{"id":735,"date":"2015-11-04T14:08:12","date_gmt":"2015-11-04T22:08:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.checkworks.com\/blog\/?p=735"},"modified":"2015-11-05T08:47:58","modified_gmt":"2015-11-05T16:47:58","slug":"have-you-overlooked-these-two-powerful-marketing-tools-part-ii-social-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.checkworks.com\/index.php\/have-you-overlooked-these-two-powerful-marketing-tools-part-ii-social-media\/","title":{"rendered":"Have You Overlooked These Two Powerful Marketing Tools? Part II: Social Media"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"MILAN,<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By MJ Plaster<\/p>\n

In Part I<\/a>, we looked at blogs as a tool to engage and inspire your audience and to build trust. Part II covers an honest look at social media, its demographics, uses and best practices. Overlook these two powerful marketing tools at your peril because the ROI is significant in keeping your base and expanding it.
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\nThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly<\/strong>
\nSocial media is continually evolving, so what you read here could change next week. It\u2019s the nature of social media to bend to its users and to the society\u2019s dictates.<\/p>\n

Savvy businesses learn how to leverage these growing, captive audiences. As the audiences grow, so does the pool of potential customers. While groupthink runs rampant, it can have a positive impact on the bottom line if you can tap into it and keep it from turning against you (think Yelp).<\/p>\n

Audience participation is declining in the old media, and advertising dollars have followed the viewer exodus. The good news? You can use social media for the good of your business instead of letting it using you.<\/p>\n

Two distinct audiences populate social media. One group collects \u201cfriends\u201d and \u201cfollowers,\u201d and the other gathers information. Many of us who snicker at social media and wouldn\u2019t be caught dead with an account use it anonymously to collect information, discount codes, etc. The key is to tap into the \u201cgatherers\u2019\u201d mindset and market.<\/p>\n

When Madame Tussauds introduces a wax likeness of its first YouTube star, it signals the important of social media. (See the video.)<\/a><\/p>\n

Learn the Rules and Play by Them<\/strong>
\nBe sure you understand the Terms of Service for each of the platforms. Otherwise, you risk losing your account. Privacy settings are complicated and ever-changing. It\u2019s best to do a search for up-to-date tutorials to help you select the settings. Be aware that at least one platform claims the copyright to your posts.<\/p>\n

Social Media Reach: Fertile Ground for the Pickin\u2019s<\/strong>
\nThere\u2019s no question that Facebook reigns supreme. However, Twitter, LinkedIn and even YouTube and Pinterest can boost your marketing campaign. There\u2019s overlap among the users, but where else can you tap into these numbers without spending a fortune on advertising?<\/p>\n

Facebook, the Current Darling of the Social Media Empire<\/strong>
\nI\u2019ll bet when you read the words \u201csocial media,\u201d your mind immediately jumped to Facebook. For June 2015, the company claims<\/a>:<\/p>\n