Social Snapshot: LinkedIn & Facebook

Strategy: LinkedIn is a professional network used to research and connect with people as well as companies. LinkedIn encourages and requires honesty and transparency, as profiles are viewed by known and potential associates. 
There are many features of LinkedIn including;

*suggestions to connect with people or who has viewed your profile
*an advanced people finder, as well as group or direct messaging
*sales reinforcement and polls in order to obtain information or feedback
*ability to generate offers​ and create advertisements
*opportunity to reconnect with past associates, build new relationships, increase networking and view competition

LinkedIn accounts provide assessment on strengths, weaknesses and assets which are beneficial for product and marketing path development. LinkedIn assists individuals and companies with getting found and building communities. Leads are generated by promoting and sharing links, and recruiting talent as well as business promotions and campaigns are best when delivered by word of mouth. Use LinkedIn to build rapport and trust with peers, while get to know people behind positions (research before meeting).

Etiquette: When reaching out to connect with others on LinkedIn, make sure to personalize your connection and recommendation requests as you are more likely to receive a positive responses/actions than if you were to send a mass request or attempt to add every person you come across. Fill out your profile entirely, including a profile picture in order to appear polished and professional. LinkedIn content should always be business related and qualified.

Strategy: Facebook is a social networking site that connects friends, families, coworkers and businesses. Facebook is used to start conversations, tell stories, entertain and inform others. From a business aspect, Facebook is able to;

*use ads to promote and inform
*watch and track competitors
*pre-schedule posts

When creating posts relate content to current events, illustrate text with photos, and include hashtags to reach a wider audience. Figure out who your target audience is and create content that resonates with them, post video content over photo content tends to get more shares, and sharable is the new viral. When getting comments or inbox messages, silence says everything so one should always reply immediately. Strategy is to be a part of a community that provides value and appears appealing, while defining objectives and goals while working towards them. Profiles are personal and pages are professional, Facebook is a social media website-not based on advertising, though you may define your company’s brand attributes here. 

Etiquette: Avoid “I” statements along with avoid heavy self promotion, main focus should be on quality of posts-not quantity. Engage with fans by displaying their wall posts and make sure to post status updates regularly to keep your fans interested. Be authentic and  include all contact information for social outlets you can be viewed at and reached on. Share shocking facts or advancements in industry and current events and avoid religion and political posts as you never want to offend anyone. 

Tips: Use Facebook to educate, inform, and entertain. Connect words with pictures and create calls to action that will intrigue or inspire others about your company (ie: exclusive discounts and promotions). Creating content around holidays tends to get more views and shares as people are feeling festive or have more time available to be online. Try to be consistent with posts and know your motive and goals (ie: grow audience, more website traffic). Video and YouTube links are popular, as people like to see and hear information. Keep written posts short so they aren’t overlooked, ask questions in order to generate conversation, and add testimonials or quotes when possible to mix things up.