Below are 5 areas to help you measure your Social Media success and consider making changes for 2011:

Honest Benchmark – It starts with an honest review of where you are at in Social Media.  I am assuming if you are reading this post you are one of the many businesses which implemented Social Media this year.  If I was meeting with you in person I would ask if you followed through with your Social Media strategy and goals this year.  So many businesses jump into Social Media with great plans and a minimal strategy only to decide to abandon Social Media because they realize it takes more than just setting up a few profiles.  Even some of our clients at Square Martini Media after creating a detailed Social Media strategy discovered in the process that Social Media is a big of a commitment and had to reconsider moving forward.  Social Media takes someone within a company or a firm like ours actual hours, time, and money to make successful.

Review Analytics – Use Google Analytics or something similar to review your site traffic for the year.  If you are using Social Media as a marketing tool to bring traffic to your hub (website or blog) you should clearly see what areas within Social Media are working and which one are not.  This is a great way to discover opportunities while having some reality checks at the same time.  What worked and what can be improved on?  Are there areas within Social Media that you are spending a lot of time yet not getting the desired results?    Make the decision to change or abandoned what is not working and focus your resources on new strategies or expanding what is working.

Blogging and Facebook Business Pages – Are you creating new content?  Did you commit to a certain amount of posts this year and did you follow through?  Have you adjusted your posting calendar for both your blog and Facebook business page this year and have your reviewed the results?  Are there certain topics, themes, or discussions that seem to be more successful than others?  For many businesses their blog can be the majority of the traffic for their site.  Take some time and discover the posts that are still driving traffic to your website and how you might expand on them for 2011.

Social Media Profiles – When is the last time you updated your Linkedin Profile?  And speaking of profiles have you seen your Facebook profile lately?  Many business owners set up a profile and never look back.  Business goals and messages change, make sure your message is congruent with both your personal and business brands.  Block out time to review and make needed adjustments to your main Social Media profiles.

Show me the money! – Let’s talk about sales!  If you are using Social Media to create sales make sure to review your sales and see where they are coming from.  Is the time, effort, and money you are spending on Social Media bringing new sales to your business?  I have to make it clear that I am assuming you are tracking your sales.  Not kind of tracking or broadly tracking, but really making sure that you and every employee is making every possible effort to identify where each and every sale is coming from.  I have talked to many business owners this year who swear they are tracking their sales.  Typically when I dig deeper and ask more questions about their sales they realize they are not tracking as well as they thought.  This is one of the biggest mistakes made in business today.  You must have great sales tracking to know if Social Media or any marketing strategy is working.  If you cannot clearly identify sales from Social Media it is time to adjust your tracking methods.

This is just a starting point for your Social Media marketing review and I would welcome any additional suggestions via comments below.  Make a commitment right now to not close 2010 without insuring your Social Media success for 2011!

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A person can have only one personal Facebook account but unlimited business pages?

Facebook regulations require that each person have only one account that is listed in a personal name (not in the name of a business).  However, you can add Facebook “pages” for most businesses in addition to your personal page.  A facebook page functions much like your personal page.

Facebook calls this feature “pages”.

This feature is listed under “Advertising” at the bottom of all Facebook pages.

Example:

http://www.facebook.com/squaremartini

http://www.facebook.com/vw

We know you’ve seen lots of Facebook pages and “Like” buttons everywhere.  However, do you continue to see friend requests from businesses?  We do!  Those businesses that choose to use personal profiles versus business “pages” in facebook sacrifice many business benefits which facebook has built for businesses.  One of the biggest benefits is the ability to send an update to all of your fans/likers.

What are some of your favorite Facebook pages?  Have you visited our Square Martini page yet?  Join our conversation today and tell us your feedback!

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Everybody else is doing it, right?  All types of companies are turning to Social Media.  Large fortune 100 companies, big local companies, all the way down to your favorite coffee shop down the street.  Is everyone just jumping on the band wagon or is this social media stuff really working?

Is it because you do not want to be left behind?  The companies that are building their social media presence now, creating great content online, and attracting an online following, are the ones that will continue to grow at a rapid pace.  Those companies starting now will be far ahead of anyone jumping into the social media pool a year from now.

