Social media is for every company, big or small, unless you're small and want to remain small, because business will go on as usual, right? Wrong.While you should not forget the traditional ways of getting the word out about your business, you now need to identify how and where your current and future clients are participating online. Don't let age fool you. It's not just a young person's game. You might be surprised at how many older folk are blogging and participating in social networks.Prospective buyers are certainly more aware of how much valuable information is available through online reviews and comments by users of a particular service or product. I regularly check personal reviews before I buy to get first hand experience from previous buyers. A lot of hotel booking sites aggregate user information and ratings, and it has certainly made finding a room much easier.Bermuda's tourism sector is taking a lead in being more vigorous online. Enough are already in on the action, especially on Facebook. Here's how to join them, with your main expenditure being time, a whole lot of time at the start, and a continual, creative effort afterwards.A look at what's being used by the big companies around the world is helpful. Burson-Marsteller's 2011 study on Fortune Global 100 companies shows the majority use at least one social media platform, and one-quarter are active on all platforms, with Twitter leading the way in growth, followed by YouTube channels and Facebook.Now, I agree Twitter is pretty limiting for marketers at first look: you can only use 140 characters of text. Forget about images, except for the one that stands for your profile. However, Twitter is pretty useful for keeping your existing clients informed and coming back for more.Most companies use Twitter for general news, announcements and updates. Businesses also post promotions, deals and contests related to their products or services. It's also excellent for the feedback.To see how Bermuda is being discussed just do a search for “Bermuda” and of course “#Bermuda” in TweetDeck (the best way I have found to manage Twitter's unending stream-of-consciousness). For example, after weeding out the references to “Bermuda shorts” and triangles, I found a link to a review of 64º restaurant at Port Royal Golf Club posted by ChicagoAddick, who is a resident.Instead of seeing this as a “negative” comment, the manager at 64º should thank him for the review and take it as a chance to improve: not much choice for his vegetarian wife who ended up raiding the fridge when she got home, the portions for his friends were inconsistent in quality and size, and a wine list, though impressive in size, was “humdrum and uninspiring” for those wanting to spend less than $100 on a bottle.This is the kind of feedback you cannot buy and enough good points were made to keep it balanced. The man knows his restaurants judging by some of the top ones he has visited.On #Bermuda, the Fairmont Southampton seems to be the most active hotel, posting links to its images on Facebook of its Sunday brunch at the Waterlot and getting a positive response from a regular customer. Judging from its postings on Facebook (pics, updates and recipes for example) and customer responses, someone there knows what they are doing.Bermuda Tourism and Gosling's page on Black Seal rum are also among the most active on Facebook. Rum drinkers are an enthusiastic lot!The point here is to use Twitter to post titbits and links to where you are on Facebook and other social media sites. Post interesting bits at least once a week. On social media, the fresh gets old pretty fast. The other part of my statement is “interesting” how to keep hooking people back, and that's where creativity is needed. If you are too busy to be marginally creative, then emulate what others are doing well by following the trends.In next week's column I look at what some of those trends are, and highlight some interesting notes social marketers have made about getting people interested. For those in Bermuda in the marketing business, please send me any insights on this topic. If you have any technique you have found that works, then I will include them.Send insights to elamin.ahmed@gmail.com