Social Media 101

Brand-new to social media?  Here are some ways to get started:

1. Set up a personal profile on Facebook. This is just for you, not for your business.  In order to have a Facebook page for your business (and to be an administrator of that page), you have to have a personal profile or business profile.  Basically, a personal profile allows you to fully use Facebook, whereas a business profile is just a page for your business Page and ads to be anchored to.  Go to Facebook.com and sign up.  If you’re having trouble, first check Facebook’s Help Center, and if you’re still hung up, feel free to contact me.

2. After you’ve done step 1 (above), it’s time to set up a Facebook page for your business.  I’m happy to do this for you, or you’re welcome to do it yourself, if you’d like.  Most clients prefer for me to set up their pages (which is my preference, too).  Once I’ve created the page, my very next step is to make you an Administrator of your page, so you’ll still have control over settings, etc-.  If there comes a time when I’m no longer working with you, either you or I can remove me from the page as an admin.

3.  Ready to tweet?  Go to Twitter.com to set up an account.  Keep in mind that each Twitter account must be tied to a unique email address – so use a personal email for a personal account and a business email for a business account.  If you’re ready to jump into the deep end, set up your Facebook and Twitter pages and go nuts!  If you’d rather take a slower, more staggered approach, set up Facebook now and wait until you’re comfortable with that to set up your Twitter account.  Unlike Facebook, you can have a business account without a personal account on Twitter.

4.  Even if you aren’t personally ready to tweet, your business probably is.  As above, we can stagger getting started in Facebook and Twitter if you’d like some time to acclimate.  If you’re ready for both right away, though, choose your account name and go to Twitter.com to start your business account.  Here is a great piece on signing up for Twitter along with 50 Ideas on Using Twitter for Business.  This Twitter account will be tied to the email used to set it up.  I can set up the account, but you’ll still have to verify it when that email reaches your inbox.

Wondering why Facebook is important for your business? Read  11 Mind-Blowing Reasons Your Business Needs Facebook. (and really, this is worth reading even if you’re already pretty confident that your business needs Facebook!)

Need to know how Twitter plays into your brand’s social media presence? Check out How to Use Twitter to Grow Your Business.

Ready for more? Visit the library.

Still have questions? Visit our FAQ page or contact us.