So you’re a small business owner with a website, Facebook and Twitter accounts. How do you make them work for you? How do you generate the online version of word of mouth without breaking the bank on marketing or spending too much time? For all the opportunity that social media represents, it can cause a lot of headaches as well. Startup BuildChatter wants to help small businesses grow by providing affordable, straightforward social media tools.
BuildChatter looks to steady the whirling world of social media for business owners by equipping would be traffic controllers with management solutions and simple application building tools. Organize pages in one location, collect data to optimize audience engagement, and create interactive content (without paying for a design team) that will generate interest all using BuildChatter.
Engaging visitors online is widely recognized as a great way to grow customers organically, but doing so can be an expensive and time consuming proposition. Founder John Macintosh says of BuildChatter, “Our mission is to empower all businesses, regardless of their budget, with the tools needed to maintain an effective, easy to use and fundamentally sound social media program.”
A free package – or Socialite account – includes page management tools, a Facebook Fanpage tool, and a Social Traffic Tab. This tab directs visitors to Facebook applications that include specials, videos, contests, sweepstakes, and quizzes without leaving the host site. Expand your fan base using existing, authentic traffic.
A more sophisticated package costs $55 per month. However, somewhat unique from other management suites, you can also choose to pay for specific tools. Maybe you’re just in the hunt for retail assistance like the ability to offer coupons. This would cost you only $15 per month. Essentially, you can create a customized platform to match your social media needs. Be as creative or minimalist as you like while keeping to a bootstrapped budget.
In addition to the Social Traffic Tab, other available tools include:
- Post and Page Management – Save time and increase productivity through organizing pages and simplifying posting
- Promotional Tools – Launch innovative and effective campaigns that can be built and published in minutes without professional help
- Analytics -Real-time information on posts, followers, and promotions
- Social ROI Calculator – Determine your return on investments generated through social media efforts
Like many entrepreneurs, Macintosh became a founder when he couldn’t find an online solution to meet his own business needs. Other social media products proved too expensive, complicated, or incomplete. Frustrated and tired of wasting time, he decided to design and build the suite of tools that would satisfy the demands of other business owners like himself. For more information about Toronto-based BuildChatter, visit here.
