are any of you active in social media? if so how and if not why is that? Im wondering if cepros would be receptive to a company dedicated to helping them with social media management and guidance. thoughts?

Los,

I have a business Facebook page, Twitter Feed, Wordpress Blog, Linked In account and standard .com website for Orange ProAV.

Anything entered into the Orange ProAV Facebook “status”  automatically gets sent on the Twitter feed, and Linked In automatically posts the Twitter feeds on the status there.

Long and short is I post 1 place (FB) and it hits all 3 automatically.  Different folks follow the FB, Twitter, and Linked In, so it helps that I get redundant coverage.  My .com is a blog style site that deals with jobs we do, who we are etc.  My Wordpress is more for parodies and editorial type comments, fun stuff. 

The Linked In page also has the Wordpress module, so my latest posts are previewed there and can be clicked through from Linked In to Wordpress.

I have a web!  This type of cross pollination of social media gets prioritized higher by Google, as the referring sites (FB, WP, Twitter, etc) are considered authority sites by Google, and boost your relevancy.

Having someone help keep all that current would be a God send for anyone.  My wife has a degree in marketing and just started a small marketing company that is starting to do that for various companies.

Mark C

For most high end integrators a web site has traditionally been a way to validate themselves to potential clients.  A web site merely demonstrated longevity and stability, but rarely drove business to your door.  Further, in years past most home owners knew enough about home electronics that they didn’t require expert help just to understand the concepts.  Everyone knew (or at least knew to ask) about stereos, TVs and security systems.

But today most home owners “know that they don’t know” and are turning to the web for answers.  It seems to me that the value of the web for integrators has silently mushroomed.

I say all this because I am living it first hand as we speak.  A few months ago I thought I would spruce up our web site using Joomla.  Though we at the office were pleased with the results, I wanted to drive more traffic to our site, and so started advertising on Google.

WOW!  I say “started”.  Its more accurate to say I stumbled into a whole new world.  There’s SEO, backlinks (or back-links in the UK), syndication, search phrases, articles, image tags, social media, social bookmarking, etc.  Nothing is easy! 

My point is that you can’t casually step up your web game.  Most integrators are working 24/7 just to stay in the game at all right now.  Getting into social media is a long, long term investment that won’t pay dividends for some time.  But I am convinced it will mean real revenue in the months and years to come.

I do see one possible good in all this.  It will become increasingly difficult for posers to play in this arena.  Social media forces you to put your knowledge (or lack of knowledge) out there for everyone to see.

Lance Beasley
ENCO Electronic Systems
http://www.encoelectronics.com

Lance Beasley - 23 November 2010 02:16 PM

For most high end integrators a web site has traditionally been a way to validate themselves to potential clients.  A web site merely demonstrated longevity and stability, but rarely drove business to your door.  Further, in years past most home owners knew enough about home electronics that they didn’t require expert help just to understand the concepts.  Everyone knew (or at least knew to ask) about stereos, TVs and security systems.

But today most home owners “know that they don’t know” and are turning to the web for answers.  It seems to me that the value of the web for integrators has silently mushroomed.

I say all this because I am living it first hand as we speak.  A few months ago I thought I would spruce up our web site using Joomla.  Though we at the office were pleased with the results, I wanted to drive more traffic to our site, and so started advertising on Google.

WOW!  I say “started”.  Its more accurate to say I stumbled into a whole new world.  There’s SEO, backlinks (or back-links in the UK), syndication, search phrases, articles, image tags, social media, social bookmarking, etc.  Nothing is easy! 

My point is that you can’t casually step up your web game.  Most integrators are working 24/7 just to stay in the game at all right now.  Getting into social media is a long, long term investment that won’t pay dividends for some time.  But I am convinced it will mean real revenue in the months and years to come.

I do see one possible good in all this.  It will become increasingly difficult for posers to play in this arena.  Social media forces you to put your knowledge (or lack of knowledge) out there for everyone to see.

Lance Beasley
ENCO Electronic Systems
http://www.encoelectronics.com

The reason i ask is cause i have been thinking of starting something like this for the Ce industry. We have very little help on that end with a couple of individuals who i wont mention but give basic almost idiotic advice and counsel and I know most integrators as smart as they may be DO NOT GET MARKETING!! and social media above anything else is marketing . I have been doing this by accident on the side for many ppl in the real estate and insurance industries and i am just gauging the thoughts of integrators to see if we should move forward in 2011.

It’s a good idea, but seems like it would be a difficult play to try and make money doing it as a service.  Although perhaps you could setup an arrangement where you make a commission off business generated by your online marketing.  That could stick.  As with any B2B play based upon commission you would have to have some great tracking and full disclosure from your customers.  Keep us posted.