Using social media might seem daunting, but small businesses can learn how from online resources and Meetup groups. And for an extra hand, or if it’s all so overwhelming, get help.
That’s the message from self-taught Vancouver entrepreneurs who have made social media such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, HootSuite and Placeling a vital part of their marketing.
“I figured it out myself by reading online and watching YouTube videos,” said Kyla Ray, partners with Michelle Miazga in their Gastown interior design firm Port + Quarter Interior Spaces, which focuses on male clients.
“Also a friend of mine has a social media company,” Ray said. “We had a chat for about three hours and he gave me some tips and tricks. I’m still in contact with him as well if I have any questions.”
Clinical hypnotherapist Cynthia Miller taught herself from the Internet and getting together with groups from meetup.com that teach others how to market online, including how to automate sending her blog posts and e-newsletters to Facebook and Twitter. She runs her Pacific Peace Healing Arts Hypnotherapy at the Electra Health Floor clinic in downtown Vancouver and posts to Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn and has plans to add Pinterest to the list.
“At first it was hard to set things up but after I saw how I could use the automatic posting function, I kept looking into new places to post and new ways to do it,” she said. “It starts to make sense after a while; it doesn’t just come overnight.”
Miller said it has taken about six to eight months for her social media efforts to have an impact with people now joining her networks by word of mouth.
“I chose to do this myself as I like to be able to make those decisions,” said Miller. “Now that I have most things set up, I can teach an assistant to do what I do and I can devote my time to my business.”
Ray said social media is free for the most part, and businesses have to have it now to be a player in the game.
“It’s the best way to reach a wide audience for little or no money,” she said.
Both Ray and Miller have apps on their iPads to stay on top of social media.
“I have a calendar on my desktop that is for marketing posts only,” said Miller. “Every day, there is something that needs to be done,” she said. Most people put tasks on their calendar but it takes organization and devotion to follow through with carrying out those tasks.”
Ray uses the dashboard from Vancouver’s HootSuite Media Inc. to manage her tweets”
“So on a Monday, I will sit down for two to three hours and schedule everything for that week.”
That usually involves five or six tweets a day, including weekends, with links to tips, articles and videos about styles, trends and products.
Those subjects are also on display on Port + Quarter’s account with Pinterest, which is like a digital noticeboard where you pin compelling images you notice online. Meant for visually oriented businesses, it’s not so useful for, say, a law firm.
Ray is now exploring the app from Vancouver-based Placeling (Internet Services) Inc., which lets you explore places and share them by pinning on a map.
Ray said she checks her social media apps in the morning and then closes those windows during the day, checking for 10 minutes or so about every two hours.
“Or else, you could just be on there all day reading things,” she said. “There’s a reason why social media is a full-time job at a lot of companies. It can take over.”
