A GUIDE TO DIGITAL LITERACY.

6.4. Social Networking

It’s at this stage of the social cycle that you connect with other influencers and
authorities and begin to move the needle.
Social networking is important for all businesses, whether you’re just getting
started, scaling, or expanding into new markets.
It may help to think of social networking as a live event—except your
interactions are online rather than face-to-face. After all, networking is
networking, no matter where (or how) it happens. And it can lead to deep and
lasting relationships, both with your followers and potential partners.

Your Goals for Social Networking
During this stage of the social success cycle, your aim is to:
• Share content that fills gaps left from your own content. This content may
relate topically or target people at different skill levels.
• Create good will with brands that are similar to yours.
• Over time, transform that good will into profitable partnerships.
Metrics to Watch
To measure the strength of your social network, watch these metric:
• Number of inbound links. A strong network will result in more backlinks to
your content.
• Number and description of earned media mentions. Consider the
relevance and value of the mentions, who they come from, and the value
of those mentions.
• Number and description of earned strategic partnerships. Are you
reaching out to partnership prospects, or are they reaching out to you?
How relevant are those brands to your business, and what is the value of
those relationships?