Treating social media as a marketing tool

I have to admit I am addicted to Twitter. I love following folks from around the world. I can talk hockey to a fan in Canada, get advice from an entrepreneur in London and live vicariously through a hilarious travel writer in Minneapolis. That's what makes it so much fun.

I also realize the power social media offers entrepreneurs and small business owners. Used strategically, methodically, consistently and proactively, social media tools like Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, YouTube, Digg, Reddit, Delicious and other sites can drastically improve your position as an expert in your field, connect with your ideal clients, educate you on current issues and even secure new projects.  That's if you are treating it like any other marketing tool.

That means setting goals, short-term objectives, key metrics and deadlines for the social media sites you plan to incorporate into your marketing plan.  Just as you would create a plan for your advertising, you should do the same for your key social media platforms.  And just as you measure your return on investment in advertising, the same holds true for social media, although instead of counting dollars you could measure awareness, comments, clicks or direct messages,... Just beware of relying on followers, fans or connections to determine how well your plan is succeeding. Not all followers are the same; some people just want to increase their numbers without any intent to provide quality content.

By being strategic about your social media activities, you can drastically reduce the amount of time wasted online and increase awareness for your business.