Puzzle Piece #1: Intro, Overview and your Company's Web site

Those of you who have been reading my blog know I am pretty heavy into social media. Recently I posted a PowerPoint presentation that was a year in the making; it went into the nitty, gritty details of not just why but how you should go about using social media for your business. We call it the “Social Media Puzzle,” and it is our humble attempt is trying to piece it all together. Granted, new applications are coming out all the time, so things might change as some programs become outdated. But for the time being, this is our process (broken down into text). Here is section one – stay tuned for more!

Social networking truly is the new way of the world. With print on the decline and the number of bookmarking, sharing and blogging sites increasing every day, this is one medium that is demanding attention – and it’s either get in or be left in the dust. When used correctly and effectively, these sites have the power to deliver news to more people than you ever dreamed possible. However, it is quality over quantity, so the following are our notes on the best way to get your message out to an interested audience.
The process is simple – here is an overview:
1. Build your Web site to talk to others by making sure your home page has “Add This” features.
2. Post links and news (such as press releases and authored articles) on your
company’s home page.3. Reach an even greater audience th
rough Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.
4. Push your info out by posting those same URLs via ping.fm on social networking sites via personal and company-related outlets.
5. Employ the use of RSS feeds to update your info.



Your Web site:
First and foremost comes your company website. When people are googling and find your company’s site, you need to make sure it delivers by outlining more than just your services. Promote your news and social media connections by:
1. Posting your news on your Web site
2. Providing quick links to social sites on your Web site
3. Adding bookmarking tools such as the “Add This” feature to your news, events and blogs


When thinking about the best way for your company to go about this, keep this in mind: You want people to be able to view your information where they feel most comfortable. Whether that be on Facebook, MySpace or any other medium, you want to give them that option. Additionally, you want them to be able to share your news and blog posts. The ability to send the info outward is important, as is the ability to get the info when it’s wanted. RSS feeds allow this.