IT Solutions Providers: Shhh, Here's The Secret Behind Every Great Social Media Strategy

By Jody Costa, Director of Marketing, Barcoding, Inc.

Somewhere along the line, someone in your organization probably said, “Hey, we need to get on social media!” So maybe someone set up a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and LinkedIn profile. Maybe you even updated these a few times. But chances are, if I asked how your social media program was going, I would be met with a less than unenthusiastic response … it takes too much time; we’re out of content; it’s too expensive; (and my personal favorite) it’s just not working.

But here’s the thing — all of these excuses miss the point entirely. In fact, thinking that you have to “do social media” is completely wrong. Here’s the secret that all successful companies realize — social media isn’t a part of your business. It’s not something you do separate from everything else. Social media IS your business. It is, plain and simple, how we communicate with people in our ecosystem, from partners to employees to customers.

Let’s run down the most popular social networks and how they are used.

• Facebook — appropriate if you need to communicate on a personal level, especially through photos. Great for cultivating your unique brand (especially with employees) and for relaxing a bit in your communication style.

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