1260 Productions

Social Media 101: What Do All Those Funny Words Mean?

Is your face on Facebook? Are you Twittering like a warbler? Do you blog? Do you have absolutely no idea what we’re talking about?

Wherever you are on the social media spectrum, you probably know that this phenomenon has a language all its own. We’re not publishing an unabridged dictionary here—just a few definitions of common terms and acronyms that might cut down on some confusion and move you a few steps farther up the social media ladder.

As a point of information, we’re dealing only with generic terms in this article, not with trade names such as Facebook, Twitter, or Google. We will be discussing the use of these tools in detail in future blog posts.

App
(as in “There’s an app for that.”) Short for application or application software that’s designed to help you perform any number of tasks. For example, your smart phone came with a whole package of built-in apps that give you everything from the current weather and temperature to the stock market report. You can download apps (many of them for free) that find addresses and maps, order lunch, or play music.

Avatar
A graphic image and/or username that represents you in various online forums and social networks. “Geniesellshomes” would be a typical Realtor avatar.

B2B
Business to business, meaning that your web site or other electronic communication is designed to sell products or services to other businesses.

B2C
Business to consumer means you’re selling direct to the end user.

Blog
Originated as a combination of web+log = weblog. An online diary or journal, usually produced by an individual or small group on a specific topic or area of interest. Microblogging is a variation, referring to very short items such as posts on Twitter or Facebook. 1260productions.com is a blog.

Ebook
An electronic version of a book. Most ebooks are not actually available in hard copy form (unless you print them yourself). They are typically published as PDF files, however some online stores have a proprietary format.

Friends
No, not the gang you meet after work at the local sports bar where everyone knows your name. Friend is a Facebook term for any individual you want to see your Facebook profile and communicate with you. Sometimes used as a verb, as “I’m going to friend Rocco.”

Going viral
Content that’s shared across social networks in a rapidly expanding fashion. For example, some YouTube videos pick up millions of viewers around the world in a matter of minutes.

Gravatar
A globally recognized Avatar. Once you have one, your image will follow you as you visit and comment on different websites, forums and blogs. Setting up one is easy, go here, sign up and get one for yourself. Once you have it, leave a comment in the box below and you will see your Gravatar along side your comment.

Like
An action you can use on Facebook show approval instead of writing a comment about a message or a status update. You can use this function to promote activities or events to your readers. For example, “Big fundraiser for the food bank this weekend. Click “Like” if you’re going.” How about clicking here and “like” our 1260 Productions Facebook page.

News feed
Literally, a feed of news. On Facebook, the News Feed is the homepage of your account where you can see all the latest updates from your friends and people that your subscribed to.

RSS feed
Stands for Really Simple Syndication. It’s a type of news feed used to publish frequently updated content like blogs and videos.  People can subscribe to an RSS feed of your blog, for example, and read it when they please from a location other than your website (such as a reader service like Google Reader).

SEO
Search engine optimization means attracting more web site traffic by using words that drive your site near the top of search engine site lists. For example, a Realtor would use terms like “homes for sale,” “bank-owned properties,” “short sales,” or “land for sale.” Also it is setting up your site to have a custom short description once your site is listed on the search results.

Webinar
A web-based seminar. A webinar is a useful tool for Realtors because it allows you to conduct live meetings, trainings, or client presentations via the internet.

Widget
A small app that improves the functionality of your web site. For example, you can download a hit counter that tells you how many people visited your site, or download a contact form that allows surfers to leave a message that’s delivered to you via email.

4 Elements of a Successful Business Web Presence

What’s the most important piece of your business’s web presence? Your website, of course.

Creating a website requires a good deal of thought; it’s important to plan what information you want on the site, what the layout will look like, and how you’ll connect each piece together.

Think of your website as your hub; it’s what people will see when they look for you. Here are four elements of a successful business web presence that can help ensure that your first impression is a good one.

Before we begin

Your very first step should be to define the goals of your website. Most businesses should have at least three: to create an online presence, to differentiate your business, and to capture leads.

1. Creating an online presence is the most basic reason for building a website. This means building a site that includes your business information, highlights what makes you special, and gives consumers a way to contact you.

2. Making your business stand out takes a more advanced strategy. Maintaining a blog that portrays your thoughts and insights can help your website stand out and help consumers better understand your business.

3. A good business website can be used to capture potential leads. As the site grows it becomes a community for customers and potential consumers. Connect with potential consumers and find a way to continue marketing to them. Your website can be the elevator pitch and your connection the long sell.

The Website

With our goals in mind, we can begin to explore specific elements of a strong website.

The homepage will generally be the initial point of contact with your consumers. A good homepage will answer the questions “What do you do?” and “Why should I trust you?” Consumers will make a split-second decision on whether they’ll stay to learn more or go to a competitor. Don’t lose them at the start.

An “About” page can further reinforce the trust factor. Explain exactly what your company does, in-depth. I want to know who you are, why you do what you do, and what makes you special. This page should make an impact and impress your consumers.

Finally, create a “Contact” page. This page should clearly explain to your customers how to get in contact with you. Make sure it outlines your address, phone number, email address, and any other way someone can reach you. You might even want to include a Google Map with directions to your store or office.

These three pages create a basic online presence, but not much more. If you want to set your business apart from everyone else, the best way to do that is to create a company blog.

The Blog

For some reason, many business owners shy away from blogs. What they don’t realize is that most business “News” sections are blogs. “Blog” simply defines any continually updated news or content section of a site. In fact, this is technically a post on a blog.

So why is a blog important? For one, it shows that you know what you’re talking about. It helps you identify yourself as an expert or unique. Secondly, a blog is constantly updated. It gives readers a reason to come back to your site. The more contact you have with your consumers, the more likely they are to buy from you.

Also, consumers have become savvier and will search out information. They want more than a simple explanation of what your product does. They want to know how to use your product, examples of interesting things people are doing, and how you can make their life easier.

After you have a site with information and a blog that is ever-growing, you’ll begin to experience a growth in site traffic. It would be a shame to ignore these potential customers. Which leads us to our next step; lead capture.

The Newsletter

It’s here that we begin building leads from your website’s visitors.

The first and most important element is a newsletter form. Use a bulk emailer to handle your own personal newsletter sign ups and delivery. All you do is just write the actual newsletter and format it.

There are a number of services you can use too. The newsletter cost quickly pays for itself. Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to generate sales.

Getting consumers to sign up for your email list means you no longer have to wait for them to come to you, you can go to them. You can offer your core consumers specials and keep them up to date on new products or changes.

Social Media Accounts

Another option for capturing leads is social media. Microblogs and social networks such as Facebook and Twitter can help you connect with and contact those within your core community. For this strategy to work, your blog should serve as a central hub. The hub sends consumers to your respective social media profiles to build the connection.

Businesses with a Facebook Fan page can include a Fan box on the site to make it an easy process to fan the business page. If you have an active Twitter account, consider adding the “Follow Me on Twitter” button. These two elements can help turn a one-time reader into a connected consumer.

When you’re building an online presence, the most important aspect is your website. It’s your hub and your first impression.

Are you using the right elements to maximize your website’s effectiveness?

Article originally posted on Mashable.com