It’s easy to think of social media as a craze that has no value for your business. With all of the noise out there, many businesses underestimate social media’s business power, but social is so much more than tweets and cat photos: It’s now where customers go to search for products and content, follow and engage with their favorite brands, crowdsource opinions to get recommendations and referrals, and share content. The social universe is enormous, Twitter has 255 million active sending 500 million tweets each and every day, there are more than 50 million Facebook Pages and 20 billion photos on Instagram. This infographic created in collaboration with our friend Barry Feldman is your guide to building a strategy that works for your business. Take a look and let us know what you think. Say hi @placester and @feldmancreative, we'd love to hear from you.

1. Join the
Conversation
Social media is now an essential
part of doing business. It’s where
you connect with customers and
build relationships with every kind
of constituent.
Whether you’re just starting out, or
overwhelmed by all the noise,
here’s your essential guide for
getting started.
FREQUENCY
MATTERS
Brands that publish an
average of 1.5 to 2
posts per day engage
twice as many users
as brands that post
once or twice a week.
Factor in the
influencers
Influential social media
players curate and share
good content. Create a
list of leaders in your
industry and get on their
radar.
Post twice a
day and reach:
Be selective
No need to dive into
every social network at
once, or even the top
four. Start with one or
two, concentrating on
the networks your
customers prefer.
Go where the
action is
Identify where people
connect in your industry.
Visit competitors’ sites
and profiles. Find out
where their customers
spend their time.
Join groups
Social media networks
are huge, but they’re also
full of smaller
communities. Connect
and interact more closely
with like-minded people
by joining and
participating in groups.
Post twice a
week and reach:
In as little as 6 hours per week,
2 in 3 marketers see increased
leads with social media,
while 4 in 5 see increased trac.
Create
attractive
headers
For the header at the top
of your profile page,
upload an attractive image
or logo that represents
your brand or mission.
Upload a nice
photo
Get a high quality
headshot or portrait.
Look at the camera and
smile. Avoid using group
shots, vacation photos,
and other images that
may clash with your
brand or make you seem
less than professional.
Comment
Conversation is the
lifeblood of social media.
Don’t be negative or
mean: a little constructive
commentary shows
you’re appreciative,
interested, and engaged.
Comment
Create
thoughtful
profiles
Fill out your profiles
completely. Use relevant
keywords. Be
professional, personable,
and confident. Include
links to your website and
other networks.
Tell people
where to find
you
Promote your presence
and activity on social
media by including links
and accounts on your
website, online listings,
emails, newsletter,
business cards, and ads.
Share
The best way to build
relationships is to share
content you discover and
enjoy. Put some thought
into your sharing by writing
something personal to go
along with it.
61% of U.S. adults on
more than one social
network have “unliked”
or “unfollowed” brands
on social media.
82% of consumers trust
a company more if
they are involved with
social media.
Friend and
follow
Connect with all the
people you know. Consult
suggested users lists and
do keyword searches to
find more people to
follow. Most will follow
you back. Be friendly, not
pushy or weird.
79% of Twitter users
who see Tweets from
both a brand and
users tweeting about
a brand take action,
online or oine.
Don’t pitch
products
Don’t be overly salesy or
self-interested in your
regular posts: it turns
people o. If you want to
use social media to sell,
consider buying ads on
your networks instead.
Someone liked this
Buy my product now!
mysite.com/buybuybuy
Something!
You followed Your Acquaintance
Intriguing video on #something at
mysite.com/video-something
Your friend liked this
Be Consistent
Whether you spend a lot
or a little time on social
media, know that you’ll
be take more seriously
and achieve more
visibility when you’re a
Ugh, today sux!
You liked this
Something else!
Look and listen
Observe how others
present themselves and
interact on your chosen
networks. You’ll pick up a
lot of insights about
good and bad behavior.
Endorse
Be generous with your
likes, +1s, and other forms
of social media
endorsement. Your
gesture won’t go
unnoticed. Don’t like
everything: only endorse
when you really mean it.
Learn the regular contributor.
network’s
features
Every social network is
dierent. Leverage each
site’s strengths and
features by learning the
ropes. Ask friends and
colleagues, read articles
and guides, and
subscribe to useful blogs.
46% of global Internet
users said social media
influenced their
purchase decisions.
Be real
Don’t try to be anybody
other than yourself on
social media. Write the
way you speak, share and
post about what matters
to you, and you’ll build
authentic relationships.
Social media sharing now
accounts for 54% of
information consumers use
in buying decisions.
Infographic presented by
In 2013, 46 percent of global Internet users said social media influenced their purchase decisions •
http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2012/how-connectivity-influences-global-shopping.html
Social media marketing budgets are projected to double in the next five years •
http://www.business2community.com/social-media/83-exceptional-social-media-marketing-statistics-2014-0846364
In as little as 6 hours per week, over 66% of marketers see lead generation benefits with social media, while over 84% see
increased trac • http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/social-media-marketing-industry-report-2014/
79% of Twitter users exposed to Tweets from both a brand itself and Twitter users tweeting about that brand take some
kind brand action online or oine •
https://blog.twitter.com/2014/study-exposure-to-brand-tweets-drives-consumers-to-take-action-both-on-and-o-twitter
82% of consumers trust a company more if they are involved with social media •
http://www.edelman.com/insights/intellectual-property/trust-2013/about-trust/
52% of the U.S. adult online population report using more than one social network. Of those, 61% reported “unliking” or
“unfollowing” brands on social media • http://socialtimes.com/61-consumers-unfollow-brands-social-media_b198073
Social media sharing accounts for 54 percent of information usage for the consumer buying decision • Nielsen: The Role of
Content in the Consumer Decision Making Process http://www.inpwrd.com/nielsen
Pages that post between 1.5 – 2 new posts per day engage (on average) twice as many users as Pages that posts once or
twice per week • http://www.meltwater.com/social-media-blog/how-often-should-you-post-on-facebook/