Where do I start with this Social Media Thing? Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIN – Too many to list

The social media conversations are now common place amongst business people.  It boils down to what’s in it for me & where do I start? The ‘what’s in it for me?’ thought I will have to come back to on a later post…..for now we will just talk about where to start.

First let’s discuss the basic nature of social media sites and how that may impact where you start. There are two categories in ‘lay terms’:

1. Static + Dynamic (S+D): A site that centers everything around the profile of a business or a person. A dynamic nature exists where you can network, add photos, etc but it’s not an imperative after you start your profile. To get full value from the site the dynamic must be tapped, but to get your feet wet you can start with just the static side of the equation.

These sites include: Facebook, LinkedIN, Google Local (see video), & other ‘directory based sites’.

2. Dynamic: A site that needs to be consistently updated to both drive and derive value from it. You need to think in terms of  constant content creation as being the normal mode of operation. This blog would be an example of that.

These sites include: Twitter, Blogs, YouTube

So where do I start?

As a CPA you should start with the S+D sites first and, once accomplishing those with some success, you can move on to the others. It’s not as much a question of ability; it’s more about desire and commitment. The dynamic sites take a rewiring of sorts. The S+D sites can easily be a quarterly exercise where you spend a few hours getting them in tip top shape. The Dynamic sites take constant care and attention that most business people are not willing to lend it currently due to the fuzzy nature of impact towards the bottom line.

So here is my prescription for the standard busy CPA in order:

And don’t forget this one crucial element. As a business person your hub for all things Social Media is your business’s website. What shape is it in? If it’s like most CPA firms’ sites, people who work for you don’t even know it exists, let alone use it as a tool to do business & network with. That may be your first place to start!

A video on Google Local Business Center