Making sense of social media networks: Blogging

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Evolve Systems

Blogging is good for business. If you have a business and not a blog, we have some great information for you! You may think blogging requires a big commitment, but we are here to tell you it doesn’t have to. Simply having a blog and updating it periodically is a fantastic social media tool. Some businesses update their blogs daily, others monthly. Neither is right or wrong!

Here at Evolve, we update when we have something substantial to say that will be helpful to our clients. Sometimes that is several times per week, sometimes it is a few times per month. We have compiled a list of 5 reasons why blogging is good for business.

1. Blogging allows you to communicate with your customer base. You can share news, people can comment, and you can reply. If you have a new product or service, you can easily shine a spotlight on it with a simple blog post.

2. Simply put: Google loves links and new content. By blogging, you can easily link back to your website/homepage and google loves that. Why does it matter if Google loves your site? Because you want people to be able to find you with a simple search.

3. You can share things that may not have a place on your website. Quick updates, tips and tricks, links to related (but not competing) products, and publicity can all be quickly shared with a new blog post.

4. Reward frequent visitors. You can offer special discount codes, coupons, and savings to people who check in frequently. This will encourage traffic both to your blog and your website.

5. Request feedback! Both positive and negative feedback will benefit your business. Customers love telling their favorite companies what they like best and what could be improved. Give them the opportunity!

All in all, blogging is one of the easiest things you can do to establish a relationship with your customers. If you have a blog, people will go there first for the latest news. And if you DO have a blog, make sure you feed your new posts to your Twitter and Facebook accounts so people can find it easily!

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Posted in BLOGS, business, Marketing, Social Networking | Tagged | Leave a comment

Making sense of social media networks: Twitter

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Evolve Systems

Twitter is essential for businesses looking to network and/or have direct contact with their customers. You can think of Twitter as being your own personal microphone for making announcements. It may seem difficult to say what you need to say in 140 characters or less, but it does get easier. Twitter was not created for people to write, it was created for people to connect.

Twitter is really a public form of instant messaging. It gives consumers an opportunity to voice their praise/opinions/concerns, and gives businesses an opportunity to respond. The most common method of using Twitter is by sharing small snippets of thought, and replying to others’ small snippets. Each tweet can be re-tweeted (which is a great tool when offering a new promotion or discount) and replied to.

A less common method of using Twitter involves searching. There is a search bar on each twitter page- just enter a term such as ‘iphone 4s’ or ‘vikings game’ (just kidding- stay away from that term!) and you will instantly see what people are talking about when it comes to each term. Is the iphone popular? Of course it is. Do people have negative thoughts on it as well? You bet, and now you can see what they are. That is just one example- you can search for literally anything you want and you will most likely get results!

The bottom line with Twitter is that it gives your customers a chance to truly connect with you at all times. It’s customer service, promotion, brand building, and networking all in one.

On that note, follow us on Twitter, and stay tuned for our next social media post!

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Making sense of social media networks: Facebook

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Evolve Systems

Facebook was created as a way for college students to share information and photos with fellow students. Over the past few years, it has developed into a way for anyone with an email address to connect with friends and family. Most recently, the addition of ‘pages’ has allowed businesses to reach out to their customers and potential customers in ways that were unimaginable just a few short years ago.

Facebook is a wonderful tool for businesses large and small. It allows people to identify with their favorite products and companies on a personal level, and to interact with a real person, rather than a robot or answering machine. Here are a few of the best ways to use facebook:

1. Share news and upcoming events. The Facebook news feed is instant- when you post something, your followers will most likely see it right away. This is great for offering special discounts, reminding people of events they may want to attend, and directing people to your website or blog when you have a new product or something else to share.

2. Interact with your customers. When people are asked for opinions and feedback, they feel more invested in your company/brand. Ask your customers what they like best about your company, or what could be made better. Chances are, you will gain some valuable feedback that you may not otherwise receive. Feedback like this will help you improve your business.

3. Post a lot, but not too much. What I mean by that is don’t post sporadically, but don’t overwhelm your follower’s news feeds either. No one wants to have to scroll through a bunch of posts by the same person/company every time they log in. Post a few times a week, or once or twice a day and do it consistently! The exception to this is replying to current posts. You should always reply to people when they ask a question or offer information. This goes along with #2 above. Interacting with clients will never hurt you.

Do you use Facebook for business? Let us know so we can ‘like’ your page! Tweet us @EvolveSystemsUS or like us on facebook at facebook.com/evolvesystems

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Making Sense of Social Media Networks

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Evolve Systems

Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube, Blogs. So many social media networking sites, and those six just scratch the surface. Is the social media madness wearing you down? Perhaps you have accounts with all of these platforms. Perhaps you have just dipped your toes into the Facebook pool. One thing is for sure: nearly all businesses will benefit from the use of social media.

While each network has it’s own benefits and characteristics, they all are used to communicate information about people and businesses. Is your business utilizing social media in more ways than one? Are you reaching as many potential clients as possible? Over the next couple of weeks we will be discussing the benefits of each network, and how they can help YOU promote YOUR business.

First up next week will be the ever famous Facebook. If you aren’t on Facebook yet, get ready to dive in! If you don’t even want to think about social media, contact us for information on our SEO and Social Media packages!

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The Power of Networking

Posted on September 16, 2011 by Evolve Systems

Networking is one of the most important factors in building a successful small business. Through networking, you can develop mutually beneficial relationships with people working in your field, a related field, and many unrelated fields. All of these relationships are important and beneficial to your business! Here are a few reasons why it is important to meet all types of people in the small business world.

Your field: networking with people in the same field as you is crucial. While these people may be ‘competitors,’ they are also met with the same challenges that you are. Two or more people faced with the same challenge are better able to devise strategies and overcome said challenges.

Related fields: these people will often become vital referrals for you. Being in a related field, they will meet with people often seeking out similar skills. For example, if you are a carpet cleaner, you will most definitely come across people looking to have their house painted as well. If you have networked with a painter, you have someone to refer. This not only benefits the painter, but it benefits your clients as well. Happy clients are repeat clients, and if you make a referral you are likely to receive one back when the opportunity arises.

Unrelated fields: networking with other business owners, no matter what their business is, is very beneficial! All businesses deal with similar things- customer service, bookkeeping, data management, etc. By networking with other business owners you will often find ways to improve your business practices.

Here in Minnesota, we are part of the WIN network. On September 27th they are hosting a Members-only Small Group Business Brainstorming session. This is a wonderful example of how small businesses can network and help each other out. This is an opportunity to discuss issues you are facing, ask for advice, and help others.

Networking is truly invaluable to a small business owner. If you aren’t doing it yet, you will be amazed at what it can do for your business!

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