Club Meeting – May 21st, 2015

Treva Carter, a Salem Rotarian and President of TJ Carter Consulting, talked to our club members about which social media is best for their organizations, from businesses to civic clubs, governments and social groups.

Over 90% of U.S. businesses now use social media. Social media marketing dollars are expected to explode from $7.2 billion in 2014 to $17.34 billion in 2019.  This amount is in addition to websites, which are necessary but no longer enough to represent organizations online.

Organizations attract customers, members, donors and voters on social media by offering information of value and by establishing connections. Each organization needs to determine what social media networks attract its audience.  Then the organization can become active on those networks.

Businesses who primarily deal with other businesses (B2B) focus first on LinkedIn, the largest professional social network.  Company pages are important to attract potential clients and partners.  Individual pages establish one’s credentials as an expert or a potential employee.  More upper level executives are active on LinkedIn than other networks.

Businesses who deal directly with consumers (B2C), like restaurants and retailers, can benefit first from company pages on Facebook, the largest social network in the world. 71% of adult internet users are on Facebook.  Company pages are also most valuable to organizations like Rotary clubs, government organizations, and other non-profits.  Facebook company pages allow organizations to share event information, make special offers and provide valuable updates in an easy to find manner.

Twitter is an important social network for individuals who want to become known as thought leaders and experts in their fields.   Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Google+ and other social networks are also valuable for organizations whose audiences focus on those networks.

Click here to download PDF of Treva’s social media presentation.