Social media, business and politics

More small businesses dedicating time to social media

One reason small businesses' interest in social media hasn't subsided
is because sites are constantly changing.

"When major shifts happen, some business owners panic with the
changes," Flint said. "But they have to remember that change affects
everybody. It sort of levels the playing field."

In Los Angeles, social media sites are fundamental for a business'
livelihood; food trucks announce their locations on Twitter to let
customers know how to find them and new health spas can attract
clients with a Groupon or Living Social deal.

Checking into a business through a social media site, such as
Foursquare, Facebook, Twitter and Yelp, is the modern equivalent of
talking about it with friends. But now the conversation includes
feedback from the company itself.

"The business owners can react to what people are saying or talk to
customers through their own page," said Dina Mayzlin, an associate
professor of marketing at USC's Marshall School of Business. "Social
media gives a restaurant a second chance to gain a customer who wrote
that they were unimpressed or the chance to build a deeper
relationship with their regular customers."

Businesses have a lot more to think about on social media sites than
just "likes" and "check-ins." There are tricks of the trade, such as
how to time posts, word Tweets and reveal attention-grabbing
giveaways.

The practice of setting a schedule for photos and messages to be
released to fans enables a business owner to set some time aside and
focus on the other demands of running an enterprise. The trick is to
balance traditional face time with customers and 21st century screen
time over the Internet.

"They might know how to run their business, but business owners might
still need help in how to utilize social media to its full potential"
with minimal time investment, said Katie Washington, director of
social programming for American Express. "For them, time is money."

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/oct/19/business/la-fi-social-media-small-business-20121019

Social media growing in US politics: study

WASHINGTON — Nearly two out of five US adults use social media to get
involved in politics, with the younger crowd and the ideologically
committed especially active, a study showed Friday.

The Pew Research Center study showed that 60 percent of adults use
social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter and that two-thirds
of these -- 39 percent of all US adults -- use social media for civic
or political activity.

Social media users who talk about politics on a regular basis or who
have firm ideological ties are the most likely to be active on the
sites, the study found.

And those aged 18-29 are "notably more likely than older users to have
posted their own comments, as are those who have at least some college
experience," Pew said.

"Now that more than half of adults use social media, these
technologies have worked their way into the rhythms of people's lives
at many levels," said Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet &
American Life Project.

"At the height of the campaign season, it is clear that most social
media users, especially those who care about politics, are using the
tools to debate others, stay in touch with candidates, flag political
news stories and analysis that are important to them, and press their
friends into action. We'll see the fruits of this neo-activism on
Election Day."

Around 35 percent of social media users have used the tools to
encourage people to vote, the study showed, with Democrats (42
percent) holding an edge over Republicans (36 percent) and
independents (31 percent).

Around a third post their own comments or thoughts, or repost content
from someone else.

About 21 percent of those using Twitter or other social media belong
to a group on a networking site that is involved in political or
social issues, or working to advance a cause.