Issue link: http://southshoremagazine.uberflip.com/i/353654
27 TheSouthShoreMagazine.com social media consistently. Social Media is the great equalizer, enabling small, locally based businesses to have a strong, powerful social media presences," says Rosenfeld. PRO TIPS FROM MAIN STREET MEDIA GROUP: FACEBOOK FOR BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS Facebook is undergoing the most dramatic changes of any social medium right now, but it is one of the most widely used on a local level. Most business users and consumers don't realize that the average non- promoted business post will appear in the Facebook newsfeed of only about 7% of a page's fans. For businesses, that means your posts could be unseen by most of your fans. To improve Facebook performance, look at your data. The answers to 'what makes a good post' and 'when to post to maximize reach' are right there in the Facebook Analytics section of your page. Engagement is king. If you create posts that interest your fans (contests, relevant questions, useful information etc…), your posts will rise in your fans' news feed. The more engagement a post receives, the higher it will rise. The more posts with high engagement, the more fans see any of your posts. You may also consider paying to boost a post, or promote your page. If you boost or promote a post, you can increase the number of people who will see your information. You choose how much money you would like to spend, and that correlates to the number of people who will see your post. You certainly do not have to pay for every post. A small Facebook budget, combined with relevant, interesting content, and careful targeting, can significantly increase your social media reach. Lastly become a savvy user of Facebook, not just a promoter and consumer. Check your Facebook streams, and participate strategically in other Facebook communities. Seek out associations, community organizations, town groups, Chambers of Commerce, and industry pages on Facebook—these are places that business pages can respond to posts, share updates, and gain additional marketing reach. TWITTER Local businesses have had great success using Twitter to engage with South Shore audiences. Those who are new to Twitter can gain a good understanding of the tool by watching and listening on Twitter during a big, televised event. If you see a hashtag for a big game or celebrity event, follow it to get a good sense of how Twitter works. Your company or organization needs to develop a strong voice. Tweet a balance of original content and relevant retweets, and be patient. If you have a consistent voice and message, your efforts will pay off in followers and retweets. YOUTUBE No matter what your company does, YouTube is an excellent way to connect with your audience. Nothing can replace the authority you gain when you describe your product or service in such a visual medium. Video is by far the easiest and fastest way to build a strong connection with your target market. But, posting up a video is not enough. You must also optimize it for maximum exposure. There is a long list of actions you can take to make your video highly searchable. One example is including a transcript of your video in the description area. The text in your video description can be searched through Google and other search engines, the words spoken in the video cannot. You can also drive viewers to your video by posting it on your other social media sites. Once your video is watched, each subsequent view increases its search rankings. In this fast-paced, instantly-connected world, Main Street Media Group provides their clients with guidance they need to flourish online. Brands that succeed over the long-term are those that take advantage of everything social media has to offer. Main Street Media Group is based in Hingham, MA and can be reached at hello@mainstmediagroup.com. They provide social media consultations, training, and account management for a wide range of businesses and organizations on the South Shore. From one person start-ups, to non-profit charities, to regional chains, if you're on social media on the South Shore, chances are, you've seen their work. www.mainstmediagroup.com