Struggling to get a handle on how to utilize the "Big 3" social media sites? Wonder how you can take advantage of them to boost your business? Here is a quick comparison of Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
| Logos: |  |  |  |
| Your posts: | "Tweets" which can be up to 140 characters long and may include photos or links to other websites | "Updates" with no limit as to how long they can be. May include photos, attachments, or links to other websites. | "Status Updates" with no limit as to how long they can be. May include photos, attachments, or links to other websites |
| Name for those you connect with: | Followers | Connections | Friends or "Likes" |
| Costs: | Free for basic service. Additional fees for higher visibility of your account or certain tweets | Free for basic service. Premium plan available at a cost with additional features | Free for basic service. You can pay to highlight certain posts to more users or create advertisements |
| Nature of relationship with those you connect with: | One Way or Mutual You can "follow" someone, but they don't have to "follow" you back. Once you follow them, you can see their tweets in your Twitter Feed. They will not see yours unless they follow you too. | Mutual/Reciprocal One person invites the other to connect. Once accepted, both people can see each other's profiles, updates and other connections (unless they are specifically blocked in Privacy Settings). | Mutual/Reciprocal One person invites the other to be "friends." If accepted, both people can see each other's profiles, updates and other connections (unless they are specifically blocked in Privacy Settings). |
| Company Page: | You may have an account for your business or you personally, or both | You may create a Company Page, but nature of site keeps focus on individual users. | Your Facebook Company Page can be an excellent way to share messages with your supporters. |
| Email notifications: | Email notification whenever someone new follows you or if one of your Tweets was "re-Tweeted" by another user. Twitter may also send periodic notifications of people you may wish to follow. | Email notification when a request to connect is accepted. LinkedIn also sends a weekly summary email. If you join a "Group" in LinkedIn, you will receive email notifications from that group. | Email notification if another user shares your posted content or comments on it. Weekly Summary email from Facebook on your business page activity. Weekly birthday notifications for your friends. |
| Widget on your website: | Yes, you can include a stream of your tweets on your site. This is a good way to keep "fresh" content on your site. | No | No (this used to be available but is no longer offered) |
| Private messages: | You can send a direct tweet to a user without it appearing on their page. | You can send a private communication by selecting "Send a Message" | You can message someone directly without it appearing on their page. |
| What to post: | Share links to a blog you wrote or a new page on your site. Demonstrate your expertise with insightful comments on relevant content. Re-Tweet (forward) relevant content from those you follow. Exclusive offers or coupon codes for your followers. Share links to other websites or articles you think will interest your customers. Seasonal greetings or references to current events (Congrats to Team Canada, Happy Groundhog Day) | Business appropriate content only. Tone should be more serious than Twitter of Facebook. Share links to a blog you wrote or a new page on your site. Demonstrate your expertise with insightful comments on relevant content. Share achievements or examples of your work. Share links to other websites or articles you think will interest your customers. | Share links to a blog you wrote or a new page on your site. Demonstrate your expertise with insightful comments on relevant content. Exclusive offers or coupon codes for your followers. Share links to other websites or articles you think will interest your customers. Seasonal greetings or references to current events (Congrats to Team Canada, Happy Groundhog Day)s |
| What NOT to post: | Avoid foul language, slang, political content, overtly religious content, anything that may be offensive to your customers. Tone does not need to be as serious as LinkedIn, but leave anything too personal or casual for your personal Twitter account. | Avoid personal content (birthdays, children's photos, etc.) Avoid foul language, slang, political content, overtly religious content, anything that may be offensive to your connections. | Avoid foul language, slang, political content, overtly religious content, anything that may be offensive to your customers. Tone does not need to be as serious as LinkedIn, but leave anything too personal or casual for your personal Facebook page. |
| Fun Facts: | If you are referencing another Twitter user, you can include their Twitter ID (usually @TheirName) and it will appear on their Twitter Feed. Hashtags (#) are used to highlight and link a word/phrase in your Tweet and make it "searchable" within Twitter. However, hashtags (#) are often used at the end of a post in a cheeky or humorous way (i.e. #epicfail). You can search Twitter for others who are posting on a topic that interests you. | You may have your LinkedIn updates automatically post on your Twitter (first 140 characters will appear). It does not go in reverse (i.e. your Twitter posts don't automatically appear on your LinkedIn account). Google loves LinkedIn. Ensure your profile is up-to-date. It is often the first thing that appears when you do a Google search on your name. | You can "tag" an individual in a post by typing in their name. If they are a Facebook user, it should appear. You can choose to "highlight" a certain post on your Company Page so that it will remain on the top for a week. Updating your profile picture or cover photo is a great way to keep the page fresh. |
| Frequency of your posts: | Can be multiple times a day | Weekly or every few days | Can be multiple times a day |
| Tools to help you manage your social media posts: | Utilize a tool like Hootsuite or Sprout Social to schedule your posts in advance. Alternately, assign this responsibility to a team member or use a 3rd party consultant. | Utilize a tool like Hootsuite or Sprout Social to schedule your posts in advance. Alternately, assign this responsibility to a team member or use a 3rd party consultant. | Utilize a tool like Hootsuite or Sprout Social to schedule your posts in advance. Alternately, assign this responsibility to a team member or use a 3rd party consultant. |
next steps:
Still have questions or want to learn more? Don't hesitate to contact us at Absolutely Business Solutions. We'd love to hear from you.
