Google processes over 200 million specific search terms per day. So what does this mean for the average business person? Well, if you consider that those searches probably include search terms for or about the products and services you sell you may want to make sure you can provide relevant content for the search. Let’s face it, you are the subject matter expert for the products and services you sell and if you aren’t you had better become the expert because trust me there is a company ready to claim your spot and may have already done so.
I mention Google first in this article because it is primary to understand that there are millions and millions of “Interested People”, I call them “Prospects” that are looking for your products and services on Google every day. We used to go to the Yellow Pages to find this information but with the huge adoption of readily available computers and smart phones over the past several years, the phone book is about as useful today as a buggy whip.
Okay if you aren’t convinced you need to learn more about how social media is affecting the world around you here are some statistics and facts about social media in 2011.
Facebook has over 500 million users and growing.
Over 200 million users access their Facebook account from a mobile device.
Mobile Twitter usage rose 347% in 2011.
Roughly 1 billion pieces of content are shared on Facebook..daily.
Nearly 2 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every second.
Nearly 100 million Tweets per day on Twitter as compared with 5000 in 2007.
4 Steps to Social Media Success
1) Find Interested People (Google)
2) Deliver Quality Content (Website/Blog/Social Media/YouTube)
3) Capture Information (Email Addresses/Online Forms/Lead Capture Pages)
4) Stay in Touch (Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn)
Social media isn’t just the way people are communicating and interacting with one another it is actually replacing traditional email. I’m 45 years old and I’ve been using email now for well over 20 years and for me to be sitting here and thinking about the dissolution of email as a primary means of communication is baffling but true.
Social media has and will continue to affect the way people interact with you and your business. The ability to post negative remarks about a business instantly is something that you need to be prepared to deal with now and in the future so you can build the type of trustworthy relationships you want to have with your clients and prospects. Trust is something you earn and the online community will grant this trust and just as easily take it away. The great thing about this is it really is the great equalizer. For so long the big box retailer has had the upper hand in distribution and inventory, but with greater and greater reliance on the customer experience as the key determining factor in a purchasing decision, the small business has can now compete.
My intent isn’t to teach you the intricate details and execution techniques of social media but its place and impact on you and your business. I am merely trying to impress upon you the fact that the landscape has changed and is continuing to change and as business owners and/or managers you need to be prepared to make a change.
For more information on Social Media, please contact us directly so we can spend a little time understanding your company, your strategic vision for your company and of course your goals. This information will allow us to custom tailor a solution that will align your vision and goals with your technology.
Claude Bethea
CEO – Transformyx, Inc.
