Are You Taking Advantage of Social Media to Promote Your Business?

Social media has become a large piece of the marketing puzzle for businesses, but many business owners fail to understand the true value.  While social media strategies will differ from business to business, each should implement and use social media.

Some business owners feel their business is not the "right fit" for social media because they see it as a tool for "social" businesses such as restaurants or clothing stores.  This is not true as National Business Capital itself can show you. We have a social media marketing plan which focuses on educating and engaging our customers rather than posting silly pictures for caption contests or coupons for nachos. Understanding the various social networks and their individual value propositions is important for every industry.

It's not all fun and games. Social media has become a key piece in search engine optimization.  The businesses who find themselves at the top of search results pages typically have active social media channels. It is also important to note that using the channels is not enough.  Take the time to learn how to use social media for business as it is a whole different beast than using it for fun.  

Social media is a viable tool for each and every business.  Take the time to do research and speak with professionals to help guide you in developing a successful plan. How about starting by looking at National Business Capital's social media?  Follow the link to our website and click on the icons!

Pinterst for My Business?

The use of social media in business is on the rise and business owners are learning that it is not whether they use it, but how they use it.  Keeping up with the constant evolution of social media can create a challenge for the business owner to implement the best strategy.

The newest social network to grow at an unprecedented rate is Pinterest.com. The site works as an online scrap booking community. The users create different boards on which they pin items of interest.  For example, a user may create a board for photography to include unusual photos they come across or may create a board for their favorite kid friendly recipes. The user may follow people who pin items they find interesting and can in turn re-pin the item to their boards.

Business owners have rapidly been learning the benefits Pinterest can have for their business.  There are many ways a business can utilize the site for their benefit.  Let's take a look at how a hair salon may use it.  The salon owner can create a board for each faction of their business, such as Wedding Styles, Color, Hair Care Products, Cosmetics, Hair Care Tips, etc.  The owner will then pin pictures of the styles they have created, the color treatments they have done, the products they sell, and tips to keep hair healthy or manage hair in difficult weather. Each person who follows the salon then shares all of these pictures and tips with their followers.  Comments can also be left for each pin. 

Suppose your business does not sell actual products, but rather provides a service.  Let's look at how a medical provider might utilize Pinterest.  The provider can create boards to offer education and tips to their followers.  For example, Preventative Care, How to Care for a Cold, The Benefits of Immunizations, etc. 

Pinterest is the HOT social network at the moment and offers business owners free word of mouth advertising and a free platform to showcase their work.  The staff at National Business Capital is always on the lookout for ways to help their customers become more successful. Pinterest may be useful tool to spread the word about your business.