There are so many social media platforms out there that it can be hard to know which ones are right for your business.  Try to use them all and you can lose track of your business trying to keep up.  But miss the important ones and you could miss the boat on the power of social media marketing.

One of the fastest growing platforms out now is Pinterest.  Pinterest is a virtual pin board.  Think of the big bulletin board at a school or church where you find announcements, pictures of events, etc.  Pinterest is where you pin up anything, and everything, you find interesting.  You can organize your pins onto different boards and people can then follow you or even just follow specific boards.

Pinterest is a great place to visually share your business.  Even if you are not a great photographer, you can pin from other web sties, even your own!  Not to mention you can repin from other members that have the same interests just as they can from you (think viral).

The customization available on Pinterest is different from that of the other social networks.  You cannot change your wallpaper or upload banners but you can have a logo and a blip about your company in addition to leveraging the space around your pins with links and content.  You can even link pins to your web site or specific landing pages.

Finally, Pinterest does not require the same amount of monitoring that the other social networks require.  The design of the site is creates a lot more viral opportunity so creating a good page is key to leveraging Pinterest for your business.

Have you been considering increasing your social presence?  Whether it is on Facebook, Twitter, or writing a blog, it is all about the content writing.

In this day and age, many people are outsourcing their content writing.  Yes, sometimes that tweet really did not come from your favorite celebrity. Instead of spending valuable time engaging fans, some choose to maximize by hiring a skilled writer to do it for them.

So how do you know if outsourcing is right for you?  Consider these factors:

•  Do you have the time? Can you spare 2-3 hours a week developing your social image
• Do you have the savvy?  Can you comfortably navigate the platform you want to leverage?
• Do you have the resources?  You may want to consider utilizing a team member to subsidize the content you are producing.  Is there any one on your tem that you feel has the voice of your company?

If you decide to outsource, be sure to find the right fit.  There is a huge influx of outsourcing to India and other low-income countries; doing this can be dangerous to your business.  Be sure to find a content creator that has successful experience in writing for either your specific industry or in a variety of industries.

Know that good content takes research.  Even though the content may only take 2-3 hours to write, allowing time for appropriate research is invaluable.  Of course you want to find a good bargain but you also get what you pay for.  You are, after all, developing the face of your business.  People will associate the quality of what you offer for free with the quality of what you want them to pay for.

So whether you are going to tackle it yourself or you are ready to turn over the reigns, content marketing is a necessary truth in successful business today.

It’s Media Monday again!  You may remember Joan Rivers and her famous tag line, “Can we talk?” Well I was thinking that she might be on to something.

In social media, it is important to engage your audience. Simply talking at them will not do the trick.  You have to socialize with your fans and show them that you care what they think.

According to Hubspot, 95% of brands do not respond to comments made by Facebook users on Facebook.  This is an awesome opportunity for you to stand out from the crowd.  Simply responding to posts or questions is a great way to nurture lasting relationships with your customers.

It is all about being engaging.  The more you talk to people, the more they will talk to you.  Asking open-ended questions like “what do you think…” will encourage interaction.  Keep in mind if they answer your questions try to comment on their response.  Acknowledgement is the second highest form of flattery.

Think of social media as a big party. Are you going to be a wallflower, or will people be standing in line to talk to you?

It is another installment of Media Monday and today I was thinking about email marketing.

Email marketing has come a long way from the spam it once was.  The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 and subsequent revisions have allowed legitimate businesses to reach clients in a welcomed way.

A good solid opt-in list, meaning all of the recipients requested to get emails from you, is the best way to stay in touch with both current and immediately potential clients.

Current customers, or customer that have previously purchased your product or service, can be kept up to date on new developments in your company or industry.  It is a great way to keep your clients engaged without having to rely on another social media avenue.

Immediately potential customers are those that have interest in what you offer, but have not yet decided to buy.  These people have opted into your newsletter in order to learn more and you need to capture their attention.

Go an upcoming event? Sale? New product?  What better way to showcase this than in a well crafted email campaign?  You can write as little or as much as you deem necessary and add as many or as few photos as you want.

These days it is easier than ever to get professional looking email campaigns even if you are not tech savvy.  Check out www.constantcontact.com, www.mailchimp.com  or www.activecampaign.com (among others) and get started today!