Maybe there are other reasons?  Maybe its because you see your competitors using social media.  Maybe you are interested in social media because it is all the rage…  Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, and blogging are the current buzz words and you want to be a part of that buzz.

The reason why you see big brands using Facebook instead of their website is they want to create a presence where their customers are spending their time.   Everyone is doing it because social media works.  The companies with a strategy are attracting new business using social media as you are reading this.

The reasons why your business should get started with social media are endless.  The most important thing is to get started and figure out how social media can work for you and your business.  Take the time to listen to what is being said on Facebook and Twitter about your business, brand, or industry.  Research the web and read blogs that mention your business name.  Find out what your customers are saying about you and your brand online.  Use Facebook, Twitter, and blogs learn before you jump in!  And most importantly… get started now!

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For Facebook users you now have the ability to check in and share where you are at in real time with your Facebook friends.  Each time you check in to a new location your check in is posted on your wall for all you friends to see.  You can also view any of your Facebook friends that may be in the same location as well as tag friends that are with you in your check in.  With Facebook Places you can also view where all your friends are checking in and add comments to their check ins.

The big debate that continues to go on surrounding Facebook is privacy.  With the addition of Places this becomes even more of a concern for some users.  If you are one of these users don’t worry, you can disable Facebook Places if you choose.

Location based applications are not new to smart phones or Facebook users.  We have seen dramatic growth and acceptance in two similar applications Foursquare and Gowalla.  Both of these networks are very different then what you currently see in Places.  In fact Facebook Places has already been called totally boring by Foursquare co-founder Dennis Crowley as well as many Facebook users we have discussed Places with.  As a business active in social media you should be aware of these networks as they provide you with valuable customer information and interaction.  Recently we gave you reasons why your business should be participating on Foursquare and many these reasons will eventually carry over to Places.  Until now Foursquare has been the leading check in location based application and only time will tell if Foursquare and Gowalla can survive against Facebook Places and it’s 500 million users.

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Watch the latest video of “The Social Media Minute” to get ideas on how to use twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin to promote your next event:

Let’s recap on how to use Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin for your upcoming events:

1)  Use status updates on Facebook and Linkedin leading up to the event. Many of your followers, friends, and connections will  spread the word and promote for you!  New connections will learn more about you and possibly attend the event.

2)  Link the event before it happens with ALL the  people and businesses associated with the event (anyone hosting, being a guest, or sponsoring the event). The more people that are linked in this event, the more traffic and awareness will be directed to it.  We all want more buzz right? (You can link to other people in facebook simply by using the @ symbol. You must be facebook friends with them for this function to work.)

• If Square Martini Media was part of your event, you could include @SquareMartini in your tweets about the event.
• On facebook, you could include our facebook business page in your updates by using @squaremartini. This would link our business page to your update.  You might also write on the Square Martini Media Facebook wall about the event.
• On Linkedin you can add the Square Martini Media founders as attending or presenting at your event.

3)  “Tweet” to or “Invite” all your friends on twitter, Facebook and Linkedin. It helps spread the word and gives people time to plan to be there. The more people that commit to attend your event, the more virale buzz you create.

I hope you enjoyed the Social Media Minute and I look forward to your thoughts and comments.  Please subscribe to the Square Martini Media YouTube channel and if you have a question you would like covered on the Social Media Minute, let us know by giving us your Social Media Minute Question.

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Facebook is the #1 website online.  More people are on Facebook then any other website, it’s where people are spending time.  As a business owner you want to position yourself and your business where people spend their time.  This makes Facebook a very important tool which could generate a huge amount of referrals for you and your business.

Take a look at this week’s Social Media Minute focusing on using your personal Facebook profile to generate new referrals, customers, and business.

In case you missed the update examples I used in the video here they are with a few more examples:

Talking about business on your Facebook profile:

• Updating with this video
• Updating with your current business blog post
• Updating with industry news, something you think your network would enjoy while educating them about what you do or what you are about

Talking about personal events on your Facebook profile:

• Hiking on the beach
• New family additions
• Your favorite social or charitable cause
• A simple picture of a beautiful sunset

I hope you enjoyed the Social Media Minute and I look forward to your thoughts and comments.  Please subscribe to the Square Martini Media YouTube channel and if you have a question you would like covered on the Social Media Minute please let us know by giving us your Social Media Minute Question.

