How to Manage Multiple Networks – Peg Fitzpatrick

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She is bubbly, fun, exciting, smart and focused: Peg Fitzpatrick, Guy Kawasaki’s right-hand gal and a familiar face on tweets, pins, posts, and articles everywhere.

Peg joins Jason Wiser for this edition of “Get on Track, Stay on Track”.

Here’s the fast-track version of the Peg Fitzpatrick’s interview

Question: For a small business, just getting started, what are the best social media platforms to utilize? Does it depend upon the nature of the business?

Facebook: On Track Advice

Big brands are doing well on Facebook, but it is more difficult for a small business to get “Likes.” Once you have tapped out your family and friends (usually not your customer base anyway), followers are hard to find. A wildcard is that Facebook recently bought Instagram. It will be interesting to see how that marriage might benefit users. Should a small business start out on Facebook? It really depends on your demographics. If your customers do business there; you should be there. If not. Not.

Watch “How to Manage Multiple Networks” on Youtube

Twitter: On Track Advice

Twitter is an excellent place to find and research your target audience. Use Twitter lists to search for people – always keeping your target market in mind. The 140-character maximum tweet length makes it really important that your tweets be clever and appealing. Remember, you can direct your tweets to individuals by using the @ mention function. Hashtags allow you to discover trends and connect to the conversation. Twitter tools to check out:  Tweepi, SocialBro,TweetAdder. ManageFlitter, TweetDeck and HootSuite.

Pinterest: On Track Advice

Peg loves Pinterest. And it’s not just for the girls, says Peg, she has convinced many dedicated G+ males to supplement their social media time with Pinterest. The primary value: Pinterest is the prime place online to showcase your brand’s personality. You can create a board to explain who you are and what you do. On Track Tip: 600 x 900 is the size of the photos to use (that same size also fits well on G+).

LinkedIn: On Track Advice

LinkedIn is for movers and shakers. Businesses and brands are wise to get and stay active there. The primary benefits are making connections and getting recommendations. Businesses can connect with influencers. Brands use LinkedIn to check out potential vendors or employees. If you want to work with a brand, have a great profile: Profiles are key to the value of LinkedIn. LinkedIn is working towards being a more relevant network with the “Influencers” program – a development that is helping the platform become an excellent place to find great content.

Google Plus: On Track Advice

Google+ is THE place to start your business account. The platform offers plenty of space for filling in your profile, the site-wide search function is second to none, and the advent of Google’s Hummingbird update makes content absolutely relevant in search engine results. You must first create a personal profile, then you can launch a page for your business. On Track Tip:  Consistency is the key on G+.

Question: How many social media networks should a small business launch to get started?

Not all of them. Start with one and learn how to use it. They are all a little different, have their own language. and require you to post a little differently. Start on Google+ (read What the Plus first [aff link] ); then add Pinterest to help find content. Put a Twitter net out to start harvesting information about your potential clients or customer base. And get on LinkedIn. It doesn’t take long to create your profile there. Better to go slowly than to get burned out.

On Track Tips:

• Make sure you have the same profile and photo on all social media platforms.
• Even if you aren’t going to use a platform right away, go ahead and claim your name before someone else does.
• Once you set up a network, at the very least, fill out the profile.
• Keep a master spreadsheet with all your social profiles and logon info or use a program like Lastpass.
• Make sure your name is consistent across all platforms … and it should be YOUR name.
• Use a really good profile picture … memorable and interesting … use the same photo everywhere. Make sure the photo is high resolution and focuses on your face.
• Come up with three words to describe yourself and use it on all profile content. Give folks and idea of who you are.
• Share relative content. Be consistent with your brand message.

Question: What are Peg Fitzpatrick’s favorite tools for managing multiple networks?

1. Buffer. Peg uses it “for everything.” If Buffer made toast, Peg would use it for that.
2. PicMonkey for images and graphics
3. Google alerts

Question: How does Peg Fitzpatrick manage her busy, busy schedule?

• Peg is an organization aficionado
• She uses Google calendar to the max
• Peg work ahead on everything, leaving space for surprises
• She schedules her work and sticks to it
• Peg does not play on social media. She works there.

On Track Tip: Be focused and targeted. Use appropriate tools. Be smart with your time.

Lightning round:

Question: Should one automate posts or aim them cross platform?

Do it in a smart way not a robotic way to build audiences on different platforms. “Never automate out of Twitter”

Question: Is it wise to buy followers?

Get a targeted audience of people who love you.

Question: How important to have a photo, not a character?

Very important … people connect with real people and real faces.

And that’s it, folks, for this issue of On Track Tips. Comment below and let Jason Wiser know which topics and experts you want him to interview next.

Special Thanks to Peg Fitzpatrick for stopping by and helping us all to Get on Track with Social Media Marketing. be sure to visit Peg’s Blog and tell her On Track Tips Sent you!

Questions? Suggestions? Ideas?

Just leave us a message in the Comment section below.

About Don Sturgill

Writer, Dreamer, Believer. Friend of Entrepreneurs, Don Sturgill is a freelance writer, conversion specialist, and the author of Roadmap to Freedom (Dream Into It), the field manual that helps entrepreneurs turn ideas into reality - fast. Don is from Bend, Oregon, blogging capital of the world. His home on the web is at donsturgill.com.