This week on Sprout Social Insights we tackled guides for Facebook, Twitter, and small business to help you better reach your customers with the social tools that make a difference.

Check out our articles below to find out more about each one and how they can help you with your social media goals.

And check in every day to Sprout Social Insights for more how to guides and breaking social media news.

How to Use Twitter for Customer Support

It could be said that using Twitter for customer support started back in 2008 when Frank Eliason (now with Citibank) launched the @comcastcares Twitter account. Frank, along with a team of employees, had a single mission: to publicly provide direct customer service in a real-time environment.

Today, more companies are jumping on the bandwagon every day, having finally realized that Twitter is a hotbed of customer complaints, questions, and concerns. Fortunately, there’s a bit of appreciation in there, too.

The trick for most organizations is understanding how to use Twitter for customer support in the most effective and efficient ways. Here are several recommendations to help you successfully handle customer service issues, 140-characters at a time! [ Read More... ]

Teach Your Customers How to Use Twitter

This week we provide you with an innovative tip — teach your customers how to use Twitter!

Assuming that you’re already well versed with Twitter, why not devote some of your marketing budget to educate your customers on this social media platform? While customer education might seem like a radical idea, sometimes radical times call for radical measures! Here’s how you can use Twitter to create loyal brand advocates for your business. [ Read More... ]

How to Create a Google+ Business Page

Last week Google introduced Google+ Page, meaning businesses were given the green light to create professional profiles on the social network. Google+ boasts 40 million members — a number that’s sure to rise now that business pages have finally launched.

While it takes time to create a profile and learn a new social ecosystem, it’s usually worth doing. Google+ gives you an opportunity to target your customers with relevant content, and it also opens up the doors to creative marketing channels like “Hangouts.”

In this article, we’ll show you everything you need to create and promote your Google+ Business Page. [ Read More... ]

5 Nonprofits Using Twitter Right

Twitter marketing isn’t just for big businesses and brands. Nonprofits are also effectively leveraging Twitter to boost awareness, increase donations, get free publicity, and solicit new volunteers.

In many ways, Twitter is an ideal social media platform for nonprofit organizations. By tweeting content such as links to blog posts, stories from people that the organization has helped, videos, and more, a nonprofit can project a personal identity to its followers. And when people can personally identify with you, they are more likely to participate in your cause.

Here are five nonprofits using Twitter to reach their goals. Follow these organizations for inspiration and ideas on how to effectively use Twitter for your own nonprofit marketing campaign. [ Read More... ]

10 Android Apps That Are Changing Local Business

Mobile marketing represents one of the biggest opportunities for businesses to connect with consumers anytime, anywhere, so it’s not surprising there are so many Android apps that are changing the face of local business. In fact, it’s the ability to connect with people on a local level through smartphones and tablets that makes Android apps a fit for small businesses.

Here are 10 Android apps that are helping to change the way consumers find businesses, how people discover discounts and deals, and how companies themselves are closing sales. A new world of mobile marketing awaits, and these Android apps will help get you started. [ Read More... ]

Social Media Marketing Grows in Popularity With Small Businesses

A study by engagement marketing firm Constant Contact revealed that the use of social media marketing is growing among small businesses.

Constant Contact surveyed 1,972 small business owners and employees in October and discovered that Twitter, which pulled in 60 percent of the vote,  is only second to Facebook, which was preferred – as a marketing tool – by 86 percent of those surveyed. Both video sharing and LinkedIn also made the list at 71 percent and 55 percent, respectively.

The most noteworthy results were not about platform popularity, but rather about what types of conversations are being had. [ Read More... ]

Google Introduces Community Guides for Google+

In an effort to encourage community growth on its social network, Google has launched a series of community guides which aim to help organizations succeed on Google+.

When Google+ opened its doors to brands and businesses, it also welcomed organizations, including politicians, celebrities, artists, athletes, nonprofits, and so on. Some members of these groups have already dived in and have begun using Google+ in creative ways.

However, not everyone knows where to start, so that’s why Google is sharing community guides. In these guides you will find case studies and ideas for how organizations have used Google+ effectively. [ Read More... ]

How to Create a Facebook Event

This week, we’ll show you how to create a Facebook Event hosted by your Facebook Page. Facebook just updated Events, so this is a great time to get started with them.

Facebook Events are special Pages for upcoming real-world events, that allow people to coordinate, get information, and RSVP easily using their Facebook profiles. You might already have created one using a personal profile — if so, most of this will be familiar to you.

You have to log in as your Page first. To do that, just click the arrow in the top-right corner of Facebook, then select “Use Facebook as Page.” You’ll be asked to pick which one you want to use if you run more than one through your Facebook account. [ Read More... ]

[Image Credits: Jeroen van den Eijkhof, American Red Cross, ehpien, Suvodeb Banerjee, Charlie Ambler]