SMEs & Startups to Get Social Media Savvy

BRISBANE, Australia - June 18, 2013 - PRLog -- SMEs & STARTUPS TO GET SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY

More Australian consumers are using social media to inform their purchasing decisions however businesses are not effectively engaging in these channels, according to the 2013 Yellow™ Social Media Report.

The report found that 65% of online Australians use social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, however only 30% of small businesses and 47% of medium sized businesses have a social media presence.

Queensland businesses can learn how to build relationships with consumers via social media through the Ideas2Market Web Strategies & Social Media Webinar being held by QMI Solutions on Friday 21 June.

Scott Visser, Collaboration & Consultancy Services Manager, for the Australian Institute of Commercialisation (AIC), a division of QMI Solutions, said businesses need to ensure they have a strategy so they can tap into social media users and turn them into consumers.

“If you are a startup or small business without a social media presence or strategy, then you are missing out on potential customers who use social media and that customer base is growing,” Visser said.

“With research showing that consumers are increasingly using social media to inform their purchasing decisions, it is crucial that businesses get on board with social media and turn users into customers.

“Designed for startups and small businesses, the interactive webinar will give participants an introduction to social media and web strategies as well as help refine existing social media activities,” said Visser.

The report stated that almost a third of businesses lacked a strategy to drive traffic to their social media sites and investment in social media had decreased over the year with small businesses spending on average $1,970 (down from $3,410 in 2012).

Furthermore, while discounts and giveaways were given as key reasons why consumers followed brands, less than a third of small businesses which have social media sites offer such incentives.

Webinar participants will hear from social media specialist and commentator, Selina Power, from Bluewire Media.

Power is a commentator for on the Top 20 Business Blogs in Australia and writer for Business2Community, Innovation Social and American Blogs Mashable and Incentivize.  

Power will guide participants through the web and social media quagmire and introduce them to the basics, including the Social Media Planning Template which will help businesses to develop a social media strategy and publishing schedule.

The Ideas2Market webinar on Web Strategies & Social Media is free and will be held from 11:30am to 12:00pm on Friday 21 June.

For more information and to register visit http://www.qmisolutions.com.au/events/ or call 07 3364 0693.

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What QMI Solutions can do for your business
QMI Solutions helps industry meet demand and opportunity in a global environment by; developing a skilled workforce, engaging staff in the business, improving productivity and reducing waste, identifying new markets and opportunities, applied innovation and bringing ideas to market. See case studies of how we have done this at http://www.qmisolutions.com.au  

Media Contact:
Helen McGlashan, Public Relations Executive, QMI Solutions
Helen.mcglashan@qmisolutions.com.au +61 7 3364 0792