Daniel Richman is interested in helping small businesses and start-ups achieve their social media and online marketing goals. Marketing through social media is a great tool if understood and implemented properly. Social media is about quality, not quantity. Daniel will help you be creative and innovative and is excited to answer your questions.

Following are this session’s questions.

Dear Daniel:

I have started an online business and I am wondering how to start a Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest promotion to draw in customers. I'm not sure how often I should send out notices without annoying people.

A: What a great question!

Congratulations on starting a new business. Since I do not know what industry you are in I will try and give you a brief overview of the social media platforms you mentioned.

There are many options when it comes to social media marketing. You can use an "organic" approach, meaning without spending money, and/or what the top sites call "ads" or "sponsored posts," where you pay what you feel you can afford, and select options based on how far you want your ad to reach, and what your target audience is. The ad can be a snippet highlighting your page, or a post your page has created.

The good news is that I've personally seen higher click-throughs and comments without using money. Although sponsored posts and ads are placed in key areas across your page or timeline, they are also often overlooked. Many clients find them to be a nuisance, and in that regard, if you choose this as your best option, start small. You do not want to be considered annoying, however it is your job to promote your business, and these tools are beneficial. Let me give you some examples of how to use these tools.

In regards to Facebook, a good rule of thumb is to split the day up into quarters so four posts a day on Facebook would be safe. Make sure your notifications are turned on so you can be alerted about anyone responding to your post. You will need to plan a word-of-mouth campaign to get more people to like your page. That is very important. The more likes the better the chance that a customer will be browsing your page. Click here for more about Facebook and business promotion.

Next there is Twitter, which has been proven to move faster than Facebook, but it can get a little more intense. I would recommend eight to 12 posts a day on Twitter, remembering that conversations can develop quickly, and therefore it is best to make the posts simple. Post general information about your business as this will often not require an answer. You can give out your Facebook page to Twitter followers and your Twitter page to your Facebook friends. Having both a Twitter and Facebook page will help you increase viewership.

Another interesting tool is Pinterest. Pinterest is a social media tool that allows people to collect ideas for their various projects, hobbies and interests. People create and share their collections. Collections are called boards and they are your visual bookmarks (called pins). People love these boards and pins as they enable you to plan projects, create events and find interesting news items. Since Pinterest is all about pictures, you need to make sure your pictures are accurate representations. I would add four to eight posts per day on Pinterest. Make sure that you have your boards correctly labeled, and that each picture you post correlates with the correct board. Also remember to highlight your website in the comments section. Alternatively, you can also reference another site, for instance your Facebook page. The main point being that you'd like your audience to interact with your content, and eventually either purchase your product, get you that job or land you that client.

There are many tools out there and this is a good start. Congratulations and good luck with your new venture. I am sure you are very excited and please let us know if you have any additional questions. Keep moving forward!

Dear Daniel:

I am in high school and working on a video about environmental issues and in particular about plastic and why people should stop using it. I want people to bring their own bags or ask for paper at the store. I am good at FB but I really use it to talk to my friends. I don't use Twitter. Someone mentioned to me that I can connect with others through #hashtags. Does this sound like a good idea and could you explain to me what it is and the best way to use it?

A: What an amazing adventure you're about to begin!

In brief, YES! Twitter can be used to further your business aspirations. You will need to create a profile, using every option they give you to add a short and effective bio, linking to your website (if you've got one) and adding your location so people can find you with ease. Keep in mind that you will only have 140 characters to create interest. You want to get as many followers as possible so these posts must be written creatively and be relevant to your business. Follow lists that others have created that might be based on your location. Please pay attention to any comments and/or responses, as these individuals may become potential clients.

You asked about hashtags. Hashtags are FUN! Hashtags are those short links preceded by the pound sign - #. People often find them confusing, but they are important and easy to use. The hashtag's widespread use began with Twitter, but it is now readily used with other social media platforms and it is also used worldwide. It is a very cool tool. The hashtag symbol turns any word or group of words that directly follow it into a searchable link. This allows you to organize content and track conversations based on those keywords.

You don't want to "overdo" it with your hashtags. I would recommend three posts throughout the day. Ask your friends to "retweet" the posts as that will make them more visible. The more viewers, the more likely they will be reposted. You can search right through Twitter to find if your hashtag is already in use. Let's say you love The Walking Dead show. If you wanted to post about the season's finale, tweet #thewalkingdead. Being that this is all done in real time, you can immediately see what others are saying by entering the hashtag directly into Twitter's search.

Another very popular tool is Instagram. It is basically a tool that allows you to share your world with your community of friends, business associates and family through pictures. Please make sure your photo is related to your topic and comment on it using an appropriate hashtag. I've seen great exposure occur with Instagram. If you are using it to promote your business, be mindful that your images are professional, appropriate and in sync with what you are promoting. Remember the adage: a picture is worth a thousand words. You want to attract customers and have them become familiar with your product.

Good luck with your project. It sounds worthwhile and admirable. Please let us know if you have any additional questions.

Keep moving forward!

Daniel Richman lives with his family in Camden. He is interested in helping small businesses and start-ups achieve their social media marketing goals. Marketing through social media is a great tool if understood and implemented properly. Social media is about quality, not quantity. Through his column, Daniel will strive to help you be creative and innovative. Send your questions to danielsrichman@gmail.com.