Guy Kawasaki once defined the core values of five main social media services and we wanted to build on his ideas.
Facebook = People.
Facebook is mostly for communicating with those with whom you already have some connection. As a personal branding tool, you’re often posting about yourself, your achievements, and this is normal and acceptable. However, if you create a business page to endorse anything other than yourself, you need to consider other factors. Facebook is still all about people, but you must engage with your fans rather than simply promoting the business. Interesting articles, videos and images, tips and tricks – these are all ways to bring value to your business in the eyes of your fans.
Twitter = Perceptions.
Twitter can help you build your reputation and visibility. Increase your reach by interacting with others on Twitter: be generous with your “favorites”, retweet things you believe your followers will enjoy, and send at least two tweets a day. Consider the 5:1 ratio as a loose guideline for how often to tweet out relevant content via other reputable sources vs. tweeting about your business. Don’t feel pressure to come up with content and witty musings to gain followers who want to hear from you; do your research, read a lot, and find articles by other people who know what they’re talking about. Share their work! Not only does it create new relationships, it provides high-end content to your followers.
Google+ = Information.
Google+ is for sharing information. Google+ is not Facebook, it never will be, and that’s ok! Use it to connect with other people in your field; learn from them and offer your insights when it makes sense. Don’t consider Google+ a place to find new business so much as a place to cultivate relationships with your peers, and to constantly learn new things about your field.
Pinterest = Awareness.
Pinterest, when used as a branding tool, is all about pinning attractive images that stand out and get people to click. If you’re using Pinterest to drive people to your blog, your images need to have a CTA and be visually appealing at the same time. Be creative, keep it simple, and look at what the pros are doing. Pinterest is extremely valuable for driving traffic, so use it to create awareness for your business!
LinkedIn = Professionalism.
Kawasaki says to pimp yourself on LinkedIn! He clarifies that he means this in a good way: “LinkedIn can help you position yourself as a serious person and influencer.” You can implement this as a business as well, but LinkedIn really is more for an individual person. Consider it like this: Guy has pimped himself so successfully that people don’t need to follow his business on LinkedIn, they just follow him, and in turn, he can promote his businesses as needed.
In conclusion, representing yourself and/or your business on social media means using the platforms the best way possible. Tweak your content between platforms to get the most out of them!
With nearly two decades in the industry, Belle Strategies’ owner, Rachel Creveling, is a seasoned business consultant who crafts comprehensive frameworks that integrate operations, marketing, sales and HR to position her clients for optimal success. She excels at incorporating trending tech ethically and studied Strategies for Accountable AI at Wharton.