How can a news anchor connect with his or her audience in a more personal way? Well, Brad Franko of WCBD-TV has shown that by using social media, you can connect with and update viewers in real time. Brad recognizes the importance of instant communication and that those connections formed on social media lead to more loyal viewers.

In just a few short years, the newsroom has changed from just monitoring a police scanner to monitoring local Facebook and Twitter feeds, searching for breaking news.

Read more from Brad to find out how he monitors multiple social media tools daily and keeps his viewers up-to-date in real time.

What is your job/company/profession/title?

News Anchor/WCBD-TV/News 2 Today

What was the first social media technology you used?

Facebook was the first tool I used…and I was resistant to it for a long time. It wasn’t until probably two years ago that I jumped on the wagon.

What is your favorite social media tool?

TweetDeck (Twitter in general) is my favorite right now. The ability to post news information on the various platforms through Twitter seems easier to me. Since I’m sending information to personal/TV station accounts I need to minimize the repetitive posts.

How have you used social media for your business/company and how has it benefited?

I use it daily to send out breaking news stories and updates to those throughout the day. I also use them to solicit information from followers/friends/fans. The best part is the instant communication you can have with viewers. I think making that connection on a semi-personal level leads to loyalty. It really helps us respond to breaking news faster than ever before. In the “old days” (three years ago) we would hear about a story over the scanner. Then you call a public information officer to confirm and then send a crew. Now, someone sees news, it hits Twitter or Facebook with a picture…and that’s confirmation enough to get a crew rolling to a scene. The interaction also galvanizes the trust you build over the years on the air with a more personal connection.

How much time would you say you spend a day engaging social media?

I am constantly engaged in social media…during the work day, Facebook and Twitter are open on my desk. I have a laptop with the dual-monitor setup so I can always see what’s happening. When I’m at home, I’m obviously not glued to my phone, but it’s not far away.

How do you incorporate it into your day so it’s not a time waster?

I find that leaving it open, almost like background music keeps me from drowning in updates.

Is there a social media tool/technique that you think is underutilized that you would like people to know about?

I think hashtags are overused, but underutilized if that makes sense. I’m guilty of it too though. I run searches for #CHS, #CHSTRFC, #CHSWX…if someone has something important to say about either topic, and I don’t follow them…the hashtag search pops it into a feed window. If you’re like me, you run out of characters and the first thing to go is the hashtag.

Where can people find you online and via social media?

Brad Franko – News 2 (Facebook)

WCBD News 2 (Station Facebook, great resource for your readers!)

@BradFrankoNews2 (Twitter)

@WCBD (Station Twitter)

Every industry needs to reach out to its members, and Kirk Stelsel of the National Precast Concrete Association uses social media to reach his members and create an online community. How does Kirk create an active online community in a very niche industry? Well, he uses many different social media tools, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn and blogs.

The key here is that when trying to reach a large group, your best bet is to uses many different avenues. Each tool will in turn compliment the other, leading to more success in the end.

Read more about Kirk and how he has transformed communication in his industry.

What is your job/company/profession/title?

Company: National Precast Concrete Association (NPCA)

My profession: Communications

Profession of my employer: National trade association for the precast concrete industry.

Title: Communication Manager

Job: I manage the online communications, including the social media; write and edit for two magazines and dabble in various other communications functions. For social media, I have built a program from the ground up that includes Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn and blogs to engage members, prospective members and related audiences. The goal is to engage members and create an online community that communicates the benefits of precast concrete.

What was the first social media technology you used?

The definition of social media technology is sort of loose, but the first “modern” social media technology I used personally was Facebook when it became available on my college campus in 2004. Professionally, I sort of dove in head first using multiple technologies. Although there are many more social media sites out there, the six listed above are the tools I felt would be most beneficial to our members, and the places where they are most likely to engage with us.

What is your favorite social media tool?

It depends on what I’m looking to accomplish, but overall I like the depth of Facebook. I like the ability to have a more meaningful and rich connection. Twitter is great if I just want to make a quick observation or am looking for some immediate feedback. With Facebook, though, I think they’ve done a good job of expanding the ways you can connect and share information with friends and fans, particularly the change that made pages able to function in the same manner as personal profiles.

