There are thousands of social media, social bookmarking, social networking and microblogging sites, but what do they all do?

Social media is a term that includes most of the others and also blogging, online article writing and newsletters. They’re all means of communication with an audience that may be made up of random viewers, people you’re directly connected with and people who have specifically asked to receive information from you.

Social bookmarking sites offer their members to post links that they have found interesting and useful as a means of sharing information with others. It’s a good way of getting your blog read, but also of sharing specialist information that may be of interest to like-minded people. Generous sharing generates connections and builds your reputation.

Social networking covers membership sites that offer the opportunity for people to make new connections, reconnect with people they have known in the past and also get connected to people they want to meet through mutual connections. An introduction from a known source is always much more powerful than a ‘cold’ approach.

Depending on the network there are many other functions of these networks, providing everything from a dedicated group that has discussions around mutually interesting topics, to being able to post social information and events as well as photos and/or business information.

Typically most people think of LinkedIn as the ‘business’ end of the spectrum and Facebook as the ‘social’ end, but both have elements right across the spectrum.

Microblogging is where you can post small bits of information, limited by a maximum character count. Twitter is the best known, but by no means the only one.

Learning to write succinctly to get your message across is excellent practice for writing longer copy!

Using a combination of chosen social media to promote your message means understanding what they all do. More about that over the next few days.
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It’s almost impossible to avoid social media these days – unless you’ve been living in the middle of a desert for the past few years with no communication with the rest of the world. Everyone has opinions about it from ‘total waste of time’ to ‘most valuable tool that’s been invented in decades’. Whatever you think, it’s here to stay – and, no doubt, to evolve.

OK, whether eagerly or reluctantly, you realise you’re going to have to live with it – then let’s just look at what it is, and isn’t.

It is a means of forming and building relationships by communicating two ways.
It isn’t a broadcast only tool, people will very quickly get fed up if all you do is talk at them.

It is an effective way to extend your business profile much further than most people would otherwise be able to do.
It isn’t a waste of time if you have a strategy and a management plan (but it can be if you let it take over).

It is a way of growing a reputation as an expert in your field.
It isn’t a means of being irrelevant, spamming people or being rude or aggressive.

It is a way to share information easily so people benefit from the useful websites, articles, blogs and other online media that you find useful too.
It isn’t a way to sell at everyone who follows you or befriends you on any of the social media platforms (they can disconnect as quickly as they found you).

It is a very powerful business tool if you know how to use it.
It isn’t going to make you rich overnight, it’s no quick fix.

So what does all this mean to your business? You’ve got your hands on a very powerful and very low outlay tool – but it’s like any other tool in your toolbox; it won’t work if you don’t use it properly. That’s the secret, get some advice, think things through, work out what you’d like it to achieve and what you’ll need to do to get those results – then go for it, consistently and with focus.
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Sign up on the right and get your free reports, tips and information that will help you get your message across in writing.

You can also find us on +44 (0) 1245 473296 or on Skype ‘lesleywriter’