Social media is about conversations. It's not a broadcasting platform like traditional advertising, search marketing, or other forms of internet marketing. Conversations on social media happen all over the place and are pertinent to your dealership's local area. YOU should be involved in as many of these conversations as possible.

The reason is multi-layered but easy to understand. First, it gives the human component that is so often missing from dealerships' social media marketing strategy. You want your dealership to have a personality on social media. People don't like robots. They don't like automation. They don't like broadcast messages.

What people do like are conversations and businesses willing to take part. When your dealership makes comments on posts from other pages that serve the local area like the one displayed above, people become acutely aware that there are real humans behind the operation of the Facebook page. They will be more willing to check you out. They will be more willing to follow you.

Second, the exposure that you gain through a thoughtful comment that takes 20 seconds to write can be wonderful. In the example above, both students and administrators of the page will see the comment and take note of where it's from. Believe it or not, these simple little interactions are often known or even subconscious factors that help them to consider your dealership now or in the future whether they're aware of the connection or not. The thoughtfulness of this single sentence registers with them. In a split second they're minds understand at a subconscious level that your dealership (1) supports education, (2) is active in the community, and (3) thinks highly of the cause being highlighted by the post.

Again, this post took 20 seconds to write but brings goodwill (even at a subconscious level) to your dealership.

Finally, and there are other factors to consider but these three are the most important ones, you get more branding for your dealership while the potential customers' brains are in their most receptive state. Science has proven that one of the reasons that television commercials are so effective for some is because the messages are being placed in the mind during "TV time", an experience that many people have every day when they are more relaxed and enjoying the day rather than doing something strenuous, tedious, or unpleasant (such as work).

Facebook falls under the same category. Our brains or more active while on social media than while watching television but we're still in a "good place" and the branding that happens during this time will make a deeper impact than normal branding. It's one of the reasons that some are shying away from billboard and radio advertising. That's not to say that you should take down your billboards or stop your radio spots but unfortunately the brand is often exposed during a bad time - while sitting in traffic. You want your brand exposed during happy times.

Find local businesses and organizations. "Like" them on Facebook while logged in under the dealership's account. Follow them on Twitter. Interact with them. Unfortunately it's not the most easily trackable ROI activity but if you understand the importance as well as the ease in which it's done, you can find a way to squeeze in the 10-15 minutes a day it takes to make an impact.

There are plenty of tools out there that help people post the same piece of content across multiple networks. Sendible, Hootsuite, Buffer - all make posting easy and convenient. While they can be great time savers and allow heavy social media users the ability to scale properly and plan accordingly, they also create problems and do not always maximize exposure.

Facebook will "batch" images posted from the same tool when more than one is posted through it in a 24 hour period. This is a big problem for extremely active profiles and pages because these batched albums do not have a like, share, or comment button when they appear in the newsfeed. For someone to interact with the image, they have to click through to it. Most people won't. They'll just pass it right up.

Google+ poses another challenge as there are few tools that work with it. Hootsuite and other tools can post to Google+ pages, but they always post as links even if it is an image that is being uploaded. These get much less engagement than if the actual image was posted. Also, they only work with pages; Google+ does not have profile integration through these tools.

Most importantly, broadcasting the exact same message across multiple channels does not always take full advantage of each individual network's strengths. One would have to keep all posts under 140 characters, for example, if they wanted to post the content to Twitter while also posting it to other networks. This forces the posts to cater to the all networks and limits the ability of the post to flourish.

These are only a sampling of the problems. The right way to do it is to post manually, to mix up the posts using social media sites themselves as the tools through which to post. Done right, it can increase the exposure of your content and give people reasons to follow you one multiple networks.

Here is a sample of how a piece of content was posted across multiple networks appropriately. In this example, we're using this infographic called "Battle of the Sexes" and getting it properly posted to Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Step 1: Prepare the Post

Since this is a vertical infographic, it will not appear properly on Facebook or Google+ as a single image. Both networks have height restrictions, so posting it as a whole will make it unreadable.

Thankfully, we have it "chopped" into its various components will allow us to take advantage of the album feature on both networks. Unlike the batched albums described above, images uploaded intentionally as albums do have like, comment, and share buttons when seen in the newsfeed.

I will want to have a long text description for Tumblr, a slightly smaller one for Facebook and Google+, and under 120 characters for Pinterest and Twitter. Once all of this is together, it's time to post.

Step 2: Post to Facebook and Google+

It's not hard to post albums properly on Facebook and Google+ if you know some of the pitfalls to avoid. First, both sites are tricky when it comes to the order in which the images appear. Just when you think you have it figured out, they make a minor change that affects it. The easiest way to do it is to name them "1", "2", etc.

