Lisa Taylor Powers of The Hive Marketing gives attendees of “The Essentials” seminar a clear sense of developing their social media strategy.
Know your audience – and your competition.
That fundamental principle, a critical element to running a business, can also be applied when trying to find your way through the oft-dizzying social media landscape as a business owner, according to Lisa Taylor Powers, owner of The Hive Marketing agency.
In an informative, clear and strategic “The Essentials” presentation on June 1 to members of the Mill Valley, San Rafael, Corte Madera and Tiburon chamber of commerce, Taylor Powers spanned the entirety of the social media landscape. In doing so, she gave the nearly two dozen attendees a clear system to identify what social platforms are best for them, and how best to leverage those channels.
The first step before diving into social media – or re-evaluating your current social media strategy – is to know your business and your goals, as well as those of your competition. That analysis is crucial to understanding what social media platforms to prioritize, Taylor Powers said.
“If you’re looking to increase traffic to your website, and lead generation and e-commerce sales in the process, Facebook provides the largest audience there is,” she said, noting that 66 percent of all men and 77 percent of all women in the U.S. are on Mark Zuckerberg’s creation.
Business owners should also square their sights on their competition, seeing what they do and determining if their social media strategy presents any lessons – or opportunities. “If they’re not doing it, why should you be doing it?” Taylor Powers said. “Or have they missed a chance to reach your shared audience?”
Taylor Powers broke businesses into three types of social media users, and the platforms that best fit their needs/goals:
–Visual Industry: Retail, food, restaurants, real estate, art, consumer goods and construction. These businesses lend themselves to photography-laden posts. Taylor Powers highlighted the work of Equator Coffees & Teas on Instagram, Sol Food on Twitter and Super Duper Burgers on Facebook. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
–Knowledge-based industry: Consumer and business service providers, technology, software, nonprofits, healthcare and education. Sharing information – Taylor Powers lauded Vogue Cleaners’ post of tips to saving energy when doing your laundry – and developing a reputation as a ‘thought leader’ are keys for these businesses. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
–Regulated industry: Banking, finance, legal and some healthcare. “There is a place for you in social media but you must do it in a way that complies with the regulations of your industry,” Taylor Powers said. Twitter and LinkedIn.
“There are so many platforms that it feels like the landscape is changing every day,” she added. “We have to know who we are targeting. Know how your target market shops, how they do research, what questions do they ask and what are their daily problems.”
And you must stay vigilant in the ever-changing social media landscape, she said, by constantly analyzing what you’re doing and being willing to iterate along the way.
Go here for more info on Taylor Powers’ presentation, and watch a portion of it above. Email her with inquiries.
Upcoming Chamber events.
That fundamental principle, a critical element to running a business, can also be applied when trying to find your way through the oft-dizzying social media landscape as a business owner, according to Lisa Taylor Powers, owner of The Hive Marketing agency.
In an informative, clear and strategic “The Essentials” presentation on June 1 to members of the Mill Valley, San Rafael, Corte Madera and Tiburon chamber of commerce, Taylor Powers spanned the entirety of the social media landscape. In doing so, she gave the nearly two dozen attendees a clear system to identify what social platforms are best for them, and how best to leverage those channels.
The first step before diving into social media – or re-evaluating your current social media strategy – is to know your business and your goals, as well as those of your competition. That analysis is crucial to understanding what social media platforms to prioritize, Taylor Powers said.
“If you’re looking to increase traffic to your website, and lead generation and e-commerce sales in the process, Facebook provides the largest audience there is,” she said, noting that 66 percent of all men and 77 percent of all women in the U.S. are on Mark Zuckerberg’s creation.
Business owners should also square their sights on their competition, seeing what they do and determining if their social media strategy presents any lessons – or opportunities. “If they’re not doing it, why should you be doing it?” Taylor Powers said. “Or have they missed a chance to reach your shared audience?”
Taylor Powers broke businesses into three types of social media users, and the platforms that best fit their needs/goals:
–Visual Industry: Retail, food, restaurants, real estate, art, consumer goods and construction. These businesses lend themselves to photography-laden posts. Taylor Powers highlighted the work of Equator Coffees & Teas on Instagram, Sol Food on Twitter and Super Duper Burgers on Facebook. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
–Knowledge-based industry: Consumer and business service providers, technology, software, nonprofits, healthcare and education. Sharing information – Taylor Powers lauded Vogue Cleaners’ post of tips to saving energy when doing your laundry – and developing a reputation as a ‘thought leader’ are keys for these businesses. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
–Regulated industry: Banking, finance, legal and some healthcare. “There is a place for you in social media but you must do it in a way that complies with the regulations of your industry,” Taylor Powers said. Twitter and LinkedIn.
“There are so many platforms that it feels like the landscape is changing every day,” she added. “We have to know who we are targeting. Know how your target market shops, how they do research, what questions do they ask and what are their daily problems.”
And you must stay vigilant in the ever-changing social media landscape, she said, by constantly analyzing what you’re doing and being willing to iterate along the way.
Go here for more info on Taylor Powers’ presentation, and watch a portion of it above. Email her with inquiries.
Upcoming Chamber events.