Our Presentation Contents… A definition of Social Media How big is Social Media How can you use Social Media A definition of Social Authority How to be a Social Authority What does it cost Social Media Platforms Credits…

A Definition of Social Media? Social media are media for social interaction, using highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques. Social media uses web-based technologies to turn communication into interactive dialogues. Its a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, which allows the creation and exchange of user-generated content.

How BIG is Social Media? 96% of millennials born between 1980/2000 have social media accounts…with 221,000,000 Americans online…who spend 48% of their leisure time online…. FaceBook tops Google for weekly traffic is the US and if FaceBook was a country itd be the third Largest in the world…just behind China and India…

How BIG is Social Media? Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Spears have more Twitter followers than the populations of Sweden, Israel, Switzerland, Ireland, Norway and Panama combined!!! (with more than 29 million followers!) Sweden Israel Switzerland Ireland Norway Panama Romania too !

How BIG is Social Media? 80% of US companies use Social Media for recruitment and 95% of those same companies use LinkedIN as their business social media choice with more than 175+ million users! YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world, behind Google…with more than 2.7 billion searches a day….

How BIG is Social Media? For the first time ever, social network or blog sites are visited by 75% or three quarters of global consumers who go online… More people are using the mobile web to socialize (91%) compared to the 79% of desktop users who do the same. It appears that the mobile phone is actually a better platform for social networking than the PC…

How can One use Social Media? Thus, using social media as a form of marketing has taken on whole new challenges…as 72% of auto insurance shoppers use the web to find a new policy for example! It is most effective if marketing efforts through social media revolve around the genuine building of authority… As a result of social media – and the direct or indirect influence of social media marketers – today, consumers are as likely – or more likely – to make buying decisions based on what they read and see in platforms we call "social" but only if presented by someone they have come to trust…or….via Social Authority!

A Definition of Social Authority? What is Social Authority? One of the key components in successful social media marketing implementation is building "social authority. Social authority is developed when an individual or organization establishes themselves as an "expert" in their given field or area, thereby becoming an "influencer" in that field or area…

Why is Social Authority Valuable? Why can that be important to SME business owners? It is through this process of "building social authority" that social media becomes effective. That is why one of the foundational concepts in social media has become that you cannot completely control your message through social media but rather you can simply begin to participate in the "conversation" in the hopes that you can become a relevant influence in that conversation. However, this conversation participation must be cleverly executed because while people are resistant to marketing in general, they are even more resistant to direct or overt marketing through social media platforms…

How to Be A Social Authority? Your conversation participation with prospective customers must be cleverly executed…because they are even more resistant to direct or overt marketing through social media platforms… You can not expect people to be receptive to a marketing message in and of itself….from social media outlets… Your prospects most trusted company or product information coming from "people like me" -- inferred to be information from someone they trusted… So to become an Authority, you need to establish TRUST and CREDIBLE Authority to your marketplace….

A Rationale for Social Authority? Someone performing a "marketing" role within a company must honestly convince people of their genuine intentions, knowledge, and expertise in a specific area or industry through providing valuable and accurate information on an ongoing basis without a marketing angle overtly associated… If this can be done, trust with, and of, the recipient of that information – and that message itself – begins to develop naturally. This person or organization becomes a thought leader and value provider - setting themselves up as a trusted advisor instead of marketer. "Top of mind awareness" develops and the consumer naturally begins to gravitate to the products and/or offerings of the authority/influencer…

What does it Cost? SEO via a Social Media campaign is free dollar wise, it can be very expensive time wise! But this is NOT the kind of job you give to that millennial over in accounting….i.e. this should NEVER be a program that is run by anyone who is not passionate about your firm…your business and your customers or clients! You need to devote more than dollars to any Social Media campaign – you will need to devote time by providing the best experts they can find to both create, develop and then manage their online brand!

Social Media Platforms… Social media marketing includes ways to interact, communicate, and share with others, and the only requirement is that you both be on the same SM platform……and have a shared interest. For insurance agencies, this means that in addition to phone calls and s, you now have an additional way to establish and build relationships with your clients… You need to choose the platforms you wish to establish yourself and your firm as that Social Authority partner…so heres our 3 starters for your Firm to begin with…

FaceBook for Business… Facebook is a social application that allows you to connect with and stay in touch with friends, family, and acquaintances. Sharing Facebook Pages Business Accounts Facebook Insights Facebook Ads (not free) Facebook Places

LinkedIN for Business… LinkedIn connects you to your trusted contacts and helps you exchange knowledge, ideas, and opportunities with a broader network of professionals… Your Profile Network/Contacts/Connections Groups Q&A

Twitter for Business… Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co-workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent messages. Tweets – Whats Happening? Following / Followers Mentions Direct Messages Lists

So…Is It Time to Get Started? YOU need to ask yourself some questions on not only what Social Media channels you wish to explore….and how youll become that Social Authority in those areas… But also how a Social Media plan fits into your own company marketing plan… How you will engage with your prospects and at what cost in time spent…for what ROI you need to provide…. And how youll ensure that ALL company staff are on the same page within your Social Media program!

Credits… Jim Rudnick -- MCSD CEO KKT INTERACTIVE a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer more than 14 years of SEO experience with more than 19 years of web experience have worked for NY Yankees, PEP Boys, GE, The Disney Company, Canada Life, Mercedes, SAAB, Reuters and Quaker State Oil… built more than 400 sites…have run more than 100 SEO Campaigns over the past 10 years we build sites that have had millions of hits come up on the first page in search engines and more than that – we build sites that generate new business for our clients day after day!!! we blog about Canadian SEO at