In this case, the infographic has been broken down into 8 pieces. We'll have the header called "1" and work our way down to to #8.

I will title the album after the name of the infographic itself. Then, in the description I will put the text I already created describing the infographic and I will include a link to the source. This is important to do in this order - adding the link first will turn the post into a link-post rather than an image. While the click rates on the link are lower by doing it like this, the overall exposure of the content is much higher when posting as an image rather than as a link.

Here's how the post appears on Facebook:

Step 3: Post it to Tumblr

There are a couple of different ways to do this on Tumblr. You can keep the split images and post it as an attractive gallery, something that Tumblr does exceptionally well. This hurts continuity, however, so we'll post it as the full infographic.

Now, the choice becomes whether to post it as an image or as text. The image option is best IF the content is small enough. Depending on the Tumblr theme, some tumblogs have length limits similar to Facebook and Google+, but only when posting as an image. When posted as text with an image inserted into the HTML through an embed code or image code, there is no link limit for most themes. Also, it allows for an actual title to the post versus posting as an image which only allows a caption.

The disadvantage to posting it as text is that the image does not appear on Tumblr feeds. If your primary audience is within Tumblr itself, you may want to lean more towards the gallery or single image option. If you're bringing most of the traffic in from outside sources, text posts are best.

The image or post should click through to somewhere. Don't waste the link on the image source itself. You can link it to your original content if it comes from a blog. You can link it back to your Google+ post to get more exposure to your page. Facebook is an option unless you posted it to your profile, in which case the permalink wouldn't be effective. Just make sure the image links to somewhere important to you.

Here's the post as it appears on Tumblr.

Step 4: Post to Pinterest and Twitter

From here, it's time to continue the trail from the other important social networks. In this case, we're going to pin the Tumblr post onto Pinterest and Tweet it from there. We're only going to use the title itself, but we're going to add hashtags.

Here it is on Twitter:

Battle of the Sexes: How Men and Women Use the Social Web #socialmedia #infographic pinterest.com/pin/1633259239…

— JD Rucker (@0boy) October 8, 2012

Switch It All Up

This is only one path you can take. There are other ways to flip it around and diversify your posting styles to take full advantage of the various social sites and the interconnectivity they posses. You can post it to Facebook from Pinterest or Tumblr directly instead of starting there. This isn't the best way; again, images do better than the links that Tumblr and Pinterest post. Still mixing it up from time to time makes your pages more interesting.

The urge to simplify by using posting tools is strong. We naturally want the path of least resistance that these tools offer us. However, with the goal of marketing being exposure, branding, messaging, engagement, and all of the other things that social media offers, doesn't it make sense to mix in a little manual effort every now and then to make your social presence as strong as possible?

Author's Note: This article originally appeared on Social Media Today.

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+JD Rucker is President of Hasai, Inc, a Social Media Firm, Director of New Media for KPA, an Automotive SEO firm, and Editor at Soshable, a Social Media Marketing Blog. Find him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

For the last four years there has been passionate debate over quantity versus quality on Twitter. Should we follow everyone who follows us? Do we play the "churn" game of following people, then unfollowing those who do not follow us back in an effort to inflate our following? Should we buy followers? For individuals, it's an ego thing and is totally up to them, but for businesses and organizations there's a clear cut answer.

Don't go bulk. It's no longer becoming and people see right through it. If anything, it's a turnoff. Here's why:

The Discerning Palate

Twitter is absolutely loaded with spammers and bots. Despite every attempt by the company to eliminate as much as possible, they can only do so much when there's such a high price being paid for social media spamming. Whatever Twitter does, there is no way to eliminate even half of the spammers without major casualties amongst non-spammers who post the wrong thing or follow the wrong people.

Thankfully, it takes under 10 seconds to look at an account and determine if they are real, valuable Twitter users or if they're just here to annoy others for a quick buck. Are they talking @people, replying to conversations? Are they simply a feed with nobody manning the ship? Are they talking about Forex or teeth whitening?

If your business is following everybody, you're really following nobody and users can tell by looking at your numbers. With all of the spammers, bots, and abandoned accounts out there, no company with over 5000 followers should be following more than 2000. Once you get over 10,000 followers, it shouldn't be much higher; 30% is a good ceiling.

