Are You Connected?
By Kathy McCullough-Testa –
Facebook . . . Twitter . . . Google+ . . . LinkedIn . . . Pinterest . . . Instagram . . . FourSquare . . . Blogging . . . YouTube . . .
The list of Social Media tools available for personal, professional, and small business use seems endless.
The landscape is constantly changing, constantly evolving. Those that were tried and true four years ago (Myspace), may not be the ones used predominately today (Facebook), and will definitely not be the ones that will be popular tomorrow (???).
So how do you make sense of all of these services? Which ones should be a part of your Social Media toolkit? How are they part of a larger promotional and marketing picture when used with traditional media? How can they be tied together for easier updating and maintenance? How are business communications and personal communications seperated, and when is it alright to commingle the two? When do you use them? How do you learn how to use them? Can you set up and maintain them yourself, or should you hire someone? When do you say, “Yes, I need to jump in headfirst.” Or when do you just say, “No?”
Are You Connected will be a regular column that will delve into these questions and others that arise as Social Media changes by the minute. We will also ask readers what questions they may have and what topics we should address.
We, at KMT Consultants, have worked with Social Media, websites, and traditional media including print, radio, video, and public relations for over 25 years. The column will begin by overviewing each of the more popular Social Media, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, and Google+ – how to set them up, use them, and integrate them to achieve your goals. It will also profile new players on the Social Media scene as they arise, as well as niche Social Media programs like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and FourSquare.
The following are a few surprising statistics from just last month. (Source: The Latest 27 Social Media Facts, Figures and Statistics for 2012 – Infographic; November 28, 2012):
• 350 million plus users suffer from “Facebook addiction syndrome”.
• If Twitter was a country it would be the 12th most populated in the world.
• LinkedIn signs up two new members every second.
• The average visitor spends 15 minutes a day on YouTube.
• Three million new blogs come online every month.
• 97% of the fans on Pinterest’s Facebook page are women.
• 5 million images are uploaded to Instagram every day.
• The Google +1 button is used 5 billion times every day.
For additional updates and online resources visit our website: www.kmtconsultants.com; blog http://kathymcculloughtesta.tumblr.com/ ; Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest: KMT Consultants; and Instagram: kmtthebrand. If you have questions, please contact either Kathy McCullough-Testa or Gregory Testa at mail@kmtconsultants.com or at (252) 261-0230 or email editor@northbeachsun.
