Tips and Benefits on Using Social Media
As a baby boomer, why would you even want to get involved in social media?
Using Social Media has many benefits. But many of us who are older have no desire to get involved in social media. The changes in technology are intimidating and many older people see it as a waste of time – which it can be if not used correctly. However, for those of you who are still working, it is a very powerful marketing tool. Whether you like it or not, our world is a technology based world.
More and more people are starting to do their initial research online - whether to buy a house, research a product or industry or just get information about various subjects.
What are some of the benefits of social media?
Why would you want to spend your time working on social media? Below are some of benefits that you will derive:
- It gives you more exposure. People will connect with you on the different sites and get to know who you are as a person. If they like what they see, they will also start develop a sense of trust about you. But even more so, these same people also have connections that will now have the opportunity to learn more about you. Remember, "people buy from people who they like and they trust".
- By your being seen in the social media world, many people will want to learn more about what you do and will in turn go to your blog or your website. They will now know that your website exists, which in itself is a great advantage – getting found in the great black hole called the internet can be a real challenge to begin with. It also helps people learn about you and will give you higher search engine rankings. So if people do a Google search using your name, they are more apt to find you.
- You will form relationships online. For example, I have made some new friends on Twitter. We are now trying to help each other out in our respective businesses. These are people whose paths I would have never crossed if it weren’t for my being on a social media site.
- Learn more about what is happening in your profession. Through a site called LinkedIn, you can get your hands on an extensive amount of information and join "groups" that are a treasure trove. LinkedIn also gives you the ability to connect with people that you would never have had the chance to otherwise. Because of the way LinkedIn works, I now have a way of making connections with over 700,000 people – many of whom I would never have been able to reach without the benefit of technology. A few years ago, who would have dreamed that my business would have that kind of potential to grow? In future blogs, I will go into much more detail of how LinkedIn works. So what I am trying to say, social media is an extremely important part your marketing out plan in this day and age. Learn to use it correctly and it will pay you dividends far beyond your wildest expectations.
The benefits of using social media are well worth the time it takes to learn it.
