MSPs: Three Simple Steps to Social Media Success
This blog entry has been floating around my head for several weeks. During the SMB Nation conference back in October, I listened to dozens of VARs and managed service providers try to prioritize their social media efforts across Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn and other networks. The more I heard the more I realized MSPs and VARs were focusing on the wrong web problem. Here’s why.
Imagine the following scenario: You’ve got a limited budget for your home. Instead of building a beautiful, engaging home you spend all of your time building roads and driveways that lead to a run-down house that’s the worst piece of real estate in the neighborhood.
Now apply that scenario to VARs and MSPs:
- Internet Roads: FaceBook, LinkedIn and Twitter are roads on the Internet. Those roads should drive traffic and readership back to your Internet home.
- Internet Home: Your Web site is your most important point of presence on the Internet. It’s the home you want everyone to visit.
My key point: A lot of MSPs and VARs have their priorities backwards. They’re building Internet roads before they’ve built or updated their Internet homes. Before you spend a minute on social media sites, call a time out and determine if your company’s own web site is well-designed, informative, fast-loading and meeting visitors’ needs.
Think of it this way:
- Step 1: Get your web site built (or re-built) and running smoothly. Forget everything else (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) until your web site is stellar. Ask your developer 50 times how they plan to search engine optimize the site, and demand examples of sites they’ve developed that are at or near the top of Google search rankings.
- Step 2: Potentially launch a blog (using WordPress, Google or other tools) to promote your press releases, company news and industry observations. Speak with your web site developer to see if you can integrate the blog into your web site. Blogs are greatly search-engine optimized.
- Step 3: Once your web site and/or your blog are in great shape you’re now ready to proceed to a FaceBook, Twitter and LinkedIn social media efforts. Now, speak with your site developer again and ask how your blog entry headlines can automatically flow across FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Fact is you and your employees don’t have time to continually update your “status” across those social media sites. So automate the process.
Got more questions? I’m happy to answer them. But don’t get caught up in the social media hype until you have a simple, well-designed, informative web site that customers can easily find.
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Great point! and a good reminder for all!
A few more steps revealed in “The No Duhs of Social Media” at http://www.famefoundry.com/646/the-no-duhs-of-social-media
FFcommunicator
FF: I like your list, particularly “be authentic.”
Joe, one more point related to Step 1 — does the content on your website provide helpful guidance to your prospective customer — within their buying-cycle. If so, then you can share a synopsis of that content on other social media sites. Here’s an example of what I mean http://bit.ly/F0Jox
David: Always good to hear from you. Thanks for expanding a bit on the tip list. Short URLs welcome 😉
-jp
Joe – great post as always. You must be eating your Wheaties this month.
I’d recommend that your readers look at what Chris Chase of DTi is doing in this world.
I know we at VirtualAdministrator.com will be working with him and others to find ways to help existing MSPs and fledgling MSPs improve their marketing presence, but I thought it might be worth a look-see for your readers right now. Chris is one of those guys that “gets it”.
Rich
Rich: Alas, I start most days with a tall coffee. But you’re onto something regarding Chris Chase. Sharp guy.
-jp
JP, it all seems so easy doesn’t…of course all roads lead home. We now get more leads from our website than other marketing opportunities. The number one problem still is this…we have an “I” problem and we need to focus on having more “U” in our life. Websites that start with I or We are problems…take inventory.
Stuart Crawford
Bulletproof InfoTech
http://www.bulletproofIT.ca
Stuart: I was just about to sign off for the evening… and now I have to go check our corporate site to see if we’ve broken your “I” and “we” rules… I suspect we have…
-jp
I’d be curious to hear what tools you guys use to syncronize blog entries with facebook, linkedin, twitter, etc.
There are a lot of great PPC strategies, especially with facebook that you can use.
Also, social networking can help you engage with your audience. Ask questions, give stuff away if people respond (talk to your Microsoft local engagement people if you need stuff to give away). Also, find web sites online that your audience visits, and answer I.T. questions, linking back to your site, and your social media profiles.
Consider answering those quesitons on your blog, and instead of just posing your answer in a message board, do a teaser, and link to your answer as a blog entry on your website.
You were absolutely right about the “road to nowhere”. I am currently revamping Managed Data’s temporary website (3 years old now) finally with a real site. In the mean time, I’ve been using my Facebook fan site as the call to action, instead of my web site until we bring it up. At least there I can capture my audience!
Dave
Become a Fan of Managed Data:
http://facebook.managed-data.com
Dave: Thanks for the feedback and good luck with the web site relaunch. To partially answer your question here are five ways to automate Twitter updates over to Facebook…
http://mashable.com/2009/05/25/twitter-to-facebook/
-jp
Rich: Ok, where is the “like” button for this post? Thanks for the kind words.
Joe: I totally agree with you for the most part. However, we’ve seen great success with generating a buzz with social media before site launches for our clients. Even during a revamp.
We typically set clients up with our Ultimate Social Media Rig early and start cultivating fans while we are developing the website. When we launch the site we already have a fan base to announce it to. It’s a great way to start communicating early.
Happy Thanksgiving!
—
Chris Chase
DTi / JoomConnect
@Dave http://posterous.com/