4 Ways to Say "Thank You" With Social Media

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As we prepare to enjoy Thanksgiving 2011 with friends and family, remember that this is also a great time of year to thank those who are helping your business thrive.

Think about it. When's the last time you said "thank you" to:

• Customers who give you repeat business all year long
• Bloggers who tout your product or service, or who provide content that has really helped your business
• Connections on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn who consistently share your content
• Blog readers who comment on and share your posts

And I'm not talking anything fancy. Just a simple message to tell them how much their support means to you and how much you appreciate them. Here are a few quick, easy ways to do that using the social media tools you already have:

1. Send them a DM on Twitter

A DM (direct message) is a private tweet that goes directly to an individual Twitter ID. Sure, you only have 140 characters, but you can still get an effective message of thanks across. For more information about DMs, check out this page on the Twitter Help Center.

2. Give them or their business a Facebook or Twitter shout-out

Nothing like a little public recognition to let people know you appreciate them! Post separate tweets or Facebook updates for each person or organization you want to thank (resist the temptation to lump them all together!) and link to their pages. Great way to share the love!

3. Send them a video message

Did you know you can create private YouTube videos? Just record your personal message of appreciation and in the settings click on Private. Then just enter the email address of your recipient. This blocks the video from showing up in your channel or in any searches, and it can only be accessed by your recipient. Embed the link in an email, send it off and voilà: instant video message!

4. Leave a comment on their blog

We bloggers are absolutely koo-koo for blog comments! If you want to say thanks to a favorite blogger, leave your message in the Comments section of their latest post. You'll get your chance to say thank you in a place where all their readers can see it, plus you'll help boost their social media mojo!

So, what are you doing to show appreciation to your customers and advocates during this season of giving thanks? Leave us a note in the comments—we'd love to hear from you.

Happy Thanksgiving, all!