice that your web presence appears to be as simple as that of their 9 year old child, they will not respect your professionalism period. <- Theres another period but that one just ends the sentence. <- and another | Update your blog a few times a week and pay attention to emails about your blog, a lot of discussion from your blog posts can give you more blogging ideas. Unless your blog is just super complicated and important, keep it simple and condensed. A lot of people don't have a million years to read your 10,000 word long blog post about bears with beards.
LinkedIn and other sites like it - Have them or don't. Don't neglect them but don't focus on them. The end.
Digg, StumbleUpon and sites such as this - Have them. Keep your blog posts up on them. In the end they provide interest and back-links.Now... as for actually implementing all of this. Just sit down and do it. Figure out exactly the presence you want on the web, make a list, formulate a plan and just do it. Its going to take time to get it started and start getting interest but the end results are phenomenal.
How do I keep mine updated? Not very well, but I try :) A great way to keep all this stuff updated is interns. You don't have to pay them and they don't feel like they're working when they get to play on the social networks.
Any questions?
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Permalink Reply by Steven Jackson on
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Wow! that is giving me a lot to think about. What are your links to the different media sites so we can link up? :-)
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Permalink Reply by irving donaldson on -
@smr great stuff
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Permalink Reply by SMR Digital Creations on
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I'll have to post all the links later :) We are completely swamped with boring business stuff right now. I'll do everything I can to share useful knowledge with the community. I understand how important community is for any business large or small, so I hope to make an even bigger impression here and really get some things kicked off in the way of knowledge. Like always, advice is always free :)
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Permalink Reply by Wendy on -
Ray, you need a FB link on your website! When I put "Digital Crayon" in at FB I get someone who does building rendering?
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Permalink Reply by Ruth Ann Van Vranken on
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I need to figure out this whole "social networking thing". I have a personal facebook account and need to create a Silver Griffin Shirts one, however I'm stuck as to what to do with it, set up facebook pages, etc. SMR recommends posting/updating facebook at least once a day (great post by the way) - my first thought is "...and I'm going to say what?" Given that I actually am a computer geek, Facebook makes me feel like a luddite. Wilcom's latest email annoucing ver 2 of EmbroideryStudio takes you out to their FB page....I did look at Lowes and a few other companies that were using Facebook to promote their companies and sales through the Christmas shopping season last month, but I'm still having difficulty seeing/finding the application to our garment decorating/digital printing businesses outside of facebook being a basic web presence with another URL. Wilcom's latest email annoucing ver 2 of EmbroideryStudio takes you out to their FB page....
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