How To Use: Social Media

• How is your Social Media exposure these days?
  With so many ways to connect with customers online you want to be sure not to spread yourself too thin and allow for actual conversations to take place between yourself and current / future clients.
  If you’re just starting out or you are re-evaluating where your efforts should be focused on, the best place to start is by making yourself available where your current clients are active online. Ask where you can follow them and build your online relationships. Every business succeeds with positive interactions and referrals, you just need to have the right plan to stay focused, approachable and relevant.
  Here’s how Social Media sites stack up for users to give you an idea of places to focus your efforts.
  Of course, it’s more important to understand where your clients are hanging out online rather than these bulk numbers but they will give you a heads up on where to start. It’s important to note that 67% of Canadian internet users visit a social networking site at least once a month (Statistics Canada, Individual Internet Use 2012 https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/131028/dq131028a-eng.html
  
  • Facebook – 17 million Canadian members. It’s estimated that by the end of 2014 92.9 Canadian social media users will have a Facebook account
  • Twitter – 10 million Canadian users
  • LinkedIn – 8 million Canadian users
  • Pinterest – 4 million Canadian users with 66% being women, and 34% with incomes over $100k
  As one method of connecting to a wide range of social media users you may want to follow the most popular brand pages https://www.socialbakers.com/statistics/facebook/pages/local/canada/brands/ on Facebook and join active conversations, just don’t promote your business on those pages, be yourself.
  Avoid spammy conversations and be helpful. Create opportunities for discussion and always be courteous. The bigger goal is to increase your reach but don’t allow your business to get in the way of other’s simpler aims.