Top 3 Social Media Networks To Use in 2012
With the explosion in popularity of social media, more small businesses are looking for ways to create and implement a social media marketing strategy. After all, don’t you want to market where all your potential customers are? Even more important, don’t you want to have your product or service mentioned in the social media networks that people are going to be visiting in the future as well? With this logic in mind, this article will discuss what the top 3 social media networks will be in 2012.
Social Media Networks to Watch | Pinterest
What is Pinterest? Pinterest is a visual bulletin board for the Web that thrives on eye appealing yet simple images of ideas for the home. These images are then grouped together on a user’s page, creating an inspirational board of ideas.
Pinterest statistics: As the chart above shows, Pinterest has been growing quickly. As of December of 2011, Pinterest had over 7 million users, a 4000% increase in the prior 6 months. Does this growth make Pinterest seem like one of the types of social media networks with which your business should be involved?
Pinterest terms: As is the case with most social media networks, Pinterest has it’s own ‘lingo’ that is exclusive to its site. Here are some of the most commonly used Pinterest Terms:
— Pin: A pin is an image added to Pinterest. You can link to an image from a Web site or upload an image from your computer. Pins can include captions, like “A great way to reuse a coffee creamer bottle.”
— Repin: Once something is pinned, it can then be repinned by other Pinterest users. This is how content spreads virally. If you see something you like on Pinterest.com, repin it to share it with your friends.
— Board: This is where your pins live. You can have separate boards for subjects such as a wedding, rooms in your house or favorite recipes.
How does Pinterest work for small businesses? Using Pinterest for self-promotion is frowned upon on the site. As a consumer, I appreciate that type of barrier. As a marketer, I want to penetrate that barrier. The best way to ‘promote’ yourself on Pinterest is to be very creative in your methods. Here’s an example: “For instance, if you own a landscaping company, consider creating multiple boards withflowers you love, examples of stylish patio furniture or even favorite tools you use on the job,” a Micro Business Perspectives article says. You may also want to make your business more “Pinterest-friendly,” perhaps by making it easy for anyone on Pinterest to pin your products by adding a “Pin It” button to product pages. http://www.thestreet.com/story/11391971/1/3-things-you-should-know-about-small-business-jan-31.html?cm_ven=GOOGLEN
Social Media Networks to Watch | Google+
What is Google+? Google+ is the social media network that allows you to interact with and share multiple forms of media, such as text, pictures, and videos, with others in groups. Google+ differs from Facebook, Twitter, and other social media networks because of ‘Circles’ and ‘Hangouts’. Cirlces allows the user to separate its friends and followers by interests and promote media to specific circles of interest only. Hangouts is a video conferencing network where people in Circles and perform a video conference call with chat and document sharing capabilities for free.
Google+ Statistics: In February 2012, it was announced that Google+ had eclipsed 100 million member mark, and it took a little over 6 months to get there. It is even projected to reach 400 million (half of Facebook’s total users) by the end of 2012. Given the importance of Google to the search engines and the quick pace in which it reached 100 million members, do you think that you should be part of the social media network?
Google+ Terms: Google+ has it’s own unique terms, such as is the case with most social media networks. Here are some of the most common terms associated with Google+:
— +1: Hitting the +1 button on Google+ is akin to hitting the ‘Like’ button on Facebook. It’s a way to acknowledge a picture, video, text, or post on Google+ and share with others.
— Hangouts On-Air: Give users the ability to create instant webcasts over Google+. The broadcasts can also be recorded for later retrieval. This feature is currently limited to select video-cast personalities.
— Sparks: Are a front-end to Google Search, enabling users to identify topics they might be interested in sharing with others.
— Ripples: creates an interactive graphic of the public shares of any public post on Google+ to show you how a post has rippled through the network and help you discover new and interesting people to follow.
How to set up a Google+ Page? Watch the video below, compliments of Social Media In 7 Minutes:
How does Google+ work for small businesses? Google+ recently launched Google+ Pages, which is designed to allow Google+ users to create and design their very own business brand page. The biggest benefit to Google+ Brand Pages is that it’s part of Google and will have benefits of horizontal integration as well as search engine optimization perks. Google+ will integrate smoothly with other Google products, such as Google Chrome and YouTube with customized apps that will make sharing information very simple. Also, Google will continue rolling out updates, such as the Google Social Search, which will allow user’s search results to be influenced by their Google+ friends. While still in it’s infancy stage, Google+ Pages will take off greatly and help businesses get found in 2012.
Social Media Networks to Watch | YouTube
What is YouTube? YouTube is a video-sharing website, created in February 2005, where users can upload, view and share videos. Most of the videos on YouTube is user-generated video content, including movie clips, TV clips, and music videos, as well as amateur content such as video blogging and short original videos.
YouTube Statistics: How about 3 billion views per day and over 1 trillion views per year? To put this in perspective, more video is uploaded in two months than the three major U.S. networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) combined created in six decades. Do you think that a properly optimized video on YouTube will have an audience?
YouTube Terms: As with Pinterest and Google+, YouTube has some of its own unique terms as well. Here are some of the terms unique to the social media network:
— YouTube Partner Program– The YouTube Partner program allows users to post original content on their YouTube page and earn money from their videos on YouTube through revenue sharing by allowing relevant advertisements to be displayed with your videos, or by making them available for rental via streaming.
— Channel – A user’s page for their videos. It’s the YouTube equivalent of a profile, basically.
— Subscriber – When someone subscribes to your channel, they get automatic updates every time you post a video. A lot of people like to get a lot of subscribers just to show off.
— Playlists – Playlists are a good way of organizing videos. For example, someone could make a ‘Cute Cat Videos’ playlist and fill it with videos they find of cute cats. Simple as that.
— Favorites -Basically, if you like a video, add it to your favorites list where it will be easier to find the next time you want to watch it.
How does YouTube work for small businesses? Video marketing is one of the most popular trends, and the biggest reason why YouTube is one of the top 3 social media networks to keep an eye on this year is that video marketing should explode this year. More people prefer learning through video, and the costs and ease of creating and distributing videos is very low. Small businesses can create video product demonstrations, how to guides, provide video tours, as well as show client testimonials. Here is another video detailing some video marketing tips for YouTube: