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The Ultimate Social Media Rig (Updated May 2014)
Recently, I was asked to speak at a breakout session called "Jumpstart Social Media for your IT Business" at the ConnectWise PSA 2009 Partner Summit. What a great event, we learned so much for our MSP practice, we are still implementing! Some of the power point slides from the breakout show our Project Plan for rolling out our "Ultimate Social Media Rig". We promised to get the project plan posted on the site. Rather than post just screen shots, we made it easier for you to get started and typed it up too, copy/paste ftw.
We know many MSP's provide web services, feel free to re-use this for your own processes and create a similar service (updates, coaching etc) or use it to roll out your own rig..
This project plan doesn't go through every single step, but anything we run into that is troublesome or difficult we go into more detail. It's a living breathing plan, we are always updating it. This only sets up the basic rig, we layer on additional customizations and options during web projects, like FBML pages for Facebook, well thought out logos and placement, Facebook advertising and more. Download the Ultimate Social Media Rig Document and our Facebook and Twitter manuals here: http://cwps.joomconnect.com. Enjoy! Let us know if you have any questions. -Chris Chase
Use the following guide to enter the Ultimate Social Media Rig into a ConnectWise project template.
Project Management
- Review check list with client
- Gather information about the primary owner
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- Current Contact Information
- Birthdate
- Recovery Phone Number (may also be needed)
- Gather emails of other users who should have access to the Facebook page and Hootsuite.
- Review Project and Mark off any tasks that have already been completed by the user or otherwise.
- Create Configs for each social network that the client already has in place.
Graphics
Download Templates from: http://bit.ly/1iF1F9z
Facebook Profile Pic
- Create Facebook banner and profile pic. Save to Client Social Media Folder.
Twitter Profile Pic and Theme
- Create theme and profile pic. Save to Client Social Media Folder.
LinkedIn Company Logo
- Created LinkedIn company logo. Save to Client Social Media Folder.
YouTube Picture
- Create YouTube background and profile picture. Save to Client Social Media Folder.
Google+
- Create Google+ banner and profile picture. Save to Client Social Media Folder.
Social Media Accounts
Facebook
Setup Facebook Page
- Create Facebook Profile (or login to client's existing profile)
- Document Configuration
- Create Facebook Business Page
- Input basic information
- Setup employee administrators (if applicable)
Optimize Privacy Settings on User Profile
- Set all Profile Privacy settings to Friends Only. Settings; Privacy; Profile
- Disable Search Result Content. (If client wants stronger privacy) Settings; Privacy; Search
Upload Profile Pic
- Upload profile image from graphic phase
- Set Thumbnail
- Attach image to Facebook Config
Write Something about Company
- Input brief 2-three sentence blurb about the Company from Questionnaire.
Update Info Section
- Enter Address and Phone Information
- Include Hours
- Website
- Parking
- Public Transit
- Save Changes, Done Editing
(There will be different questions based on type of profile chosen)
Upload Images to Facebook
- Upload images to Facebook Page (if applicable). Add descriptions.
Publish Facebook Page
- Review and verify all task are done, Publish Page.
Add Widget or Icon to Website
- Add widget of icon with link to website
Twitter
Setup Twitter account based on the Master Gmail account.
- o Setup Twitter, (or login to client's existing Twitter Account)
- Fill in profile information.
- Upload profile pic and theme. Customize colors.
- Document Config
- Attach graphics to Config
Update Account Info
- Update account info with Time Zone, website, biography, location.
- Do not enable geo tracking
- Do not protect tweets
Add Widget or Icon to Website
- Add widget of icon with link to website
LinkedIn
Setup LinkedIn - Main Account
- Create account with Company Contact - Use Gmail for email (or login to client's existing account)
- Complete Professional Profile with Company Information
- Confirm account in Gmail.