How have you used social media for your business/company and how has it benefited?

I’ve used social media at work in three ways: 1.) To connect with members and their companies 2.) To promote the benefits of precast concrete and 3.) To connect with those closely aligned with the precast concrete industry, such as architects, engineers, contractors, etc. With social media, there’s never going to be a point where you can say “the work is done, we can’t do anymore,” but so far the benefits have been an increase in member relations, an increased profile for precast concrete as a building product, and, through my scanning of the industry for information to post, the generation of leads for our sales department and discovery of quality topics for blogs and magazine articles.

How much time would you say you spend a day engaging social media?

I probably spend a good three or four hours a day working on items related to our social media efforts. Some days are more, some are less, but that’s a good average.

How do you incorporate it into your day so it’s not a time waster?

Any time your attention is drawn away from what you’re doing, it takes a while to get back into the swing of things — even if it’s just for a second. For that reason, I don’t have any alerts set up but rather check in on it and work on it periodically throughout the day. That way I can spend periods of time concentrating on my other responsibilities without interruptions. Very few things require instantaneous feedback, so if I respond within a few hours that’s usually more than adequate.

Is there a social media tool/technique that you think is underutilized that you would like people to know about?

I went to a communicators conference in Chicago recently and was reminded how large the gap is between registered Facebook and Twitter users. I don’t remember the exact numbers, but suffice it to say there are A LOT more people on Facebook. As communicators, we as a community are more likely than the general population to be on Twitter. As a result, get wrapped up in it and lose sight of the fact that it has a long way to go to catch up to Facebook in terms on users. Not to say Twitter isn’t a great tool for businesses, it certainly can be, but placing a heavy emphasis on Facebook, in my opinion, is going to yield the best return for most companies. That said, you should direct the bulk of your efforts wherever the greatest concentration of your target audience happens to be.

I’m also very interested in Tumblr and plan to spend some time soon seeing if it can benefit us in a way that is not already covered by our other social media tools.

Where can people find you online and via social media?

Professionally, you can follow NPCA at www.facebook.com/nationalprecast and on Twitter at @nationalprecast. The rest of our social media links and our blogs can be found on our website at www.precast.org.

Personally, I’d love to connect with you on Twitter (@kirkstelsel) and LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/kirkstelsel). I also write a weekly entry for the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association’s blog at www.doingindy.com. I post every Monday.

As the owner of South Carolina’s only full-service image consulting firm, Shauna Heathman understands the importance of a brand’s image. Shauna has brilliantly built up her own company’s image with the use of social media. She uses multiple tools to reach out to different demographics and distribute information appropriately.

The one take-away that Shauna really stresses is that social media relationships should be treated with the same respect given face-to-face relationships. If businesses start to view their followers and friends as real relationships, they’ll have much more success in the future.

Read more from Shauna to find out how she manages multiple social media accounts daily and still manages to have real relationships online.

What is your job/company/profession/title?

Owner of Mackenzie Image Consulting, South Carolina’s only full-service image consulting firm. I am a certified image & brand consultant.
What was the first social media technology you used?

I suppose AOL instant messaging & chat rooms back in the mid-90s were the first social media technology I ever used. Ah … the early days of the “buddy list” and “screen names” … so nostalgic.
What is your favorite social media tool?

It’s really a toss up between Facebook and Twitter because I use them in different ways. I love Facebook to keep in touch with friends and family and I love Twitter for the new friends and colleagues I’ve made and the way it’s complemented my business.
How have you used social media for your business/company and how has it benefited?

Social media has benefited my business in so many ways, each differently. LinkedIn has been great for referrals and making business connections. Building my Facebook fan page has helped me to grow my brand, capture new clients and share valuable information. Twitter has been most beneficial for building key relationships, attracting publicity and also gaining new clients.
How much time would you say you spend a day engaging social media?

Such a hard question to answer. If I really sat down to track the minutes I use sending tweets, posting on Facebook, etc., it’d probably average out to be an hour or two. With all the tools available, using social media can really be an efficient process.
How do you incorporate it into your day so it’s not a time waster?

