For an illustration, recall that construction of the International Space Station (ISS) began in 1998 with the Zarya Control Module, the station’s 42-foot long, 43,000-pound hub.
Over the years, additional modules have been added to enhance the station’s capabilities. When the ISS is completed this year, it will measure 354 feet long, weigh over 800,000 pounds, and be larger than a five-bedroom house.
Like the Zarya, your Web site is your cyber-hub. It stores critical data about your business and serves as a docking station to which you can attach social media modules.
Outfit your Web site with a blog, and you’ll transform your hub into an interactive, customer-centric watering hole. A blog feeds visitors a steady stream of fresh content. It acquaints people with your company culture, invites them to ask questions, and allows them to preview your products and services.
People read blogs because they choose to, so you can update your business blog as often as you like without risk of spamming customers with unsolicited messages.
Search engines index every blog article. As your blog moves up in the search engine rankings, traffic to your Web site will increase.
Once you get the hang of blogging, consider adding more social media modules to your hub. It takes eight-to-ten touches before prospects remember your business; why not jog their memory multiple ways?
Let’s explore three of the most popular add-ons.
Micro-blogging
Twitter, king of micro-blogs, allows you 140 characters per “tweet” to share tips, witty comments and promotions; link to articles, videos and pictures; and interact with your followers.
At Bothell’s official visitors and events Twitter page (@ExploreBothell), you’ll learn where to find local dentists, florists, or wineries and you’ll get the latest UW Bothell and Bothell High news.
Twitter updates take less than a minute to publish, and each tweet generates a branding impression that builds your company’s reputation over time. Micro-blogging is perfect for time-starved businesspeople. You can reach new prospects and enhance your brand — one tweet at a time.
Video and photo sharing
YouTube, Blip.tv, Vimeo, Flickr, and Picasa are venues from which you can upload, store, view, and share videos or images.
Mukilteo-based Travis Industries uses Vimeo to showcase 35 tutorials about the hearth products they manufacture. Each two-minute video teaches consumers how to get the most from their wood, gas, or pellet stove.
Image-based product demonstrations, advertisements, and live broadcasts can easily be embedded in your company Web site, or you can use clips for staff training.
Social networking
Facebook, LinkedIn, and “nings” (customizable social communities) are one-stop portals for managing e-mail and instant messages and sharing images, videos, and links.
Everett’s Great Harvest Bread Co. uses their Facebook page to let fans know the exact time the latest whole grain delicacy will emerge from the oven.
Members of the “North Snohomish County Business Community Connections” LinkedIn group support and refer one another.
At SeattleMama, a ning for Snohomish and King County moms, members blog about motherhood, promote local mom-owned businesses, and alert each other to family-friendly activities. Social networks also include tools for setting up discussions, polls and promotions; embedding presentations, and feeding blog content directly to your profile.
It’s easy to get caught up in adding multiple modules to your online hub, just because you can (or because you think you should).
Avoid that temptation. Instead, ask yourself: How can I best connect with my customers and prospects? Add only the social media modules that will help you accomplish your goals. And then use those tools patiently and consistently.
Laura Christianson owns Blogging Bistro (www.bloggingbistro.com), a Snohomish-based company that helps businesses enhance their relationship marketing through Web sites, blogs, Twitter, and Facebook. Contact her at 425-244-4242 or laura@bloggingbistro.com.
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