Social media guide

Cyprus-flag-140According to Internet World Stats data in October 2012, there were nearly 600,000 internet users in Cyprus in mid-year 2012, representing more than half of the population. The most frequent group of internet users are students (99.5% of the total student population) and individuals aged between 16 to 24 years old (91.7%). By contrast, only 7.8% of individuals aged between 65 and 74 years old use the internet. Men are using the internet more frequently than women with a percentage of 61.2% and 54.3%, respectively.

Internet users in Cyprus are more frequently using the internet to find information about goods or services (90,6%), and sending/receiving e-mails (75.6%) (Statistical Service of the Republic of Cyprus, Report of December 2012). According to Socialbakers [www.socialbakers.com], currently, there are 580,920 Facebook users in Cyprus with a 52.68% penetration in terms of the general population and a 99.33% penetration in terms of the current online population.

As far as the do’s and don’ts of social media are concerned, available data are limited to a number of surveys conducted over the last years. These surveys show that most Cypriots are relatively conservative in the way they use the internet and share information. More specifically, according to the online survey conducted by the Passport to Trade 2.0 project, most of the respondents suggested that the real first and last name should be used for personal profiles and speaking to people you do not know in real life is generally not acceptable. The majority also think that it is inappropriate to criticize others in abusive terms. In general, users seem to expect that social network providers should provide a trustworthy environment, securing privacy, anonymity, access control, and data usage transparency (Ktoridou et al., 2012). In a recent survey, Ktoridou et al (2012) found that the majority of the people in Cyprus who participated in social media, claimed to be aware of social security risks in general (68.6%), although 15.1% were not aware of such risks and 16.2% did not even know what a security risk was. Contrary to the perceptions examined above, it is impressive that  the people in Cyprus who are  social media users  accept connection requests from complete strangers, showing that university students are willing to add users that they don’t even know into their circle.

Useful links:

Search and Social Media Marketing for International Business

Learn how to use social media for business from one of Salford Business School’s latest business management courses. The course was jointly researched by the Passport to Trade 2.0 project team and prepared in collaboration with some of the leading digital marketing agencies in the UK.

This Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) can help businesses and individuals to make the best use of search and social media platforms. The course is called Search and Social Media Marketing for International Business and is applicable to students looking for placements abroad as well as businesses thinking about new trade links; it comprises the following twelve topics:

Before you start the course please complete this short MOOC entrance survey.

How to develop a personal brand online (1/12)

  • Whether you are a student beginning a job search or a business person planning a new business venture, personal branding can make a difference.
  • Learn about personal branding and why it is important for you.

How to use Twitter (2/12)

  • Learn the basics of using Twitter to develop an individual or business profile.
  • Remember to use hash tag #SSMMUoS to share your learning journey on this course so far!

How to use Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) (3/12)

  • Learn the principles of SEO to ensure that your website and any social media profiles are found by individuals searching for your name, products and services.
  • These basic principles of SEO include keyword research, on-page optimisation and off-page optimisation.

How to use social media for international business development (4/12)

  • Social media networks break down the traditional country barriers, but do you know which networks are relevant for the country you are interested in trading with?
  • Find out in this video how to identify the relevant networks and what social media strategies you might be able to use on these networks.

How to use Facebook (5/12)

  • Facebook is currently the largest social media network in the world and it can benefit you as a business as well as an individual.
  • Learn how to develop a Facebook business page and see how other businesses use it and what strategies work for them.

How to use YouTube (6/12)

  • YouTube was identified as the second largest social network amongst younger internet users as part of the Passport to Trade 2.0 project.
  • Learn how to optimise your video content in order to reach wider audiences for your profile.

How to use LinkedIn (7/12)

  • LinkedIn is one of the three main professional social networks – the others being Xing and Viadeo which are also popular in several European countries.
  • Learn how to make the most of LinkedIn for your profile.

How to use Google+ (8/12)

  • Google+ is the second largest social network as of January 2013.
  • It is one of the fastest growing social networks and one that has the biggest impact when it comes to search engine results integration for anyone who uses Google as their main search engine.
  • Learn how to make the most of Google+ for you and your digital profiles.

How to use copywriting online (9/12)

  • Copywriting is a process of translating technical specifications and product descriptions into engaging and understandable customer focused text.
  • Learn about the basic techniques in structuring your online content here.

How to stay legal on social media (10/12)

  • Everything and anything you do and say online can be potentially viewed by anyone who has internet access.
  • Always respect the law and familiarise yourself with new options offered to you through a creative commons licence which is popular online.

How to use monitoring and reporting (11/12)

  • Whether you are an individual or a business spending time on social media – there has to be a return on your engagement online.
  • How do you justify your engagement on social media to your boss? Listen to the industry experts in this area and see what you might be able to measure in respect of your on-line engagements.

How to blog (12/12)

  • Blogging is a process of writing text and sharing content with others. It can help your customers or friends to keep in-touch regardless of social media platforms.
  • Think about the voice you might want to adopt and who your audience might be. Share your thoughts with us by writing a blog post about this MOOC.
  • Tweet us the link to your post on the #SSMMUoS Twitter hash tag.

Please complete the MOOC exit survey.

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