(Author's Note: These numbers are from earlier this year when we first conducted the study)

Looking at some of the major car manufacturers, for example, shows that they are really starting to get it:

• - Ford: Following 33K against 129K followers (26%)
• - Toyota: Following 19K against 88K followers (22%)
• - Chevrolet: Following 21K against 110K followers (19%)
• - Audi: Following 13k against 236K followers (6%)
• - Honda: Following under 1K against 48K followers (1%)

Chrysler is one of the exceptions we found; they are still following too many at 100%, 33K versus 33K. This is also the company that has had some challenges with Twitter in the past.

Community

There's an odd side-effect that goes against initial common sense before one really thinks about it. The fewer people you follow, the more likely it is that they'll talk to and about you with one another.

The reason that it doesn't make sense is because one would think that more is better, that you're increasing your odds of community interaction with a larger community. That's not how Twitter works.

The reality is that by limiting the number of accounts that your business listens to, those who are part of the community will be more likely to see what you're saying and what other people are saying to you. They feel as if they are a part of something rather than just being one of the sheep that you're really not hearing because you're following so many.

Reward

The biggest reason that Facebook was so successful in the early days was because they didn't let anyone in. They kept it locked down. You had to have the right email address to get in. It was exclusive, and anything exclusive makes getting in feel like a reward.

While there's no way to generate that sort of buzz around a Twitter account, it still makes people feel good and be more likely to interact with you if they are not part of a huge crowd.

This tip comes from personal experience. When I was following 50K, there were days when I would follow hundreds of accounts and not hear a peep out of any of them. The reason is that when they went to see who just followed them, there was no "reward" being given to them. They weren't being followed for being interesting, engaging, smart, funny, or anything else. They were being followed because following was what I did. They could tell by the number of people I was following.

Now that I follow less than 1000 people against 100K+ followers, half the time I follow someone they thank me. By following 5-10 people per week, I'm getting more interaction from them than when I followed hundreds a day. Much more.

Usefulness

Twitter is a good tool for keeping up with the latest news in an industry, around the local area, and across the globe. There is no chance of being able to use it for such purposes without exhaustive lists or tools, and even then the picture is very limited.

Businesses who follow their clients, partners, and industry leaders can actually get benefit from checking their Twitter feed. The service becomes useful not just from a marketing perspective but also as a way of keeping in touch with what's happening on the outside of the company's direct focus.

Following the masses makes it useless from this perspective.

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Twitter will continue to be a major player in social media. The ways that it is used and manage will always evolve. Knowing how to use it properly can dramatically increase its effectiveness.

Find +JD Rucker on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

This is as much a question that I would love answered as it is a personal opinion that I'm posting on my own behalf. News of yesterday's big buyout of ClickMotive has many in the industry stirring up old (and new) feelings that the industry is heading towards one-stop-shops as a preferred choice.

Disclaimer: I work for KPA. With over 3,000 clients, we may be considered one of the "super vendors" in some circles, but the internet marketing division has always taken pride in being specialists at what we do best rather than being a single point of all things digital. The views expressed in this article are my own.

With that out of the way, I have to ask about the motivations that dealers have when it comes to going with the large vendors. I understand that there is ease when it comes to accounting, that calling and discussing multiple problems with a single point of contact is appealing, and that integration between technologies is considered a plus. What I don't understand is the idea that putting all or most aspects of internet marketing into the hands of a "general practitioner" is considered appropriate.

You may love your doctor, but you wouldn't want him or her to perform your heart surgery. It takes specialized training to be cardiac surgeon. While that's an extreme example used to make a point, it rings true in the complex world of internet marketing. Search engine optimization is best left to specialists, not general practitioners who work with thousands of clients all vying for the same basic keywords. Social media requires an understanding of the market, the demographic, and the personality of the dealership and cannot be guided by general principles built on a one-size-fits-all concept. CRM is extremely complex. Website design, inventory presentation, lead conversion optimization, and mobile marketing are all equally complex.

So now, the question: Do you believe in the general store concept or a diverse range of specialists?

Twitter has a new profile format. Unfortunately, most of the manufacturers haven't taken full advantage of it yet. Don't make their mistake.

Ford is one of the only ones that has already changed their's. It's not great - they picked an image that made reading the text a challenge - but at least they have something up. The same is not true for Toyota or many of the other manufacturers.

It's easy. Go to your Twitter profile. Hit "edit profile". Click on the "design" area. Upload a header image. Done!

Make sure that the bottom half of the image is dark and there is no text as your Twitter account description, location, and URL are in small white print there. Your profile image is at the top and centered, followed by your profile name and your @address. For an example, check out TK Carsites' Twitter page (that's a '67 Trans Am, by the way).

Quick and easy stuff, but it can make your profile more attractive for visitors.

