Where do I start with social media marketing?

[Sleepingbanana]

Hello, I'm looking for a few pointers, if any of you have the time!
Am doing some marketing work for DH's business - I am no marketer as I'm a health professional, but he needs all the help he can get ...
I am a non social media user (do not use Facebook, twitter etc ) but realise it is integral to business success these days. I am researching at the mo and want to use twitter, fb, tumblr, Wordpress and some more. Problem is my ignorance - does anyone know a one stop guide on line that will tell me how it all works and which ones to approach?

FB has a guide for brand pages, that would be a good place to start.
I'd get FB and twitter up and running first, get to grips with those as they're most popular, then add in any other social media as you feel comfortable.
Remember to provide lots of links back to your website and engage positively with followers/likers/subscribers.
Keep your brand image the same across all platforms, so logo, company colours, images, tag lines. Take a look at how some of the big companies do it and follow suit, the more professional you look the more likely people will take you seriously.
Getting followers can be a slow process at first, ask your friends and family to share your page, or quote your tweets, and make contact with companies in related industries, they'll often follow you if you follow them.
Updates should be regular but not so they feel like spam, if you have enough news or info for it then two or three times a week keeps you on the radar.
Hth a bit, it's a lot to get to grips with at first but you'll soon pick it up.

Hi Sleeping

Lots of good advice from Mogz.

I'd add:

• Do consider which social networks are best for your DH's business. Facebook is great for consumer facing businesses, not as good for business to business, but it completely depends on your sector/business.

• If your DH "is" his business then make sure he is on LinkedIn with a good full profile and a picture.

• You can share content across different social networks with free tools like bufferapp.com/app -ie you don't need to post the same info on FB, then Twitter etc which saves time. However it also good to have some reactive time on social networks to show the account is human but it completely depends on time it sounds like you already work elsewhere.

• You asked for resources. I LOVE Hubspot. They are a US marketing software service and to market themselves they offer tonnes of free ebooks about social media & marketing. blog.hubspot.com/ You can search on the blog by topic and your experience too.

HTH

Good luck.

Hi mogz and mrs margo, thank you both so much for your sound advice and for taking the time to reply. I feel a little less daunted and encouraged. Will check out hubspot too. X

There really is no one-step guide as the social media you will use totally depends on the type of business.

For example, if your business is selling a business to business service, linkedIn may be your best option. If your business is targeting 17 year olds then Twitter may be better.

Research what your customers are using, and try to engage with them. Think of them as people, not this big "social cloud'. Find some of the industry leaders, and follow them.... then follow some of their followers. Until you have built an audience don't worry too much about what/when you tweet or post....initially worry about building up an audience of relevant users.