As a busy professional, you don't have time to use social media, right?
Maybe you think it's not relevant to your work. Or, because someone else in the company does it, you don't have to.
Those are all good reasons not to use social media. But there are many ways you can benefit professionally from using social media.
1. Learn From Others
Once upon a time, social media was just for sharing what you are doing ("I'm having a latte!"). But then LinkedIn came along and Facebook and Twitter evolved. Now people are sharing all sorts of significant professional information on social media.
So, not only does social media provide great learning opportunities, but it also lets you know what's trending in your industry.
2. Position Yourself or Your Company as a Thought Leader
It's all about the brand these days, whether it's your personal brand or company brand. And social media is a great way to shape how people feel about you or your company.
By consistently sharing timely, relevant content with your connections/followers/friends, you will create awareness about your expertise and build trust. And if some of that content is being produced by your company, all the better.
3. Connect With Clients, Prospects
My guess is that many of your clients/customers and prospective clients/customers are using social media. To find them on LinkedIn, hit the "Search" menu at the top left and then use the filters on the right to look by industry, company, etc.
Connecting with people on social media is a great way to keep yourself in front of them -- and become a resource to them if you share things that is related to their work.
Which Social Media Sites to Use
There are many social media sites, but only a handful that are useful for professionals in the healthcare and design industry. For doing the three things I suggested above, the best ones are still LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
Instagram is now more popular with young adults than Facebook and some professionals are using it to build their brand. But I think that's more useful if you're in a business that sells to consumers.
How, What to Post
Pick one or two, spend a little time building your profile, and then start posting things on a regular basis -- at least 2-3 times a week. Consider using a tool like Buffer or Hootsuite to easily post to multiple platforms all at once.
What kind of content should you post? You can share things your company is doing, articles or research you've read, upcoming events you're attending, videos, etc. Or, you can re-post what others are sharing.
If you're really daring, consider doing live video on Facebook or LinkedIn (live on the app only) -- although not everyone has this available to them yet on LinkedIn.
The key is to always say something about what you're sharing (why you like it) and include an image. Most things you share from websites will pull an image, so you don't have to worry about it. But sometimes, the images are lame.
Don't Mix Personal With Business
If you want to tweet personal things or follow your favorite chef, create a personal Twitter account that's separate from your business account. If you have already have a Facebook account where you've connected with personal friends and family, create a Facebook page for professional use.
Have More Questions?
Contact me or comment in the box below.
Otherwise, what are you waiting for? It's a new year, so get started using social media!
P.S. Please do me a favor -- if you liked this post and like this blog, please share it with others by sending them the link and/or post it on your Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook, etc. Also, don't forget to subscribe, so you'll get emails when new content is posted. Thanks!
