This is a presentation that I did to a networking group in Hamilton on March 27, 2012 for small businesses. The objective was to give them a broad idea of why they should look at social media.

1. An Introduction
to Social Media
By Shanta R. Nathwani

2. Introduction
• Shanta R. Nathwani, IT & Social Media Consultant
• Qualifications:
o Certificate in Business Management, Ryerson University
o Diploma in Network Administration, York College of Info.
Tech.
o Microsoft Certified Professional
o Bachelor of Commerce in Info Tech Mgmt, Ryerson
University
• Background in Customer Service, Technical
Support and Teaching
• Clients include Real Estate, Software
Development, Financial and Political Sectors

3. What Is Social Media?
Social Media is defined as:
• websites and applications used for social
networking.1
• Web sites and other online means of
communication that are used by large groups of
people to share information and to develop social
and professional contacts2
• forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for
social networking and microblogging) through
which users create online communities to share
information, ideas, personal messages, and other
content (as videos)3
1 Oxford Dictionary http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/social+media
2 Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/social+media?s=t
3 Webster’s Dictionary http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20media

4. Social Networks Explained

5. Main Streams
• Facebook
o Individuals, Non-Profits and Companies
o Typically used for Business to Consumer, but can also be used for Business
to Business
o To add a friend, need both parties to accept
o Anyone can “Like” a page or group as well as subscribe to updates from
individuals
• Twitter
o Individuals, Non-Profits and Companies
o Used equally between B2C, B2B and C2C
o Limited to 140 characters. Often referred to as Microblogging
o No need to accept relationship (unless marked private). Just because
someone follows you, doesn’t mean you have to follow you back
o Uses hashtags for search and emphasis (i.e. #fail)

6. Main Streams (con’t)
• YouTube
o Individuals, Non-Profits and Companies
o Used equally between B2C, B2B and C2C
o Used to demonstrate things not easily shown in documentation
o Can create channels or collection of videos
• LinkedIn
o Used for professional connections by Individuals, Non-Profits and
Companies
o Must accept relationship
o Mostly free but has some paid sections

7. Channels
•Friends Network
•Can be fed manually
Facebook
or automatically
You Tube •Can be it’s own
•Individuals or Pages
or Photo channel or placed into
Gallery posts
•Anyone connects
with anyone
Twitter •Can be fed manually
or automatically
•No hierarchy
•Professional Network
•Can be fed manually
LinkedIn
or automatically
•Individuals or groups
•Emailing list can be
updated from master
Mailchimp •Self-manages
Posting Direction Flow bouncebacks, unsubsc
ribes, etc.

8. Quiz Time!
Question 1: This age group has 40% of them using
Social Media actively today.
a) 12-17
b) 18-34
c) 35-54
d) 55+
Answer: Over 40% of those over the age of 55 in
Canada are now actively using Social Media1
1 http://www.webfuel.ca/canada-social-media-statistics-2011/

9. Quiz Time!
Question 2: Who uses Social Media more? Men or
Women?
a) Men
b) Women
c) Equal
Answer: 37% of online Canadian women say that they
visit a Social Media site at least once a day, compared
to only 24% of online Canadian men. 1
1 http://www.webfuel.ca/canada-social-media-statistics-2011/

10. Quiz Time!
Question 3: What is the fastest growing segment of
Facebook Users?
a) Girls aged 12-17
b) Men aged 18-24
c) Men aged 35-44
d) Women aged 55-64
e) None of the above
Answer: The fastest growing segment on Facebook is
55-65 Females. 1
1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eUeL3n7fDs

11. Interesting Facts

12. Interesting Facts

13. Interesting Facts

14. Interesting Facts

15. Interesting Facts

16. Case Study: VIA Rail
• VIA Rail gave two bloggers (one English, one French)
tickets on the train to ride across Canada
• The hashtags generated 1,285,221 impressions, reaching
38,401 people during the course of 4 days
• The ROI was calculated:
o Traditional media value of 1.3M impressions: $10K-
$20K
o Traditional production value for print, radio & TV: $5K-
$200K
o Out of pocket cost to VIA using 2 bloggers: $2,500
Source: VIA Rail #SMWTOroi presentation 2012

17. Case Study: Gorilla Cheese
• Local Food Truck Company started in July, 2011
• Uses Facebook to notify customers of their locations
• Engages regularly on Twitter
• Won “Eat Streets” TV competition on the Food
Network thanks to social media
• “We wouldn’t be the success we are without social
media.” – Sue Austin at Women’s Entrepreneurship
February, 2012
http://www.thespec.com/living/food/article/669393--hamilton-s-gorilla-cheese-is-bound-for-tv-stardom

18. Case Study: Hamilton
Meetup
• We needed a new place to have our meetups
• Jumped onto Twitter to ask about where we could
have one using #HamOnt
• Had a community member recommend Romano’s
(@romanos1275).
• After that we exchanged emails and let the
conversation take off from there!

19. Take Away
• The conversation is going to happen whether you
are there or not. You won’t be able to control it, but
rather than ignore it, why not manage it and be
where your clients are? – paraphrased from Scott
Stratten
• It doesn’t have to be perfect, just genuine.
• Social Media doesn’t replace face-to-face. It is just
a new way to begin the relationship.
• In addition, if I offered you a free tool to help
market to potential clients, even thousands, how
likely are you to use it? That’s what I thought.

20. Thank You!
Shanta R. Nathwani
Twitter: @TantienHime
Email: shanta@shanta.ca
Profile: LinkedIn.com/in/nathwani