Social media is sparking business buzz

SANDPOINT — So you’ve got a business website and you’re waiting for the money to start rolling in, eh? Without the help of social media, it could be a long wait.

As e-commerce has become the virtual equivalent of the storefront, social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and several other stars in this digital constellation have emerged as the marketplace where buzz is built.

And it’s just as important for brick-and-mortar retailers, according to Mack Deibel, communications specialist for the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, whose recent social media workshop attracted a packed house.

“If you look at the purchase cycle for the consumer, social media comes into play in every aspect,” he said, listing the cyclical steps as starting with awareness, moving to decision-making and culminating in the actual purchase. The final step is one he describes as “reliving, repeating and recommending.”

“That’s where social media works best — peer recommendations,” Deibel said.

“Social networking has taken the place of Main Street, USA,” said Corinne Flowers of Social Media Solutions, a web-based company that specializes in creating and maintaining brand awareness for its online customers. “People no longer gather downtown to talk about events or recommend shops and services. Instead, we all congregate online.

“So if a business doesn’t have a social media presence, they’re missing out on valuable word of mouth advertising and personal recommendations,” she added.

Searching for Opportunity

Flowers’ business came to being after she developed a professional name for herself writing article and blog entries for sites such as Buzzle and HubPages, later crafting similar language for online retailers. The task, she explained, was a balancing act. She had to hook readers with catchy topics while populating the pieces with the kinds of key words that would kick the site up the list when users went searching for information.

To complement the articles, blog updates and buyers’ guide tidbits she wrote, Flowers also scanned a host of sites to keep track of online activity that might result in business.

“I would spend time every day on forums and look for discussions that matched our products,” she said. “When I found one, I would jump in and add a comment.

“Through all of that, I really got a good taste for online retailing.”

Speed to Market

What started as an adjunct responsibility quickly became the focus of the web writer’s attention, as she entered the fast-paced world of social media and saw its power as a business tool. Where traditional web sites needed fresh content every few days, this new marketplace was exploding with information and interaction, with topics churning constantly and changing by the second. In that environment, Flowers discovered that the chance to make a good business impression for clients was happening just as quickly. But this iron doesn’t stay hot for long and the opportunity to strike can be fleeting.

“Things change by the hour,” the writer said. “With social media, the half-life of information is less than a day.”

Her job, then, turned into one of wading into this frenetic scene, piggyback on Facebook conversations and Twitter traffic and keep the buzz going on hot topics.

“It’s all about establishing a relationship and creating a dialog,” said Flowers.

“The big thing about social media is that it should be a conversation, not a hard sell,” Deibel said. “It’s not about you; it’s about what they want. Get the conversation going and let people come back to your brand.”

Time is Money

Tapping into social media isn’t difficult, Deibel and Flowers agreed, but keeping up with the pace can be.

“That’s probably the most important part — the time and effort you have to put into it,” said Deibel.

“It’s a time hog,” Flowers said. “It’s not rocket science, by any means, but it takes time and there is a skill set involved. That’s where I come in.”

Behind the scenes, Flowers finds and plays the online angles throughout the day, paying special attention to the kinds of content that attracts viewers, as well as the times of day when online traffic is apt to be highest. For an online retailer or storefront operation, she becomes the disembodied but engaged voice that calls out in the marketplace, joining conversations, gathering and posting interesting items, making sure the client’s name is popping up in all the right places.

“It’s kind of tricky,” she said. “The content has to be professional, conversational and trendy all at the same time. And while you’re doing all of that, you’re trying to sell products.”

The Big Two

In order of importance for business, Flowers ranks Facebook and Twitter as the top two social media outlets, followed by blogs and online forums. Based on that hierarchy, it’s no coincidence that her logo for Social Media Solutions resembles a giant “like” button, as used on Facebook as a way to say, “I agree” or “I was here and saw your post.”

Twitter is a domain of digital nudges and reminders delivered by regular “tweets” from people who follow one another’s activity and interests on the fly. Facebook offers a deeper connection through links to things such as videos and associated web sites, along with a mechanism for highly targeted marketing.

For instance, if you communicate that you like a certain band or product, subsequent visits to your Facebook page are likely to include ads about their upcoming CD release, concert schedule or discount codes promoting merchandise. The same ads will appear on the pages of your Facebook friends, under the assumption that your tastes in things like music and, say, mayonnaise might be in synch. And if they like what you like, their universe of friends gets pulled into the advertising population, too.

“Once Facebook gets rolling, it’s kind of a self-feeding organism,” Flowers said.

Based on membership surveys and informal polling, the chamber has discovered pent-up demand for social media training, particularly for Facebook users, Deibel noted.

In response, he will be leading a series of social media workshops in coming months, teaching business people how to use the sites to raise awareness, drive web site traffic and maximize the effectiveness of their print and electronic advertising.

“Social media does not replace traditional advertising, but it does complement it very well,” he said. “I think business people know this is something they need to do. The question is: ‘How?’”

Care and Feeding

If the advertising component of Facebook spreads with viral speed, the process of keeping up an ongoing business presence requires constant tending to. When counseling a client who has a web page but has no idea what to do next, Flowers introduces social media as the spark plug that fires up the engine of customer response.

“It’s really twofold,” she said. “Part of my job is creative and the other part is functional. First, I create an entity — an online ‘brand’ — and then I manage it. That could mean daily posts of articles and information or even a cartoon that relates to their business. It’s tailored to each individual business and it’s different for every client.”

The social media specialist laughs when asked if her personality is in keeping with the outgoing, vivacious image she projects for online retailers and other business entities. In reality, she could be better described as the “person behind the curtain” who creates a dramatic splash, but prefers to remain out of sight, pulling the levers without fanfare or attention.

“Online, I’m a social butterfly,” Flowers said. “In reality, I’m a very shy person.”

For more information on social media-related services provided by Social Media Solutions, visit: www.corinneflowers.com or www.facebook.com/corinneflowers

For information about the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce and its programs and workshops, visit: www.sandpointchamber.org