Before Facebook there was MySpace. And then Twitter came along and somewhere in there LinkedIn set up shop. Everyone jumped on the band wagon. Some were just having fun, like my daughter on MySpace and some were focused on getting some serious business done on LinkedIn. Some sites were clearly just for fun and some were purely business. And some were, well – whatever.

There were no guidelines, no manuals, no how to videos and no gurus…

Social Media is evolving at an incredible speed but there are some “best practices” taking shape. For example:

• Facebook – keep your profile personal, for family and friends only. Monitor your privacy settings carefully. You don’t want your future employer and soon-to-be Mother-in-Law seeing that photo! If you’re Mama Mia and you own the best darn pizza parlor in Modesto California, don’t create a profile that says Mama Mia’s Pizza – create your Mama Mia profile and then set up a page for your restaurant. Yea, I know what you’re thinking – So Mama Mia gets it all figured out and then poof – Facebook changes the rules. That’s life as they say.
• YouTube – But Mama Mia’s not too fussed if Facebook changes the rules and it takes a while to figure out because she can do a video showing off her prize winning Everything-but-the-Kitchen-Sink Pizza on YouTube. And promote it on other sites too!
• Twitter – and then she can tweet that for the next 30 minutes you can get ½ off a super-duper party size.

By the way – Mama Mia went out for Mexican food for lunch with her girlfriends and her daughter just had an ultrasound and she’s having twins – here check out the ultrasound photos.

And really – do I care?

No – and here’s a photo of my Baby Boy running in his last cross country meet.

You really care, right?

No?

Oh.

Well then dear reader, what do you want? Hmmm…

You want to know if Social Media can really help you sell more Wonderful Widgets? Really?

OK, if you say so.

Turns out that Facebook and Twitter users spend more money online. 4 out of 5 of them get advice on what product to buy and 3 out of 4 of them say that’s helpful stuff.

Yep, it’s a  proven fact that social media is more powerful than traditional advertising. We actually trust our Facebook friends more than we do traditional  advertising. Go figure!

We now have all kinds of studies and stats that show that businesses are having success using social media. And the ones who aren’t successful? Well they are the ones showing you the pictures of their son running in his last track meet (note – no picture here!)

There are two types of social media – one makes you money and the other one makes you friends (sort of). Now that’s not to say that you don’t want to personalize your business social media. You definitely do. But making it personal is more a tone than the actual content. Let people know you are knowledgeable, trustworthy and helpful – it takes time but become their trusted advisor. This isn’t abut selling. It’s about building relationships and that’s the personal part. Add value, business value, with information on your industry and products – give tips and share announcements.

With Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn I try to be sort of a news aggregator and share information that I think would be helpful to you, my wonderful reader, but that you might not find on your own. You read the stuff that matters to your business – Central City Widgets. I read the stuff about how to tell the world about your Wonderful Widgets. Then I sift through it for the gold nuggets which I pass on to you. Be helpful and informative – add value but don’t sell. This isn’t the place.

In my articles I try to share the What and the Why but leave the How to the Paying Customers. And I try to make it fun and not so formal. Gone are the days when I had to wear a business suit (complete with pantyhose and pumps) into an office. So I don’t write like I’m wearing them now. This is my blue jeans and flip-flops prose.

The early adopters have figured out how they think we should do this social media thing and for $99.00 bucks and your first born they’ll show you how they made millions overnight on Facebook and Twitter. But mixed in among the scammers and spammers there are some really smart people with some really solid advice. My favorites are Social Media Examiner and Mari Smith.

Let me know what you think – what trials and tribulations have you had on the Social Media Superhighway?