You need a Plan to know where you’re going.

Social Media was all the buzz in 2009 and it will likely increase in 2010.  For most B2B businesses, the return on investment is still low at best, especially when compared with other forms of online marketing, such as SEO, PPC, and email marketing.

Ignoring social media should not be an option for any business.  I’m not saying every business should be doing it all. In fact, my opinion is far from that.  For most B2B businesses, I still think the direct impact that social media can have on your business is minimal. My advice is understand it, educate your employees and participate where it makes sense. I’d rather see you spend time on online activities that offer a significant ROI, i.e. SEO, PPC, email marketing, conversion architecture and web analytics.

However, there is no denying the fact that social media is “where the eyeballs are”.  People are spending a large chunk of their time online (over 50%) on social media sites like Facebook, Youtube, MySpace, Blogs and more. As a result, EVERY business needs to have a strategy as to how you’re going to address it.

At a minimum, every business’  Social Media Strategy should address the following items.

• Educate yourself and your staff on social media
• Ensure social media policies and guidelines are established
• Ensure your brand is protected and consistent
• Monitor your online reputation. Setup Google Alerts at No cost.
• Create a social presence and community

Contact WSI for assistance in developing a Social Media Strategy kit for your business.