Promotion Potential

There are millions of blogs out there, with more created every second. Yet, it's still vital to the health of your company to have one. The key to success is not to join the rest of the blogs in yelling for the world's attention, but to whisper into the ears of those who matter most to your business.

This isn't so daunting as you might believe. No matter what industry you're in, there's likely already blogs or forums full of passionate people discussing your field. For example, a simple Google search of "welding forums" turned up over 7 communities, on the first page. Any one of these would make, for a welding company, an ideal place to make a social media mark.

Find a Forum
As much as you might like to, promoting your company's new blog by typing "Hi!" with a link on a message board isn't going to get you much respect. Instead, answer questions and engage the community. If your company provides useful answers once or twice a week, you'll be seen as a valued member rather than another leech just trying to steal people's clicks. Not only will more users flock to your blog, the people that do visit will be knowledgeable and interested in what you have to say. Some might become customers, and others still will link to you from their own sites, bringing even more eyes to your brand.

Twitter and Facebook work much the same way. It's expected for you to link back to your own site, but nobody will follow said link without a contribution to the community. If, for instance, you "tweet" that your company now offers new welding gloves with a link to the sales page, make sure you spend some time tweeting helpful information that isn't directly related to your company's bottom line. Find people to follow in your profession, and then engage them with questions and solutions to their problems.

Social Media + Customer Service = Great Branding
Social media isn't just a way for you to reach out, however, it also allows the customer to reach you. Be prepared to deal with annoyed consumers in your corporate blog comments or on your Facebook page. Don't be one of the companies who block or drive away their vocal customers. Ask and learn what is making them angry, and show that you're willing to help. There are already plenty of stories where an organization made an effort for one of their unsatisfied customers and wound up with hundreds of blogs sharing the tale, turning a public relations nightmare into a great success. When everyone has a megaphone, it's good policy to make sure they're singing your praises.

If you're thinking this is going to take time, then you're right. Choosing to enter the world of social media requires substantial commitment. While the most minimal of efforts, a blog post a week, putting press releases on your home page, will still help, the benefit of social media is exponential in relation to the time you spend with it. An hour a day (or more) interacting with your customers will reap amazing benefits.