I don’t view social media as something that I schedule into my workday; it’s integrated throughout everything else that I do. I think every industry has to find their own approach. Because my brand is tied to me personally, it does make it slightly more efficient to build relationships and have relevant content available to share.
Is there a social media tool/technique that you think is underutilized that you would like people to know about?

I think the biggest social media technique that is underutilized is simple relationship-building skills. Why treat a relationship online differently than a relationship that is face to face? If you can see both mediums of interaction as one, you’ll have more success in gaining a following. Take that down to the basics: Say thank-you if someone shares your content or RTs you on Twitter, respond to your fans on Facebook if they make a comment, be courteous and genuine. Being robotic or fake won’t take you very far in the social media world, just as it wouldn’t in a face-to-face interaction.

Where can people find you online and via social media?

Twitter: @MackenzieImage

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mackenzieimageconsulting

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/shaunaheathman

Social media has proven to be a successful marketing tool for many big businesses, but even small, one-man operations can benefit greatly from using these tools!

Author, columnist and comedian Steve Hofstetter has been using social media since Six Degrees started up in 1997. Anyone remember that tool? He’s kept ahead of the curve and is truly a social media star.

Not only does social media help to spread the word about Steve’s act, it literally fills the seats for him. When he started on Facebook, he was performing at coffee houses, and now 7,000 + Facebook friends later, he’s performing in theatres!

Read Steve’s social media tips and go check out his accounts. We promise you’ll get your laugh for the day!

What is your job/company/profession/title?

Comedian.

What was the first social media technology you used?

Six Degrees. If you’ve heard of it, you’re lying.

What is your favorite social media tool?

Friendster, in the way that I appreciate 80s music. But I rely on Facebook for real.

How have you used social media for your business/company and how has it benefited?

I set the record for the most Facebook friends back in the day. When I started my quest, I was performing at coffee houses. By the end of it, I was performing at theaters. Social networking spread the word about comedy.

How much time would you say you spend a day engaging social media?

Hours.

How do you incorporate it into your day so it’s not a time waster?

As a comedian, spreading my comedy is not a time waster. If I was a banker, yes, Facebook couldn’t really help my career.

Is there a social media tool/technique that you think is underutilized that you would like people to know about?

No, because then they’ll catch up. I will tell you the way to predict the next tool – portability is key. YouTube would be nothing if it couldn’t have been embedded in MySpace. Oh, remember MySpace? Adorable.

Where can people find you online and via social media?

http://www.twitter.com/stevehofstetter

http://www.facebook.com/stevehofstetter

http://www.youtube.com/thehofstetter

Tanya Brown, an on air personality for WSSX (Charleston locals will know her from the 2 Girls and a Guy show), understands the importance of social media and has been using many different tools to reach out to her listeners.

Not only is Tanya able to communicate quickly with large numbers of people, she’s also able to build one-on-one relationships with the use of social media. Read Tanya’s social media tips and find out how you can use social media to build individual relationships and get information out to the masses quickly.

Here’s what Tanya had to say about social media:

What is your job/company/profession/title?
On Air Personality/Citadel Broadcasting/Co-Host WSSX 2 Girls and A Guy

What was the first social media technology you used?
I would say the first social media technology I used was AIM. Gosh that seems like it was a millions years ago.

What is your favorite social media tool?
I have to say Twitter is my favorite. I am a Tweetaholic (made up word). 140 characters is all I need to get my point across, anymore than 140 I being to ramble and that could last for days.

How have you used social media for your business/company and how has it benefited?
Absolutely used for business! Social media is the best networking tool to get the word out to a large number of people at one time. I can’t tell you how many times I am at a live broadcast and mention what I am doing or my location on Twitter or Facebook and people stop by just to say hello. AMAZING!!!!

How much time would you say you spend a day engaging social media?
I hate to admit it but 24/7 social media is at my finger tips.

How do you incorporate it into your day so it’s not a time waster?
My Droid X goes everywhere with me. I cook, clean, help with homework and shop. You never know when an opportunity may come up and you just have to tweet or FB a good deal, good/bad customer service, just to say something to make everyone smile. I do it all.

Is there a social media tool/technique that you think is underutilized that you would like people to know about?
SKYPE and I am not sure why I have not taken the time to do so. @ItsBrookeRyan asks me all the time to Skype. I can never figure it out and I thought I was tech savvy, maybe not. I promise that will be my next task. I am on it. Promise.

