Monday Quick Tip – Best In Horsebiz Social Media Continues – Listen Live Today For ESMA Wrap-Up on Horse Radio Network

The 2012 PagePlay Equestrian Social Media Awards winners have been announced, but tune in THIS morning for an entertaining wrap-up and a ‘morning radio show’ just for horsefolk.

If you’re using social networking and social media for your horsebiz, you’ll find out what’s considered ‘the best of the best’ when it comes to equine industry social media use, hear from some of the winners, AND get your week started with a few laughs.

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52 Fridays – #14 Casual Interaction On Facebook Can Supplement Your Horsebiz Website

52 Fridays is a year-long series for equestrian professionals and equine business owners and managers, with marketing and public relations information, ideas, tips, & resources shared here each Friday. New EMAIL blog subscribers receive a ’52 Fridays’ PDF when they sign up; existing subscribers and new RSS FEED & WORDPRESS subscribers can send a request for their own PDF here.

Your website is your ‘official’ voice on the Internet. It’s a destination where web surfers can find you; it’s the online source of information about your horsebiz, about your services and what you offer to the equestrian world. A website can tell prospective customers a great deal about your operation, and about how you operate.

Facebook is also a ‘destination’ on the web, but it serves a very different purpose. Whether right or wrong, when logged into Facebook many experience an ‘ahhhh’ of community. ‘It’s safe; we’re all Friends and Fans here.’ Because of that community feeling, it’s easier to have casual interaction with people on Facebook, and that casual interaction can help them become strong supporters of your brand and perhaps even customers.

Now, I’m not saying if you don’t have a Facebook account to run to the nearest computer and create one! Facebook, like Twitter or blogging or any bit of technology, is merely a tool for carrying out your marketing objectives.

Personally, while I’ve got a Facebook account, I’ve focused more on Twitter and developing my community there. But, I do see the value of having a Facebook presence as part of an integrated social media strategy and marketing plan…IF Facebook fits into your overall goals, AND you have the resources to do it well.

Here are two equestrian businesses that I feel do a great job of interacting with their Facebook communities; I recommend visiting their sites to see what they’re doing and how they’re interacting with people:

• Equestrian Collections uses their Facebook account to share news & information relevant to their customers and Fans; they post Fan of the Month photos, and have giveaways & contests. Currently they’re running an essay contest, about what you’d do with a new pair of rainboots.

• The Horses In The Morning show on Horse Radio Network interacts with Facebook members during the M-F morning shows; when the show goes live, they also post links to both website and mobile device ‘listen live’ URLs, and provide the call-in number to the show. All of this engages people and invites them to not only listen, but to participate.

Facebook has value, but please think through what your goals are, and what resources you can dedicate to building and interacting with your Facebook community. Done poorly, a Facebook page can be a turn-off, and might even damage your brand.

Who do you know in the horse world that does a great job on Facebook? Let us know who they are and what you like about them via the Leave a Comment link below. See you here next Friday for 52 Fridays #15!

Read other posts about Facebook by clicking on the Sort Posts By Topic dropdown menu to the right and selecting the Facebook category, or you can select 52 Fridays to read posts #1 through #13.