- Create config
Setup LinkedIn Company Page - Login under Contact Account Companies; Add Company
- Enter company name and company email address and confirm
- Update basic information for company
- Upload Logo; attach to config
- Update Location
YouTube
Create a YouTube Account (or login to client's existing Google account and navigate to youtube.com)
- Username (Company Name)
- Unchecked let others find my channel if they have email address
- Add YouTube to your Google account
- Ccreate config
Customize Channel Page
- Uncheck items you do not wish to show
- Complete other items where applicable
- Update Privacy Settings
Update optional activities for your activity feed.
- Setup AutoShare Options for Twitter
- Save Changes
My Account - Profile Setup
- Update with YouTube Pic
Upload Video (s)
- Yellow button top right corner
- Up to 2GB in size
- Up to 10 minutes of video
Link Facebook Page to YouTube
- Login to Facebook page, click applications; Search for YouTube Video Box (not super); Click the link; Then click Add to my Page; Select Company Page
- Go To Company Page; Locate YouTube Video Box; click Edit
- Add the Video URL for each video you would like to post. Optionally Search YouTube for the Video
- Go to Company Page; Click the + in the Toolbar; Add YouTube; refresh page
Videos will have to be posted manually, but you save upload time.
Google+
Setup Master Gmail Account (if not provided by client)
- Go to Gmail.com and setup an account.
- The account needs to be based on the owner, with his/her email as the secondary.
- Create Account information Config for Google.
Create a Google+ Account
- Navigate to plus.google.com, choose a username
- Fill the information and graphics in on this page, but this page cannot receive posts from Hootsuite
Create Company Page
- Click "Create New Page" and choose "Company, Institution or Organization".
- Fill the information and graphics in on this page, but this page cannot receive posts from Hootsuite
- Choose a category that fits the company's type of service
- Fill in the Company Name and the Company description, agree to the Terms of Service
- Upload the images from the USMR Template Graphics folder and save changes
- Add a description and email for the company (Usually the Support email serves best here)
- Save the changes by clicking "Finish"
- Update any extra information
- Make note also of the Google Plus URL of the company
- Update Profile
- Go to Basic Info; verify Display Name
- Add additional photos as needed
Flickr
Setup Flickr Account (if not provided by client)
- Go to Flickr.com, click on Sign In
- Then click on 'Sign in with Google'
- Click on 'You' then on the image next to the client's name
- Add Facebook profile image to their profile
Pinterest
Setup Pinterest Account (if not provided by client)
- Navigate to pinterest.com
- Sign up with the Client's Facebook Account
- Click on 'Are you a Business' – fill out contact information
- Add the client's Facebook profile image as their Pinterest Profile Image
Implement Rig
Hootsuite
Setup Hootsuite
- Document config
Connect to Twitter
- Connect with Twitter from within Hootsuite.
Setup Users (if applicable)
- Setup additional users on Hootsuite. Document emails and passwords in Hootsuite config
Setup RSS Feed into Hootsuite *Assumes blog is already setup
- Set Blog/RSS feed into Hootsuite to update social networks when new content is posted.
- Set time to check for new posts
- Number of posts at one time
- Optional Prepend to each fee (i.e. #hashtag)
- Select Profile to the feed sent from
Google Alerts
Go to google.com/alerts
- Enter topics you wish to monitor
- Select type of Alert
- Select frequency
- Ensure its delivering to the address you want (Gmail account)
Link Social Media Accounts to the Client's Site
Take note of client's social media account URLs
- Login to the backend of the client's site
- Search for the 'header contact' module
- Insert Social Media Icons and make sure they are linked to the appropriate URLs
Training
Create Social Media Documentation
- Update template with users account information
- Send and Review with Client
Training Session
- Main Subjects:
- Google Gmail Account
- Using Hootsuite
- Advanced Hootsuite Use/Setup of Research Tabs
- Viewing and using Facebook
- Linked In
- Flickr
- Google Analytics
- Facebook Insights
- Social Media Ethics & Etiquette
Launch Campaign
Pre-Launch Test Message
- Test with a welcome message in Hootsuite to ensure that the status update is sent to all networks. If it does not, evaluate the issue and resolve.
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