Social Media Part 1: Face It, Tweet It, Pin It, Link It or Hang Out?

Lately, I’ve had a number of conversations with small business owners about social media and which platforms should be used. All or just a select few? To make that decision, it is important to think about your target audience and what you are trying to accomplish and build from there. So over the next few weeks, I am going to highlight several of the most popular platforms and how they can be used effectively to communicate your key messages. First, let’s take a look at Twitter. This is a great medium to use when you need to provide short, real-time updates. If there is breaking news, a last minute change or you want to provide updates throughout your event, Twitter is your go-to source. The Boston Police Department found Twitter to be invaluable as they searched for the Boston Marathon bombers. They sent tweets to keep the public informed, communicate with the media and counteract false information that was spreading across social networks. Check out this link for more details on how the BPD used Twitter during this crisis situation.