Which social media should I use? As a pet-related business owner you want to bring your business up to date with all the social media networks out there, but they are so many…so which ones should you use? Twitter, Facebook, Myspace…aaaggghhhh…so many choices!  This is definitely a hard question to answer, but you have to at least pick one. There is no way around it. You need to get with the times and start using a social media network!

I ran into a great blog entry by Ms. Leyla Farah (http://causepr.blogspot.com/2009/05/real-difference-between-twitter.html) with Cause + Effect Public Relations Inc. Ms. Leyla made a clear and simple differentiation between Twitter, Facebook and Myspace that clicked in my brain. She made simple mathematical equations for each one:

 Facebook conversations = Dinner conversations

 Twitter conversations = Cocktail party conversations

MySpace conversations = High school cafeteria conversations

Ms. Leyla’s blog (referenced above) explains the differences so make sure you click on the link and read her entry. It will click in your brain also!

I use Twitter, Facebook and Myspace. My favorites are Twitter and Facebook and I use both in a different manner. Twitter lets you connect with people that you don’t really know. You can even follow Ashton Kutcher or CNN. Quoting Ms. Leyla, “ the idea behind Twitter is to allow you to connect people that you find interesting, but don’t necessarily know you, conversations on Twitter follow similar rules as do those amongst relative strangers at a professional or social mixer or cocktail party who have all been drawn to the event because of a shared interest or expertise.” Rules on Twitter are: Stay on topic, Mingle, and Take Turns.

Facebook is more to connect with people that you already have some type of relationship with. In Ms. Leyla’s words “the idea behind Facebook is to connect people that already know one another, conversations on Facebook follow similar rules as do those amongst friends and acquaintances around a dinner table.” Rules on Facebook are: Be Polite, Be Interesting, Be Upbeat.

[Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post