Area Businesses embrace benefits, challenges of Social Media

Area businesses embrace benefits, challenges of social media
_{Ashley White
West Central Tribune}

"Like" our Facebook page.
“Follow us” on Twitter.
“Check into” our business on Foursquare.
“Connect with us” on LinkedIn.

In recent years, these requests have gone from infrequent to mainstream. For many businesses, social media has become an integral part of their marketing strategies.

Yet in 2012, only about 10 percent of businesses in Kandiyohi County had a social media presence, according to a study done by the University of Minnesota. Yellow Medicine County also had about 10 percent of businesses on social media, while Lac qui Parle and Swift counties each had about 7.5 percent.

While west central Minnesota businesses may be arriving later to the social media game, experts in the area say that is changing every day, as more and more employers realize the potential of reaching customers through social media.

In addition, community resources and social media groups have become more prevalent in the west central Minnesota area, giving businesses a place to turn for information on anything from Facebook to HootSuite.

By and large, area marketers and business owners say they still have much to learn about social media, but all agree on one thing: Social media is here to stay, and it’s better to learn now than later.

Local businesses use social media to reach customers, engage

Jackie Edwards, the Redwood Falls Parks and Recreation director, started using Facebook two years ago for the parks and rec department. She created three pages: one for the community center, the aquatic center and Alexander Ramsey Park.

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