Take a walk down memory lane with me for a moment. Envision your childhood when you were King (or Queen) of the Neighborhood. You knew all the kids and everybody admired you. You were the self-proclaimed ringleader, and it seemed as though nothing could bring down your reign. Then it happened.
The new kid came along. Yeah, I know you remember him. This guy seemed to have it all—athleticism, intellect, and charm. He possessed every kryptonite that could destroy you. You were suddenly second place in the eyes of the neighborhood kids.
Social media might seem like the adult version of new kid on the block because it’s constantly changing and people are always on the lookout for the latest and greatest social fad. It might feel like your new media marketing efforts are in vain, as you finally master one social space, only to be tossed aside for the next new thing. But whether you like it or not, there’s always going to be a new kid on the block. So for all of you that have not yet taken the social media new kid under your wing, and even those who have, allow me to share with you what is hot in social media—and what is not.
The Hot List
Facebook– This social media grandfather gives any business the ability to create a profile page complete with photos, a wall (now timeline) to post on, and the ability to create, invite, and promote company events. Not only is this social media giant cost effective (free!), but it boasts the promise of reaching the largest social audience, which is teetering on the boarder of almost one billion users across the globe.
NOT HOT: Be warned, do not allow yourself to fatefully fall into the position of the most annoying person on Facebook by committing these FB faux pas, as you may find your friend numbers continually decrease.
Twitter– Who would have thought just a few years ago that “tweeting” would no longer be for birds? Humans have now embraced this form of microblogging to inform others of important (and even not so important) news and personal updates. After a profile is created, businesses can tweet company information or breaking news to inform, inspire, and motivate. Increased exposure on twitter can generate more traffic for a company’s website and help increase overall credibility.
NOT HOT: Whatever you do, remember it is NOT hot to “retweet” your own retweets. While the retweet feature is a fantastic way to give credit to the source, let’s not get carried away here.
Pinterest– This is the true new kid of social media, which began gaining steam in 2011, and has since made a big name for itself by becoming an online scrapbook/ pin board of sorts. Pinterest is quoted as being the fastest growing standalone site in history. Yet, proceed accordingly. Pinterest is all about eye candy, and while your business may jump at the thought of becoming this newcomer’s BFF, make sure the photos you post or repin are just that—eye candy.
NOT HOT: It is not hot to pin photos that aren’t yours as your own. It’s equally as rude to never repin or share other users’, especially followers’, pins.
Other honorable mentions to make the Hot List include: LinkedIn, blogging sites such as WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr, and of course, Google+.
Now that you know who made the Hot List, consider the value that each of these new kids could bring to your business’ marketing efforts, and stop hating on the new kid.