Random acts of marketing (RAMs) will melt the positive in your business checking account, return on investment and brand equity like an ice cube on a hot day on hot cement. RAMS are a leading cause for failure in business, marketing and of course social media.
Integration may seem like a lot of work up front. When I talk about integration with clients I often get that raised eyebrow look and know they want to say “what is she talking about, we don't have time to think further than tomorrow… we'll never get integrated… she just wants to complicate the project so she can charge us more!”
This couldn't be further from the truth! The truth is the more you integrate, the less work you will have to do on the back end once you get the sites launched. Your goal should be to launch an integrated online business platform that works when you're not working. Integration with a focus on business and marketing goals and objectives is a requirement not an option in today's online world. Most online business platforms should at minimum include a blog, website, and applicable social network profiles and platforms that support your business goals. You should avoid all acts of randomness at all cost. Bottom line, if it's not integrated, don't do it!
Below are 125 tips to integrate social media into your business starting today. While you are working on your business, marketing and social media plan you can begin to clean up some of your current sites leveraging some of the tips below.
I'll also be offering a free social media webinar covering the top 5-10 tips for each major social platform. Subscribe to our newsletter to get an early heads up as seats will be limited for the free online training event.
Be careful not to start on this list with an intention to do every one of them before you set clear goals and objectives. This would of course mean you have a case of the RAMs (aka RAMMIES). If so, do not pass social go, head straight to your desk and start getting focused on your business. You don't need another social network profile to solve your problems. You need focus my friends.
Note, this post is not focused on the engagement aspects of social media integration. It is fully focused on social network platforms. It does not cover them all or I would have wound up with a list of 500. These should be more than enough to get you started!
125 Ways to Integrate Social Media to Zoom Your Business
Website
1. Add link to social media platforms via widgets, icons etc.
2. Create a “get social” page which provides easy access to your social media profile urls etc.
3. Add Facebook “like” widgets to your Facebook business page.
4. Add Facebook send and like buttons so people can easily share your content to their Facebook page
5. Add Facebook “like” button so visitors can post the content to their Facebook page.
6. Add a Twitter follow button that enables visitors to follow you with one click if they are logged into Twitter.
7. Add a Twitter widget to share your latest tweets, or a hashtag or keyword associated with your industry or niche
8. Embed a “welcome to my blog/website” YouTube video on your WordPress front page or sidebar
9. Embed a slideshow from Flickr of a recent event or celebration showcasing interesting photos
10. Add the LinkedIN button to your WordPress sidebar for easy access and direct linking to your LinkedIn personal profile
11. Use PollDaddy to create a one question poll or short survey to gather market research. Poll Daddy allows easy embedding into your blog or website. You can also post to Facebook etc.
12. Provide links to social bookmarking profiles.
13. Add widgets that make it easy to share your content. One of my favs is Digg Digg.
14. Add an email opt-in widget to make it easy for visitors to easily subscribe to your email newsletter
15. Provide a free whitepaper with free tips related to your business. Require an email opt-in to download for free.
16. Embed a podcast or other multi-media with tips and tricks. I love to provide similar content in differing mediums as everyone learns differently.
Twitter
1. Create a custom Twitter background with key information and a look and feel consistent with your company / personal brand.
2. Add url to your Twitter profile.
3. Create or refresh Twitter bio to ensure it best supports your current business services, differentiation and keywords your audience is seeking.
4. Add key social media information to your Twitter background. Include url to social networking profiles, other twitter handles etc.
5. Mark a tweet as a favorite for easy viewing at a later time by your followers.
6. Create Twitter lists of your favorite and most followed Tweets.
7. Use Twitter lists to grow network, keep track and better engage with current network.
8. Use a Twitter management service or tools such as Sprout Social, Argyle Software, WebTrends and HootSuite to better maximize your time spent and measure results on Twitter and other platforms.
9. Tweet relevant and actionable content.
10. Follow people in your industry or niche.
11. Follow people who are following industry thought leaders in your industry or niche.
12. Host a tweet chat on a relevant topic to your industry or niche.
Resources:
Twitter Resources
Facebook
1. Add your company to your personal profile.
2. Add the url for your company blog or website to your personal profile.
3. Create a Facebook business page.
4. Create a custom photo badge and place in the left side/photo area of your business page.
5. Create a look and feel for your Facebook page consistent with your brand that supports goals and objectives.
6. Complete all profile information for your Facebook business page.
7. Create custom Facebook tabs to help people better access the content you have posted on other platforms.
8. Use the Involver tool to import your Tweets via RSS.
9. Use a tool such as Involver to insert your favorite tweets via the Twitter RSS feed for such into a Facebook tab.
10. Add the “reviews” application to enable your clients or partners to leave a review and post to your Facebook page.
11. Add photos to your personal profile as well as Facebook business page.
12. Tag local businesses and friends when posting photos to your business page.
13. Ask simple questsions via Facebook post or poll. People love to answer simple questions in social media.
14. Add an opt-in to your email newsletter in exchange for download of an awesome whitepaper via one of your Facebook business tabs.
15. Add a video from YouTube or upload directly to Facebook of a topic that answers a question related to your industry or niche.
16. Subscribe to Networked Blogs and link with your Facebook account. You can have all new blog posts post automatically to your Facebook personal profile and business page. *Note I do not believe in heavy automation but know some people do like to automate.
17. Purchase Facebook ads to inspire people to “like” your page.
18. Remember not to spam your news feed constantly asking people to “like” your page. It's what happens after the “like” that matters most. Give them a reason to become and stay a “liker” of your page!
