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Janet Fouts is CEO of Tatu Digital Media in Silicon Valley and is also a social media strategist, keynote speaker, trainer, and author. She started an online community in the early ‘90s, and she started her first social media startup in 1996. Her firm belief that social media and community go hand-in-hand has helped propel her business. Janet recently joined AMP UP Your Social Media’s host Glenn Gaudet to discuss marketing automations solutions on social media.

“Be mindful while you’re in social. Think about who you’re talking to, who you represent, and be thoughtful and considerate while you’re using social. Talk to users as human beings, not targets.”

Janet discusses tips for using the community on social media to propel your business to the next level:

1. Choose connections with appropriate influences. While having a ‘celebrity’ with a large following trying your product and promoting your brand may reach the most followers, a person with a smaller following who actually influences their followers would be a better investment of your time and money, as you’re likely to get more leads from a more influential person.
2. Social media doesn’t work if you don’t do the work. Your brand promoters need to be researched, and you need to put in the work to see if those folks are just broadcasting or if they’re actually having conversations with their following. This plays a huge role in their success and, thus, yours!
3. Utilize tools. Social media listening tools are widely available. SocialBro, Sumo, Community, LittleBird, and other apps are great for seeing who is actually influential as opposed to who just has ‘empty numbers’.
4. Choose the right social network. Not everybody hangs out on all the social media networks. Research all of the major networks, and check out apps that listen across all platforms for mentions. Where are people talking about what I want them to be talking about? Narrow down your search and choose the right social network for your customers and your product.

Janet would love to hear from you! Connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter.

Subscribe and get the AMP UP Your Social Media podcast on iTunes or listen below. Tweet about the show using #AUYSM or Tweet at us @AMPUPSocial. AMP UP Your Social Media is a proud member of the FIR Podcast Network.

About Janet Fouts

A self-professed ‘Mac’ girl, Fouts hails from San Jose, CA. She loves travelling, wine, food, and equestrians. Janet has been involved in online community for over 20 years. She co-founded ONTHERAIL, an award winning online community for the restaurant industry and has continually been involved in online community ever since. She’s also an active participant in San Francisco Women on the Web (Director 2000-2001), Women in Technology, Silicon Valley American Marketing Association, Green & Sustainability Innovators & Innovation Network, and the Social Media Club as well as several industry groups.

AMP UP Your Social Media is sponsored by:

• GaggleAMP – Empower your employees, partners and resellers to amplify your social media.

About Glenn Gaudet

Glenn Gaudet, host of AMP Up Your Social Media, brings over 20 years of comprehensive experience in both strategic and product marketing for technology and media companies ranging from startup to $1 Billion in sales. Full bio