Social media for CPAs.

• Author: Humbarger, Tom
• Position: Interact - Column

Social media means different things to different people. And because it's a concept that can be difficult to wrap one's hands around, many people choose to sit on the sidelines rather than jump in and take advantage of the opportunities social media presents.

Two common definitions of social media are:

* The collection of online technologies and practices that people use to share opinions. insights, experiences and perspectives.

* Word-of-mouth marketing.

Both of these are valid, and the interactive component is the common thread between them. Unlike old-school advertising and marketing, which is about broadcasting your message to as many people as possible, social media is a participatory medium about sharing and interacting with your customers and prospects.

And to interact means you must get in the game so others can find you and you can find others. Whether it's Google. Bing, Yahoo or some other search tool, people are using the internet to find everything from restaurants to dry cleaners to, yes, even CPAs. If you're not playing the social media game, you may be missing out on potential customers.

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Think of social media participation as scattering popcorn in as many different places as possible. The more you scatter participate--the more likely it is that you will be found.

Why Should I Care About Social Media?

Not to use the "everyone is doing it," reasoning, but consider that three out of four Americans are using social media today and more than two-thirds of the global internet population visits a social media site each day. Social media is democratizing communications across the board and 93 percent of social media users believe that a company should have a presence in social media (www.coneinc.com/content1182).

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More than stats, though, social media puts control of your message in your hands and. for the most part, is free. In most eases, the only investment needed is in time yours or that of your staff.

Why Should CPAs Use Social Media?

For CPAs seeking to grow or improve the quality of their practice, consider how you are attracting new customers today. It's probably through your customers sharing with others via word of mouth. A tried and true method, to be sure. But how would you like to ramp up that word of mouth without spending money? The intelligent use of social media is the answer.

Other reasons to use social media include increasing exposure for your firm or your personal brand, being perceived as a knowledgeable expert and boosting the chances of getting found on the internet. Social media greatly enhances each of these while improving the chances that your brand and message will be found.

What Should I Do First?

With so many different social media tools and services available, it can be daunting to know where to start. Before jumping into a respective social media channel, be it Facebook, Twitter or some other, identify your goals and measurable objectives for getting...