Out on the “interwebs” there is always a ton of talk about social media. You don’t have to look at many blogs, or major news networks for that matter, before you find yourself reading something about social media. Stories span from Facebook’s creator being Times “Person of the year” (or something like that) to a landslide of articles about ROI for social media efforts. But, there isn’t a ton of information out there about how Small Businesses can leverage social media in a way that will actually impact their business.

The fact is, social media can and should be a great asset for small businesses owners when used well; but when used poorly it is of no use at best and at worst it becomes a liability.

Social Media is a Small Business asset when:

• It is used to engage new and existing customers.
• It is used to help serve the local community.
• It is used to both create and participate in dialog.
• It is run by an intelligent person, not a program or half hearted part-time worker.

Social Media is a Small Business Liability when:

• It is used for only broadcasting.
• It is used with no regard for followers or the social media community at large.
• It is used to sell, sell, sell, and nothing more.
• It is run by someone (or something) lacking understanding of the nuances of conversation, specifically of social media conversation.
• It is started, and then never used again. Customers see this negatively.

Considering the power of social media for Small Business, this blog will be frequently discussing ideas on how to use social media to achieve great results for businesses small and large. Please come back for most posts about this and other web related topics.

Also, do you have anything you want to add to this list? We would love to hear from you; comment below.

photo credit: Greenward, Cambridge, MA, USA via photopin (license)