There are countless new business social media platforms being introduced into the Houston social media marketing arena and often times making it difficult for a business owner to determine which one to embrace.

Here comes Pinterest, changing the way we recommend products and services and how we invite others to join the conversation. Using terms like pinning vs. posting and even changing how others follow you. Pinterest has garnered a lot of media attention and is worthy of another blog post.

For now, the five top business social media accounts for Houston social media marketing are Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Youtube, and Google Plus. (See blog post: Houston Social Media Branding).

One of five business social media accounts, Youtube, from a business owner perspective, appears to be the least likely to produce engaging conversations – it is video, right? How can Youtube bring me customers? Why is it important to create a custom background, fill out personal description information, and create SEO-friendly titles for your video posts?

Recently, the news of Whitney Houston, an American Pop icon, death uncovered an interesting encounter with Youtube video posts. Here was a successful business – her voice as the product, fallen from grace for a variety of reasons. Yet she was attempting to reorganize and start marketing again. It came to an abrupt end. When I heard the news of her death, I searched for a video to remind of me her voice and her desire to change the direction of her business.

You started your business because you are a subject matter expert in your field. As you share your knowledge through posts, pinns, and videos, others will acknowledge it. Acquiring customers is simply solving a problem or stopping a pain. For Houston social media marketing, using social platforms will get the word out how your expertise is different and unique. Brand each of the five social media accounts with a consistent user vanity name and develop the accounts thoroughly.

Your business was not built to break!  What are you doing with Houston social media marketing to showcase your strengths and rid the pains?

There are many social media accounts a company can establish to connect with others within their industry and with new and existing customers.  Sometimes this thing called “social media” can be overwhelming to company owners.  Small and medium-sized business owners are concerned payroll, product sales, hiring the “right” employee, and daily revenue growth.  So where do I start?

There are five (5) social media accounts that a small and medium-sized business should develop with their brand identity (logo) on each one:  Facebook Fan Page, Linkedin, Youtube, Twitter, and Google Plus.  Before you dive into tweeting, posting videos, and sharing information, you should let the world know who you are.  You can customize each one of the above mentioned social media accounts with your company logo.

Your company logo displayed on your social media accounts will send a clear message on where the information is coming from.  If you don’t have one, develop one!  If you need it revamped, do it!  Once you have customized and developed user names for each one of your social media accounts, you can then start engaging.

Business Social Media Staples:

Facebook Fan Page:  Develop a “Welcome Page” and “Special Offers” page displaying your logo for product offerings.  Of course, develop your “About Us” page.

Linkedin:  Develop and company profile page and populate the products and services page about your product offering.

Twitter:  Customize the background to share additional information about your company and product offerings.

Youtube: No need for professional videotaping and editing to post videos.  Simply display customer and product testimonials from a hand-held video camera.  Use the customized background feature to create consistent branding.

Google Plus:  Use the profile picture to display your logo.  Use the “About Us” picture profile (there are 5) to create a consistent brand.

There are many guides to assist you with customizing your social media accounts.  However, this can be time consuming and it does require you know a little about image editing.

There are web design marketing companies available to give you a complete turn-key approach to developing your user names, custom backgrounds, and populating content for your business social media accounts.

Engaging with industry affiliates, new and existing customers are more effective with consistent logo branding for all your Business Social Media accounts.

Making a difference in Houston local website marketing can be difficult.  If you are a new Houston small business, you can find yourself lost in unfamiliar territory.  When you started your business you knew which market to seek and how you were different and the value you can give to your customers.  Finding the most effective marketing strategy to reach them is the million dollar goal. 

Sitting on my deck near Houston Intercontinental Airport, I saw a group of seagulls far away from the usually resting place in Galveston Island.  Wondering why the birds were so far away from their comfort zone, I thought perhaps their presence was a shift in the wind, weather, or both.  Houston area businesses encounter this same shift and how you prepare for it and adjust determines who gets the business, more importantly survives.

There are certain staples a new business (or existing) must have to compete in the local Houston marketplace.  We all know them:  business cards, direct mail, website marketing, local search engine optimization, and social media.  If your business is missing these staples, you are placing your company in a no-compete environment.  Houston Small Business Marketing can provide these staples at a reduced cost.  And we can help Houston area businesses with an effective marketing plan.  We call our Houston marketing mix:  Fast Track Marketing Solution.

Our blog posts will give Houston small and medium sized businesses tips on how to effectively market each on these business staples.  This post will focus on website marketing.   We have found an article from Mashable that explains key concepts for an effective website presence:

Have Goals

Develop a Blog

Develop a Newsletter

Effective Social Media Accounts

If these elements are foreign to you or not sure what makes these effective, Houston Small Business Marketing can help!  Creating these elements is a start; however, effectively marketing these elements to acquire new business should be your goal. 

Prepare for a shift in the Houston business climate through effective website marketing.  Like the seagulls in the park in my back yard, they eventually left to return home.  Start back to the basics with effective website marketing guidance and locate your market to bring them back home to you!