The Bottom Rail by Verbal Shredwright

Facebook, Twitter and more!

DYK a recent marketing study showed that over 92% of people found social media reviews from family, friends and their peers to influence their choice more then any paid advertising or sponsored posts. Everybody remembers the expression about how many people you tell about a bad product or experience via word of mouth…fast forward to the digital word with social media enabling those bad experiences to be shared with thousands or even millions.

Facebook is often your local community of family, friends and neighbors updating people on life's events or shouting look at me the next time you're on Facebook. Between all the political rants, cat pictures, memes and requests to post stuff on your page Facebook offers opportunities to keep up with and friends and family. That being said, the algorithms and sponsored posts have mucked up many timelines significantly diminishing the usefulness and effectiveness of face book for many purposes. Facebook is not the best tool to find and engage new people with similar interests it once was.

Twitter is more global connection with people you know and people you don't in real-time. The hash tag allows all users, not just your friends and followers, to find and share content they are looking for in real-time and on-demand, while maintaining a timeline so newest info is first. Twitter makes it easier to find and connect with content and information when and where you need it, especially when traveling to new places and want to find out what today's specials are, what bands are playing, etc. Twitter is not the best place to tell long stories since it limits users to 140 characters.

There are also unintended consequences of social media tools on a variety of levels too… just ask Antonio Brown…lol. Block or mute family, friends or followers at your own peril. Ignore your customers and see if they keep coming to your business… like 1,000 cat photos, memes and greedy corporation pages, but can't find the time to like a page for your friends band, or your neighbors new business, etc… see what happens next time you bump into them and ask what's up or how you been? If they saw you on facebook posting stuff, but ignoring them…you could end up with more then egg on your face… lost customers, hurt feeling, damaged relationships and more.

Your customers spend money and tip employees… Your family & friends spend time and share experiences with you…

Is this the way you'd want to be treated? Think About It.