Vlogging, blogging, vidcasts, vodcasts and podcasts are just some of the terms associated with the growing number of ways to disseminate information, entertainment and news. Social media has become the new marketing frontier. Many firms and companies are unsure how to include and capitalize on this new venue in their marketing efforts. Social media opportunities advance and change as fast as fashion trends and there is always something coming down the runway that makes last year’s big
splash look like old news. Although fluid, the social media mix is a powerful and personal way to reach out to clients and potential clients to position yourself as an expert in your field.

To decipher which social media will work for you and your company, you need to know the answers to a few important questions:

• Where do our clients get their information? Which sources do they go to for the latest news and industry trends? Which websites do they visit, blogs do they read, podcasts do they listen to? Who do they consider experts in the field and why?
• What are we comfortable with or could become comfortable doing? What are my areas of expertise or what areas of expertise could I develop and build upon?

Knowing the answers to these questions will help you determine and take the next step — deciding how and where to participate.

If you’re a good writer and can unravel detailed or difficult information in a clear and easily understood manner, blogging might be your means of communication. Creating a blog on your website that is updated regularly with fresh, relevant information and your own personal nuances, can garner a quick following if done correctly. Commenting on other blogs is also a great way to become credible and add to your “expertise” while driving traffic back to your own website. New blog posts also add new content to your website which helps move it up the ever expanding search ladder.

If you always wanted your own radio show, can stay focused, are engaging, have good interviewing skills and a pleasing voice – podcasts may be your medium of choice. Podcasts are simply audio files delivered off a website through a syndicated (RSS) feed that can be downloaded to iPods or portable media players. Podcast directories are available for people to search, just as you would for website information. Although podcasts are portable on a media player, roughly half of them are listened to on PCs while people multi-task. Case in point: while researching this article, I listened to numerous podcasts on my laptop including Steve Jobs’ commencement speech at Stanford and Dan Gilbert, Harvard Psychologist, talking about the prefrontal cortex of our brain and the impact that has on happiness.

If you’re comfortable in front of the camera, don’t mind showing up on YouTube, can be quick, relevant, entertaining and get your point across in a more visual way, then a videocast (vidcast or vodcast for short) could be your method of delivery. A videocast personal thank you, sent after you’ve presented to a potential client, could go a long way toward securing their business. You could also send videocast alerts on timely issues or remind clients about important upcoming events. A friend of mine offers a monthly videocast to bring clients up to date on what is happening in their industry and then a quick review of what is happening at her company. It is like a talking newsletter delivered face to face. I’m hooked and watch for it every month.

None of the above are break-the-bank endeavors. All can be done without great technical knowledge or vast media resources. New self-service video-casting software is available as well as a plethora of online resources that can have you up and running within a day. Just search for “how to blog,” “record a podcast” or “how to make a videocast” and you will have all you need to get started.

For some, social media is a way of life; for others it is a scary new form of communication that seems impossible to comprehend. Understanding it and becoming proficient in its use is a must as our ability to reach more and more people quickly presents opportunities that we cannot afford to miss. Learn about the different ways social media can play an integral part in your marketing and public relations efforts, and as always we are here to help.