Where can people find you online and via social media?
Twitter: @95sxbrown2gg, @2girlsandaguy, @95SXCharleston

Facebook: Tanya Brown, 2 Girls and a Guy, 95SX Hit Music Now

Website: 95SX.COM

Anything else?
If you’re looking for a good time from 6-10 a.m., check out 2 Girls and A Guy Mon-Fri. I hear Tanya, Kelly and Mike the Guy are pretty darn funny. Also really quick before you give me the “Wrap It Up Button,” I would like to say thanks to everyone who has ever shown us love and support.It never goes unappreciated.

Social media is a powerful tool for business that’s transforming how restaurants market to their customers and increase foot traffic on a daily basis. Scott Wise, president and CEO of A Pots & Pans Production, which manages seven restaurants in Indiana, has increased event attendance by 400% with the use of Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and email blasts in just a year!

Scott, who is known for his entertaining personality on Twitter, jumped on the social media bandwagon long before it was the cool thing to do, starting with MySpace and email blasts. He’s a big proponent of Foursquare, and has run some pretty outrageous promotions, attracting a lot of attention. One of our favorites was renting a boat to set next to one of his restaurant locations, tagging the location as “boat” on Foursquare and then inviting people to come get their boat badge! Some other favorites include a contest inviting people to post a picture of themselves sticking their tongues to a pole like the movie “A Christmas Story” and also inviting them to jump into Indy’s White River Canal and get a photo.

Read more from Scott to find out how one businessman who truly gets social media has used these tools successfully.

What is your job/company/profession/title?

President/CEO, A Pots & Pans Production – the management company that runs our three concepts (7 restaurants):  Scotty’s Brewhouse, Scotty’s Lakehouse and Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co.

My job:  the details – making sure every food item, drink item, atmosphere and marketing promotion has my approval. I work on the marketing campaigns. And, I’m the Director of “Motivation, Morale, Inspiration & Company Growth”

What was the first social media technology you used?

Don’t laugh…  MySpace. Back when MySpace was Facebook and Facebook was only for college kids.I’ve also been using emarketing blasts the longest – probably eight years or more. We have collected about 33,000 email addresses and still hold contests with our staff to get the most comment cards filled out by guests, but they are only valid with an email address that allows us to enter them into our database. We send weekly campaigns.

What is your favorite social media tool?

I think it is a combination of Facebook and Twitter. Twitter is great for quick conversations and I can take care of problems, comments and questions a guest has and usually influence an immediate purchase or take care of a complaint on the spot. I think to use social media properly, you must use all the big three to fully reach your clientele: Twitter, Facebook and emarketing blasts. (I think blogs and YouTube videos are great to incorporate too.)

How have you used social media for your business/company and how has it benefited?

We have seen increases of 400% in event attendance with the use of Twitter and Facebook over just using email blasts in the past year. Foursquare is the easiest to use. It doesn’t have as much flexibility and we would love to do more with it, but it is a great form of the modern day customer loyalty card on your phone and without a key fab or card you must carry.

How much time would you say you spend a day engaging social media?

A lot. 25-30% of my day. Thank god for TweetDeck’s Tweet Scheduler. I often schedule 90% of my tweets the day before or from 6-7am.

How do you incorporate it into your day so it’s not a time waster?

See above. I try to take about five minutes every hour to see if I need to comment on any questions from guests and then move to my next task.

Is there a social media tool/technique that you think is underutilized that you would like people to know about?

I think that Google Alerts or any Twitter Alert service are both underutilized. Many people don’t take time to look up your handle and may have a bad experience they post on any one of a 1000 social networks. It is your job to scour the web and find them so you can respond. We like to know when we make mistakes:  we like to fix them, educate our staff and make our customers happy. We can usually turn the worst customer experience into our most raving fan.

Where can people find you online and via social media?

Twitter: @brewhouse

Facebook: Facebook.com/ScottyBrewhouse

Foursquare: Foursquare.com/brewhouse

Website: scottysbrewhouse.com

Website: scottyslakehouse.com

Website: thr3ewisemen.com

At its core, Twitter is a tool that lets you get your message out to many people in a very short amount of time. Andy Paras, the morning crime reporter for the Charleston Post & Courier, understands exactly how powerful social media can be, and how to harness its powers for good.

