Social media Dal Cheema - Nexia International

Social media how do you define social media? what are the main tools you use?

Social media allows the creation and exchange of user generated content giving people the ability to emerge from consumers of content to publishers online technologies and practices that people use to share content, opinions, insights, experiences and perspectives What is social media?

Social media connect, discover and share information engage customers and build relationships target different customer groups helps spread news, publications and pictures Why is social media important?

Social media

Social media - agenda Social media ● Twitter ● Facebook ● LinkedIn SEO ● increased search engine rankings Website ● content ● natural SEO

Social media

recruitment brand awareness communications (promote thought leadership) research (monitor client satisfaction) business development to generate leads maintain contact (alumni) What can it be used for?

Social media before embarking on social media, please consider the following: – what are your objectives/purpose – have you planned what you are going to say and what content/value you are going to provide to your audience – do you have internal buy-in – do you have the necessary resources and time commitment Things to consider

Social media planning process business case objectives read any guidance available from Nexia and other sources thorough understanding of your market target audience (what do they use?) how much your clients are using it (existing and prospective) competitive analysis due diligence on what presence you may already have Plan and research provide internal social media training select champions/ active participants set up your platform listen and observe involve others community building channel integration website and blog integration content and multimedia planning track progress Set and listen content production participation and engagement development of custom elements tactic testing Execution tracking and measurement listening plan review plan improvements trend evaluation Monitoring

Social media channels LinkedIn more than 200 million professionals on LinkedIn Fortune 500 companies are on LinkedIn Twitter more than 500 million registered users over 400 million tweets per day Facebook 1.15 billion monthly active users as of June million local businesses on facebook

LinkedIn LinkedIn is a business-oriented social networking site can be used for: – engaging and encouraging interaction with target audiences – increasing brand awareness – promoting thought leadership, news, events etc – recruitment – business development – networking and maintain contact (alumni)

LinkedIn corporate uses - Personal profile

LinkedIn corporate uses - Company page

LinkedIn corporate uses - Group

Twitter Twitter is a social networking and micro blogging service that enables its users to send and read messages known as tweets can be used for: – promoting thought leadership, news, events etc – encouraging links to your website – increasing awareness – business development tool to research people/organisations

Twitter

Twitter page

Twitter service line specific page

Facebook Facebook is a social networking site to connect with friends and others with similar interests can be used for: – recruitment – networking – promoting events – increasing brand awareness – advertising – maintaining contact (alumni)

Facebook corporate uses - Page

Facebook corporate uses - Community page developed around topics, causes or experiences – many community pages display Wikipedia articles about the topics they represent as well as related posts from other people on Facebook in real time. In most instances it will pick up information/feeds from Wikipedia – you cannot edit information on these pages What is a Facebook community page?

Facebook corporate uses - Group place for individuals of common interest to share their opinions do not need to be an official representative (like with Facebook pages) to set up a group. Any individuals who share a common interest around an area, can set up and become administrators of a group for corporate purposes, best option is to set up a Facebook page What is a Facebook group?

Other tools RSS YouTube Google + flickr Pinterest Instagram Digg stumbleupon del.icio.us Wikipedia Tumblr

Social media size of network (followers, fans, connections, friends etc) level of engagement traffic to your site from the medium inbound links brand exposure social media specific tools (ie Facebook Insights, HootSuite, TweetDeck) Measurement

Social media Internal – recruit a digital individual responsible for social media – salary will be determined by the local market rate External – social media strategy: full outsourcing of content, design, set up and maintenance: $3,000-$20,000 a month Costs

Social media do not use social media if you: – do not have a set of clear objectives/purpose – do not have internal buy-in – do not have the necessary resources – are unsure about what it is and what to use it for – are unsure about who your target audience will be When NOT to use social media

Social media – have not planned what content/ information you will provide – have not conducted any research on what your target audience uses, how to use the channel, what competitors are doing etc – have not properly briefed the third party external agency working with you on your social media strategy When NOT to use social media

Social media AdvantagesDisadvantages Engage customers, facilitates communication Requires resources (time and cost commitment) Increase trafficMaintenance and feedback Increase repeat visitsBrand impact Get user feedbackRequires internal buy-in and training Potential to increase revenue streamsOpenness of information (transparency) Improve SEODifficult to reach the critical mass

Social media - summary defined goals/objectives use tools available to plan internal buy-in staff/resources availability content availability/media assets integrated approach technical infrastructure industry regulations/legal implications

Social media presence on: – YouTube – Twitter – LinkedIn company page and group social media fact sheets LinkedIn guidance Tools available

Bad examples of social media Domino’s Video

Websites

Website - content content is king important to update/refresh content regularly content has to be relevant, useful and easy for the user to find update imagery but make sure it is relevant and communicates an update to your website prompt the user through a journey (ie have call to actions at relevant points throughout the site)

Website - using CMS to update content invest in a CMS where you can make regular updates to the content of your website – have champions for your website who are responsible for updating the content of specific sections – train individuals or champions to edit the site (have a limited number) – introduce an approval process

Website - measurement invest in web analytics tools to help identify: – visits/new visits – where users go within your website – where traffic is coming from – how long users stay on your site – bounce rate – page views – top content

Website - measurement

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) - what is it? SEO involves using a range of techniques to improve a websites or web page's results in search engine rankings process of increasing the amount of visitors to a web site by ranking high in the search results of a search engine. The higher a web site ranks in the results of a search, the greater the chance that site will be visited by a user

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) - natural SEO techniques content is key include key words/ phrases in: – URL name – page title – title tags (headings) – body tags (body copy) – meta tags and descriptions – Alternative (ALT) tags inbound links sitemap breadcrumbs download time Google maps

Integration Social media ● Twitter ● Facebook ● LinkedIn SEO ● increased search engine rankings Website ● content ● natural SEO

Converting theory into practice newly introduced tax regulation affecting the tourism industry marketing objectives: – provide new service offering to existing client base (up sell) – travel agents – target 2-3 new prospects in this segment to whom you can provide this new service

Converting theory into practice marketing strategy: – educate existing clients/prospects in this sector on how this new regulation will impact them and what they need to consider marketing tactics: – run workshop – send newsletter via direct mail – advertise in relevant publications/websites – speak at exhibitions/events attended by targets

Converting theory into practice Website – page dedicated to new tax regulation - provides papers, tips, contact information etc. Drive traffic to website via: SEO – use key words relevant to initiative to increase ranking in search engines Twitter – to promote the event and any material you have produced relating to the new offering LinkedIn profiles get relevant individuals who are presenting at the event or experts in the area to promote the event through their LinkedIn profile updates LinkedIn pages - create a banner/visual about the event and promote it on your company page - create banner for new offering on “Product & Services” page Use Twitter to give updates on the event - what is being covered - interesting questions asked by attendees Video the event and upload it onto YouTube so that individuals who could not attend can view it Website – upload relevant material, link to feedback form and link to video on YouTube (if produced) YouTube – upload video of event and send link to attendees, in thank you and feedback Look at the content on your website for SEO Twitter - promote event video and use any attendee quotes - provide next steps: running another event and /or contact details Measure - how much traffic to website from different social media channels used - number of queries - number of downloads for material - volume of engagement CAMPAIGN POST CAMPAIGN PRE-CAMPAIGN Use consistent branding and content throughout the stages

Any questions?