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1. Log on to facebook
2. Search for “extended info” in the facebook search at the top right of your facebook profile.  Extended info will be the first application listed.  Click on View Application to the right.  You will then land on the Extended Info facebook fan page.  Click on the blue Go to Application box on the top left.
3. You will now need to fill in some information in the Extended Info page.
   • Add the image url, you can create your own follow me on twitter image or you can use this one.  Just open the link in a new tab or window
   • Copy link and past into the Image url
   • Add the link url, my link url is http://www.twitter.com/alanunderkofler
   • You can add a header or caption if you want.  View my facebook profile to see how the header looks.
   • Dimensions:  You can change this if you want buy the default is set to add the follow me on twitter badge to the left sidebar on your facebook profile
4. Save the changes
5. The Extended Info application will then ask if you want to share this with your friends.  If you decide to share the news it will show up on your news feed and you may attract a few new twitter followers.
6. The next step is to add the badge to your profile.  To do this look at the top right corner of the Extended Info Facebook Application for the blue Add to Profile box.  Just click on the box, choose the Wall or Boxes tab, it will then show you where it will be placed on your facebook profile for your approval.
7. The final step is to click on the link and make sure it goes to your twitter account.

If you found these seven steps helpful please help other facebook users my sharing this post on your facebook wall, tweeting this post on twitter, or stumbling it on StumbleUpon.  You can do this with ease by using the share this button below.

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1) Reconnect
With so many users on Facebook it’s become very easy to connect with friends, clients, and co-workers both current and past.  With each connection (friend) you have the opportunity to let people know what you are currently doing and possibly turn this connection into a new client.  It’s amazing the amount of new business you can create with old friends.

2) Expand your network
Meet new people in your target market within your target area.  This can be very local or you can expand your Facebook connections globally.  Members of a network like Facebook are open and want to network!  Just keep in mind accepting friend requests without engaging them will not expand your network…  Becoming part of the conversation is the key.

3) Personal Branding
Facebook allows you to promote yourself and your company.  The info tab within Facebook can be very detailed allowing your connections (friends) to learn more about you. Adding your websites and additional Social Media sites is highly recommended.  Facebook also allows you to update your status or what you are currently working.  This helps create conversation within your network, conversation creates relationships, relationships bring new clients and referrals.

4) Advertising
Facebook has a powerful advertising engine that enables businesses to specify a specific demographic target, see how many people that demographic will hit, and advertise to that demographic.  This is very similar to Google Adwords but targeted in the Facebook network.  Advertising success within Facebook will be different depending on your company but should be tested especially if you are currently advertising on Google Adwords.

5) Visibility
Staying top of mind with clients, prospects, and friends leads to more business and referrals.  By updating your status, adding pictures, and letting your network know what you are doing you are creating stronger relationships with very little effort.  I cannot express how valuable this is!  The more people you have in your network the more potential you have to create top of mind awareness with your connections.

6) Fan Pages
Pages give your business or brand an identity on Facebook.  With a Page, those interested and following your brand can become “fans”, and when they do so, all their friends will see this.  These Pages also add to your website SEO as they are indexed by Google!

7) Groups
Groups on Facebook are similar to Pages, but are meant to be built around a group of people rather than an individual business or brand.  Becoming part of a group helps you expand your network with potential clients.

Hopefully these 7 Top Reasons Facebook is a Must Have for Your Business has opened your eyes to the potential of Facebook for your business.  For those of you still deciding if it’s worth your time investment spend a moment digesting a few of the current Facebook demographics:

• 35-54 year old demographic segment continues to grow the fastest, but it accelerated to a 276.4% growth rate over the past 6 months This segment is doubling every 2 months!
• The 55+ demo is not far behind with a 194.3% growth rate
• The 25-34 year population on Facebook is doubling every 6 months
• There are more females (55.7%) than males (42.2%) on Facebook
• Over 26 million users on Facebook are living in the US

So the question for you is how many of your customers or potential customers are in Facebook and are you going to reach out to them?

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