After Andy realized he had more to write about than the space in the paper allowed, he started a blog. This small step into social media led eventually to Twitter and Facebook. If you’re on Twitter in the Charleston area, then I’m sure you appreciate his up-to-date traffic and news updates. There’s nothing worse than being stuck in traffic and hearing the very end of the traffic update on the radio!

Read more from Andy and find out how to successfully interact with your local community using social media:

What is your job/company/profession/title?
Morning crime reporter for The Post and Courier, staff writer

What was the first social media technology you used?
I started writing a local news blog in 2006 while covering Colleton County for The Post and Courier. At the end of the day I always seemed to have more information left in my notebook than we had space for in the newspaper. A blog gave me limitless space and a new way to interact with readers.

What is your favorite social media tool?
Twitter. I like knowing about news as soon as it happens and I like sharing news as soon as I know it.

How have you used social media for your business/company and how has it benefited?
When I first started the crime beat for the Post and Courier in 2009 I would spend a lot of time sitting around in the early mornings listening to police scanners and monitoring traffic. I was still experimenting with Twitter and started tweeting some of the wrecks and other breaking news I was hearing about. The reaction was immediate – especially among people who were tired of sitting in traffic – so I started tweeting more real-time news and later expanded that into a Facebook page as well.

A lot of people ask what I get out of “giving away” information. I’m not just giving it. I’m fortunate to be part of a strong Twitter community in and around Charleston that keeps me informed about the things they see and hear. I run those leads down, add a little context and post stories on postandcourier.com within minutes. We post the links on Twitter and Facebook. I hear from a lot from people who say they wouldn’t even read the newspaper if it weren’t for the links.

How much time would you say you spend a day engaging social media?
A lot, mostly because breaking news never stops. I receive tips and questions all hours of the day from a self-perpetuating community of news hounds who care about what’s going on in their community. Do I think you have to spend a lot of time to make social media work for you? Not at all.

How do you incorporate it into your day so it’s not a time waster?
Twitter and Facebook have become to me what e-mail is to most people. They’re both a large part of how I communicate, both at work and in my personal time. Having a smart phone has definitely made me more efficient. It helps to have multiple alerts set up so you’re not always checking websites for new developments.

Is there a social media technique that you think is underutilized that you would like people to know about?
I follow my local followers. I like to know what they’re thinking, what’s important to them and I like to engage them. I’ve come up with a lot of stories that way. That’s more valuable to me than trying to boost my “status.” Also, keep your business and personal accounts separate.

Where can people find you online and via social media?
Postandcourier.com
Twitter.com/andyparas
Twitter.com/postandcourier
Facebook.com/parasatwork
Facebook.com/ThePostandCourier

Many business professionals are connected to their contacts via social media, whether it’s Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or any other of the many social media tools, but what about good old fashioned face-to-face contact?

Chuck Gose, co-founder of Indy Social Media and director of business development for MediaTile, has effortlessly merged his online social media contacts and real world contacts. Back in August 2009, Chuck Gose and John Palmer started Indy Social Media. The organization gives social media experts and newbies alike a place to come together to meet, share and learn. The organization is so successful that its social media breakfast series usually sells out!

Read more from Chuck and find out his take on corporate blogs and why he loves LinkedIn.

What is your job/company/profession/title?

I am the director of business development for MediaTile and am the co-founder of Indy Social Media, a non-profit dedicated to educating the local business community while raising money for local college scholarships.

What was the first social media technology you used?

The first social media site I uses was LinkedIn.

What is your favorite social media tool?

I’m a huge LinkedIn junkie and think it’s an underrated, underappreciated and underused tool.

How have you used social media for your business/company and how has it benefited?

I created MediaTile’s social strategy, starting out with blogging. It’s a great way for a business to differentiate itself in the marketplace. And with respect to the Facebook and Twitter fans, a corporate blog is the one platform a business has control over.

How much time would you say you spend a day engaging social media?

That’s a tough one. I’d say I’m in and out of it all day long. I try to respond quickly to any messages I receive on the platforms.

