On the surface, social media may represent a bunch of people shouting back and forth at each other all day long, however, if you know what you’re doing, social media can be very effective and profitable.  Great content, articles or videos on your website that have educational and/or entertainment value shared with others on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, have the potential of becoming viral and can give you the kind of exposure money just can’t buy.

So heres the answers to the most common questions;

It’s not the number of social networks you’re on that matters, it’s how effectively you use them that’s important.  Unless you’re an experienced and skilled marketeer, focus on one social network at a time. Maximize the potential of each network, before moving onto the next one.

Remember, creating a profile is only the first step.  You have to promote your page and actively participate in the social networks you belong to. Just like your website,  if you simply abandon it, absolutely nothing will happen. If you do nothing, people will not simply magically appear at your doorstep – credít cards in hand – it just doesn’t work that way.

Some people have and always will prefer face-to-face communication over all other forms of communication. It’s down to personal choice.  Networking online has its advantages – convenience being the most obvious, but it won’t ever replace the need for human interaction and good old face-to-face networking.

Absolutely not! Websites aren’t a luxury, they’re a necessity. And I am absolutely amazed at how many people there are on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the other social networks who don’t have a website – not even a blog. I think this is a mistake for a number of reasons. First of all, search engines are content driven vehicles. And while you may have a nice profile on the various social networks, it’s not the same as having unique content on your website.  In addition, you have complete control over the content on your website, as opposed to social network profiles which are limited and have user guidelines. Also, it’s much easier to build your brand if you have a website. Think about it.

Blogging works, but just like any marketing tool, it has to be properly executed.  That means you have to post often and refresh your content regularly to keep visitors coming back. It also means you have to figure out an effective way to monetise your website so that it’s profitable.  Rely on clever posting and linking rather than using Adsense, affiliate programs or banners, reducing your advertising costs – that way you get to keep all the profits.

Yes, you can track and measure your social media ROI by using free analytic software like Google Analytics. For example, GA will allow you to track visitors coming from social networks and the actions they took. You can do this by setting up “Goals” in Google Analytics to see which links you are tracking generate the most activity.  You’d be surprised at the number of sophisticated actions GA can perform. All you have to do is take some time to study the tutorials to see what’s possible with GA. After all, that’s what being a professional is all about.

Well, that depends on the individual and how disciplined he or she is. I use social media very effectively, and spend around 30 minutes a day combined on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and my Blog – but I’m disciplined. I know these sites are all made from virtual superglue!  During work hours, do what you need to do on those sites and then get out of there!  If youre short of time, dont mix business with pleasure.

If your business need to generate new leads, more traffic? If  you need to build your brand? Strengthen your SEO efforts? Provide customer support? Give your customers a platform to give feedback and suggestions in real-time?

If you answered yes to one or more of those questions, social media is right for your business.