We all know it's impossible to make every customer happy. There are often confusions in the automotive industry that consumers simply do not understand. They can do unreasonable things to try to get back at the dealership when they perceive that they were not treated properly.

This was a challenge a decade ago and before when word-of-mouth was arguably the most important factor in the success of a dealership. Today, that word-of-mouth has turned into "word-of-mouse" and simple things can be made explosive very quickly.

The image above (which has been removed) is one of those examples. It went popular on a social media site and a single version of it has now been viewed by nearly half-a-million people. It has spread to other venues and will likely break a million soon if it hasn't already.

These things get worse on the local level when those in the area of the dealership see it through social media and then spread it through their own channels. Competitors can get a hold of it and take advantage of it. Things like this can go from ugly to truly detrimental to business in a hurry.

The moral of the story - try to cut things off before they get to this level. It was the intention of the person who bought the vehicle to let as many local people as possible know of their opinions. They basically vandalized their own vehicle in an effort to harm the dealership that sold it to them. The person who took the picture was likely someone who simply thought it was funny and decided to spread the word. It hit hard on social media and will continue to do so for a long time. This image will appear and reappear on various social media sites for months, possibly even years.

It's not possible to make every customer happy, but try not to let it get to this point. Sometimes, it's better to take a big hit now rather than a crippling hit later.

... or perhaps you WANT a strong dealership Facebook page. I'd love to be an impartial judge for you. Starting today and into next week, I'll do dealer Facebook page evaluations for anyone who wants one. Those who know me know that I don't sell stuff, so you'll know that I'm simply here to give advice and offer real feedback on what you're doing and what you plan to do on the biggest social network in the world.

There are so few dealers out there who are truly "getting" social media and Facebook in particular in ways that can move the needle on exposure, branding, engagement, leads, and most of all... SALES. There are hundreds of gurus, thousands of articles, and dozens of services available to dealers that promise fans, comments, likes, and everything else associated with Facebook. Those who truly understand and known how to operate in Facebook have seen the one thing that never gets promised: leads and sales.

How many leads are you getting off of your Facebook inventory tab? Did you know that I don't recommend them. In fact, KPA Local Engage only has them because dealers often demand them. We know they're not effective, but it's a part of the automotive industry's DNA to want to put cars in front of people on any and every venue. The tabs don't hurt (which is why we allow them) but they certainly aren't helping.

Today through next week, exclusive to Driving Sales, any dealer can post here in the comments or email me at jrucker@kpaonline.com and I'll personally review your Facebook page and offer actionable advice on how to improve it if it does need improving. I won't try to sell you our product - heck, I won't even discuss it unless you explicitely ask. I will, however, show you how you can do better on Facebook regardless of which service or what product (if any) you're currently using.

Go ahead, Driving Sales. Fire away.

We're all professionals here at Driving Sales. There's nothing wrong with some passionate criticism about practices that dealers and even vendors are doing that may do more damage than good for a dealership's reputation.

A growing trend that I've been seeing that has apparently been in play for quite some time now (shame on me for not noticing earlier) is the idea of taking a funny picture or an image of a clever saying, slapping the dealer's logo on it, and posting it to Facebook. I cannot express fully in writing or even in the video below how bad of an idea this is, but I'll try.

I'm open to discuss this with anyone who claims that this is the right thing to do for the dealership's marketing, branding, and reputation.

When Google+ Local replaced Google Places earlier this month, my first thought was, "Finally dealers will start paying more attention to their Google+ pages!"

Some did. Most did not. Sure, many continued to watch their reviews in the new venue, but the 100+ pages that I've been monitoring showed little change in the amount of effort being put into them.

The biggest challenge I face in understanding this is that it's not a ton of effort. Even if dealers post the same things to their Google+ pages that they're posting to their Facebook pages, that completely works for me. It's not ideal, but it's better than inactivity.

Fast forward a few weeks and the video I made back in the beginning of June is still completely relevant. Google+ is still, to many, a ghost town. It requires effort to build up similar to the effort most of us have put into building our Facebook pages and most are hoping that they won't have to go through that again. Unfortunately, we all will. Google+ is going to get shoved down our throats whether we like it or not. It's going to get shoved down everyone's throats. Over time, it will gain prominence and relevance and one day we're all going to look up and realize that it was a mistake to avoid the extra effort it takes to keep our Google+ pages looking strong and engaging.

Here's the video I mentioned. Please let me know what you think.

For your weekend enjoyment, here's a KPA infographic about the social media companies that are leading their niche in 2012. Understanding the heart and soul of the companies can help us all make choices about where to put our efforts this year and in coming years.

Click to enlarge.