How do you incorporate it into your day so it’s not a time waster?

For me, it’s never a time waster because I use it. Even during times when people might think that it’s goofing off, it helps get the creative juices flowing.

We know the Indy Social Media Breakfast series usually sells out. What tools do you use to spread the word about the event?

We just recently launched IndySM.org. Before that, we relied entirely on Twitter and Facebook and used Eventbrite for registrations.

Is there a social media tool/technique that you think is underutilized that you would like people to know about?

I’ll get back on my LinkedIn soapbox here. People think it’s just a site for older professionals and the unemployed. In fact, it’s one of the single greatest databases out there. If you’re in any sort of business development role (and everybody is), LinkedIn’s data is priceless.

Where can people find you online and via social media?
Facebook: Chuck Gose
LinkedIn: Chuck Gose
Twitter: @chuckgose
Google: Chuck Gose

Social media can be a very powerful tool for businesses, but it can sometimes be hard to find concrete return on your investment. This social media fact makes Andra Watkins, president of POSITUS consulting llc, that much more impressive! She currently gets half of her leads from social media applications.

How does she do it? Andra’s been using social media for years now, and is active daily on many of the hottest social media tools, including Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Learn more of Andra’s tips and tricks for increasing your social media ROI numbers, and let us know if you have any other tips to add.  Here’s what she had to say about social media:

What is your job/company/profession/title?

I am the president of POSITUS consulting llc, a management consulting firm, specializing in helping small and mid-sized businesses achieve dynamic growth. As a certified management consultant, I work with businesses to solve problems that may be impeding their growth or robbing their bottom line, and I can creatively chart a course for future company expansion.

What was the first social media technology you used?

Actually, it was TripAdvisor, an online travel review community that has social media features built into it. I was the first person I knew in my age bracket to have a Facebook account, and it was fun to watch everyone discover it.

What is your favorite social media tool?

Twitter, because it helps me communicate with others without the clutter.

How have you used social media for your business/company and how has it benefited?

I have a Twitter account, a Facebook business page, a business blog, a Yelp! page, Google business and personal profiles, and an active LinkeIn page, among other things. I populate some of them daily and some more sporadically.

Primarily, social media has helped me raise awareness of my services, and it has helped me to convey who I am and how I work with clients. It keeps me top of mind to those who may be thinking about hiring a management consultant to help grow a company, and I get about half of my leads now from social media applications.

How much time would you say you spend a day engaging social media?

Probably an hour to an hour and a half, though I really don’t want to know.

How do you incorporate it into your day so it’s not a time waster?

I have set times per day that I visit social media sites, and I stick to them pretty well. I also have focuses during the work day and don’t allow myself to look at too many things that may be distracting. It’s almost like I have tried to train my eye to see the things it needs to see while working, and then I have fun with it at other times of the day.

Is there a social media tool/technique that you think is underutilized that you would like people to know about?

I still think Twitter is better for making business connections, particularly if people are real there.

Where can people find you online and via social media?

Biz Site: www.positusonline.com

Biz Blog: posituspoints.wordpress.com

Facebook: Positus consulting llc

Twitter: @andrawatkins

Linked In: Andra L. Watkins CPA CMC

Anything else?

My Cilantro blog is personal. It started as a self-improvement project to challenge myself to write more creatively. Partly, it was also a reaction to the superficiality of social media. Some people complain about multiple status updates proclaiming that one is doing this or that, and I wanted to be real in my interactions. So, for those people who want to read it, the blog tells them all kinds of things about me and about a lot of others in the growing community of people who visit regularly to share their own stories.

Interestingly, it has rejuvenated my own writing muscles. I’m now writing a novel (not based on or drawn from the blog), and it will be ready for publication sometime next year. I never would’ve embarked upon a creative writing project of this magnitude without the Cilantro blog. People have been infinitely supportive of my efforts, and it has given me revelation after revelation about the superior quality of the people in my own social circle. Almost daily, someone encourages me to keep writing, a daily task that I cannot imagine living without now.

The blog has grown from a nano viewer-ship to a few thousand views per month. I hope to use it as the base for my website as a novelist, something that I am now determined to be.