using social media for business

www.kulkarnisoftware.com 1

Using Social Media for Business

Ashish Kulkarni

Director, Kulkarni Software


What is Social Media?

• Social Media is content created by people using highly accessible, scalable and usually free publishing techniques such as free Web Applications. For example:– Twitter– LinkedIn– FaceBook


Why is Social Media so important?

• Social Media is a cost-effective way to market products and services or affect ideological changes.

• Most websites promoting Social Media are Free.

• Publishing happens in real-time and is usually picked up by search engines very quickly – hours rather than days.


Downside of Social Media

• You need to be careful about what you say in Social Media. Due to its speed and also, due to the nature of bad news, any incorrect/negative statements can spread very quickly.

• For example, a jewellery company in London doing business for over 20 years went bust in less than a year after its director made an irresponsible statement about their products.

• Publishing too much personal information can lead to identity theft.


How to use Social Media?

• We will cover 3 of the biggest players in Social Media – Twitter, FaceBook and LinkedIn.

• We will have a look at what they look like, their features and how best to use them.

• Different strategies can give different results at different times when using Social Media.

• It is important to define what you are looking to achieve and to select a strategy that will give you the expected results.


Twitter

• Twitter is a free social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read messages known as Tweets.

• Tweets are text only and can be up to 140 characters long and can contain links.

• The larger the number of followers you have on Twitter and the more impressive your Tweets, the wider they will reach.


Twitter Frontpage


Twitter Home once you Login


List of Tweets


How to increase Followers?

• Find and follow relevant people. Some of them will follow you back.

• Re-Tweet good quality Tweets from people you are following. Many of them will thank you publicly.

• Publish Good Quality Content in less than 100 characters. That makes Re-Tweeting your content easier.

• Use URL Shortners such as bit.ly to shorten long URLs – http://bit.ly/abcde1 instead of http://www.mywonderfulwebsite.com/myfolder/mypage.html takes less space.


Finding people on Twitter


Following people on Twitter


Looking at who is following you


Publishing a Tweet


Twitter is ideal for

• Publishing special offers

• Talking about new products

• Publishing event details

• Keeping in touch with customers and having a dialogue with them

• Indirect use with Search Engine Optimisation


Twitter can be accessed from

• www.twitter.com

• iPhone using numerous Apps

• Other websites such as www.bit.ly, www.spnbabble.com, etc.

• Blogs using WordPress All-in-one SEO plugin


FaceBook

• FaceBook is a social networking website• It allows you to network with people you know or

even don’t know• You can either publish content on your own

“wall” or on your “friends’” walls• In addition to publishing content, FaceBook has

other features like Groups, Events and Applications.

• The more friends/connections you have, the larger your reach on FaceBook.


FaceBook Home page


Publishing content on FaceBook


Chatting in real-time


Publishing Events


Groups on FaceBook


Group Discussions


Personal side of FaceBook


FaceBook Applications


FaceBook is Ideal for

• Publishing special offers

• Talking about new products

• Publishing event details

• Engaging with potential clients using Bespoke Interactive Applications


FaceBook can be accessed from

• www.facebook.com

• iPhone using FaceBook App

• Numerous websites that allow you to publish content to FaceBook – such as www.meetup.com, Blogs using WordPress All-in-one SEO Plugin, etc.


LinkedIn

• LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 50 million members and growing rapidly – LinkedIn.com.

• LinkedIn connects you to your trusted contacts and helps you exchange knowledge, ideas, and opportunities with a broader network of professionals – LinkedIn.com.


How much does it cost?


Joining LinkedIn


Completing LinkedIn Profile


Details you should share

• Website address(es)

• Email address

• Kind of work you have done

• Kind of connections you are looking for

• Connections


Details you should not share

• Address

• Birth date

• Names that you have used as passwords

• Details that can lead to identity theft


What do we need in business?

• Leads

• Contacts

• Conversion

• Staff

• Channel for advertising expertise

• Channel for advertising events

• Channel for seeking advise


Finding people on LinkedIn


Search Results


Viewing Profile


Contacting people


LinkedIn Groups


Joining a LinkedIn Group


Group Members


Starting a Group Discussion


Events


Publishing an Event


Asking Questions


Answers to your question


More…

• WordPress – LinkedIn allows you to publish latest entries from your WordPress blog on your profile

• Twitter – LinkedIn allows you to publish your status to Twitter and vice versa

• SlideShare – LinkedIn allows you to publish up to 3 presentations on your profile via SlideShare

• There are many more such applications


LinkedIn is ideal for

• Professional Networking• Headhunting• Looking up potential sales leads• Potential Business Partnerships• Raising Awareness about expertise• Raising Awareness about Products & Services• Conducting Business Events• Finding Answers to complex questions


LinkedIn can be accessed from

• www.linkedin.com

• iPhone LinkedIn App


Summary

• Most features of most Social Networking or Professional Networking websites are free making them cost-effective marketing tools

• It is important to define a goal and to have a strategy to achieve that goal


Where can you find me

• Google– Ashish Kulkarni– Kulkarni Software

• Twitter– @ashishkulkarni– @kulkarnisoft

• LinkedIn– www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkulkarni

• Web– www.ashishkulkarni.com– www.kulkarnisoftware.com

• Email– [email protected]

using social media for business

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