Resources:
Facebook fanpage guidelines
Facebook help
Google Plus – Google+
1. Create or update your Google+ profile with the most accurate information possible.
2. Personalize your Google+ url here
3. Upload a decent photo consistent with your brand across other platforms.
4. Add links to social network platforms.
5. Create circles and share relevant content.
LinkedIn
1. Create or update your LinkedIn profile with a goal of most accurately describing what you do while at the same time providing value to your audience. Help them be able to quickly view your profile and know how you can help them.
2. Personalize your LinkedIn url.
3. Add a video to your LinkedIn profile that introduces you, your services and how you can help your audience.
4. Add your Twitter handle to your LinkedIn profile.
5. Add the Twitter follow me button to your LinkedIn profile.
6. Add a link to your website or blog to your LinkedIn profile.
7. Add a link to your Facebook or other social network profile.
8. Create a LinkedIn group for your business.
9. Create a LinkedIn company page for your business.
10. Add a list of services you offer on your company business page.
11. Create a relevant group for your industry or niche.
12. Answer questions asked by other members in the LinkedIn Q&A section.
13. Ask relevant questions in the LinkedIn Q&A section.
14. Educate yourself on the newly released LinkedIn advanced search tools.
15. Learn how to follow companies. Follow your favorite companies as well your competitors. You can set notifications for LinkedIn to notify you when people join, depart company etc.
YouTube
1. Create a custom YouTube background with key information and a look and feel consistent with your company / personal brand.
2. Add key social media information to your Twitter background. Include url to social networking profiles, other YouTube channels, blog, website, twitter handles etc.
3. Create or refresh YouTube bio to ensure it best supports your current business services, differentiation and keywords your audience is seeking.
4. Subscribe and/or become friends with other YouTube channels in your industry or niche.
5. Subscribe and/or become friends with client YouTube channels in your industry or niche.
6. Create videos that includes content and discusses visiting your other social platforms. Make it relevant and give the viewer a reason to do such.
7. Include your website or blog url within the video title and description.
8. Add tags/keywords relevant to your audience, content and industry or niche.
9. Add to videos opening and closing title slides or captions that include your url or Twitter handle.
10. Create a video that describes how to best engage with you and your brand via the different social networks.
11. Create a video describing an upcoming event online or offline.
12. Record a video of a client providing a testimonial.
13. Record a video at the next local networking event asking people a question related to your industry or niche.
14. Record a video about a recent blog post you wrote that your audience liked.
15. Create favorite lists related to your content and business objecitves to better organize your videos.
Foursquare
1. Create a personal account that includes a link to your business blog or website.
2. Add your Facebook and Twitter urls to your personal profile.
3. Create a custom business page inclusive of logo and url.
4. Check in to local businesses using your personal account.
5. Leave tips at local businesses you or your target audience visit frequently.
6. Follow and become friends with local and national peeps.
7. Add your logo to your business page.
Email
1. Leverage an email newsletter to nurture audience, client and partner relationships.
2. If you don't already have an email service provider, sign up for a service that meets your needs. My favorite is Infusionsoft but I know it is more than some businesses need. Other popular services include MailChimp , Constant Contact or Campaign Monitor.
3. Add opt-ins boxes via embed code on every social network platform that supports such.
4. Create several whitepapers that provide value to your audience and leverage as a call to action to inspire people to subscribe.
5. Add the opt-in box to your Facebook tab. Require a “like” before they can see the opt-in box and be enabled to download the whitepaper or other call to action.
6. Add the urls and mentions for your top social media profiles to the bottom of your email newsletter.
7. Analyze, measure & refine your usage of email based upon key trends found within the data. What links are your subscribers clicking? What subject line inspires the most opens? What are the click thru rates?
Flickr
1. Leverage Flickr to upload photos of recent events and other photos of interest to your audience.
2. Create and/or enhance your Flickr profile to ensure it best supports your business goals and objectives.
3. Add tags to your photos, albums, sets and galleries relevant to your audience and industry or niche.
4. Add the url to your blog, website or other social network profile as appropriate.
5. Tag other business leaders or businesses in the photos as appropriate and relevant. Don't use as a form of spam.
6. Embed a widget or code in your website or blog that showcases a Flickr photo set or gallery of interest to your audience.
7. Take photos at every event you attend of interest. Focus on other people and helping highlight them and their businesses.
8. Share your Flickr album via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google Plus
TwitPic
1. Take photos on the fly via your mobile device and upload via email to TwitPic. You can also upload via web interface.
2. Include url to other sites, event links etc. in photo uploads.
3. Add photo to profile.
4. Add url to blog or website
5. Add bio
Events
1. Integrate social media via various platforms to generate pre, during & post event buzz & engagement
2. Pre-show Facebook polls to gather research for event speakers & content
3. Pre-show Facebook contests to win free tickets
4. Ensure top social network urls are included on all event web pages
5. Instead of traditional biz cards use event biz cards w/unique urls to measure response.
6. Offer giveaway and post results on Facebook page daily and grand prize after event
7. Post photos and videos during show. Tag participants.
8. Stream content live from event booth, keynote presentations, breakouts etc.
9. Video tape clients, partners & team members at event. Leverage later for web and social platform content.
10. Trickle content to web & social platforms post-event to maximize time leverage. Don't post all at one time.
Biz cards
1. Add urls for social profiles to business cards.
2. Purchase a unique domain for Facebook Fanpages etc. (i.e., http://www.pamsfanpage.com, http://www.pamslinkedin.com)
3. Add QRC code
4. Don't clutter and ensure to keep brand consistent with all other platforms.
5. Add bio from Twitter account.
6. Add tweet style bubble with a favorite quote, tagline or customer benefit.
7. Add a photo of yourself that is consistent with social network profiles.
8. Create a card that is a different shape, color & size that looks similar to a tweet, conversation bubble or other.
See this post syndicated on Social Media Today
