If you have a Facebook fan page, you are probably aware that your page will automatically convert to the new Timeline design on March 30, 2012.

Mari Smith, a social media speaker and author, has put together an informative post which covers the majority of basic settings and features you need to know. She has also included a great infographic that highlights all the key elements of the new layout. [Facebook Timeline for Business Pages – 21 Key Points To Know]

There are lots of newsworthy things that you can share with the media about your business and employees. 

In addition to traditional product and service news, think about the ways your business interacts with your community. 

Are you involved with a local charity? Is your organization eco-friendly? Has a customer found a new use for an old product? Is your business culture different from others in your industry?

Sharing this type of information with the media through a well-written press release can bring publicity that helps shape your brand, builds company awareness and creates human interest. 

Make sure to use the same profile picture across your social media profiles. That way people recognize you between LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and other networks. 

Consistency is key and helps build your profile as an expert in your field.

Small business owners are busy running their business and handling most tasks from operations to sales. Here is a quick way to stay on top of your company, your competitors and your industry. 

Set up a Google Alert for your company, competition, and industry keywords. You can specify to receive an email when it occurs or get a daily or weekly update. This allows you to stay on top of recent industry news and monitor what is being said about your company

Looking to monitor social media mentions? Another site to track company mentions in the social sphere is Social Mention. You can set up alerts similar to the Google Alerts and stay notified!

I recently tapped into my social network to research a topic for a blog post. Specifically, I asked marketers how their paid search agency could better serve their clients. I received some great feedback and wanted to share how you can use your network for research.

First, I posted a question on LinkedIn Answers. This is one of the most useful features of LinkedIn and if you are not familiar with it, start reading answers in your industry and try to answer a few. Also you can ask members in LinkedIn groups questions in the discussion boards if you are also a member. Two great starting points for your research.

I also found some industry-specific forums and posted questions there (see Google groups, Yahoo groups, search industry keyword + group or forum) and on Business.com. There are many relevant sites for every industry and it is amazing how people are so open to giving advice and sharing knowledge. Once you find these forums, get involved and participate in helping others. It can be rewarding and helps build your network.

Then I went to my network on *Twitter and asked the question with the link to the LinkedIn questions. I also sent direct messages to some folks who were active in the industry to try and get their feedback. I also searched industry terms on Tweetgrid to see if anyone was having a discussion about the topic.

*I have been building a network on Twitter for personal and professional development. One group that I interact with is marketing professionals in the US. I started talking to people on Twitter when I was at my last job and was a one person marketing department. I discovered that Twitter was a great resource to share ideas and information. The feedback I received when I posed questions was valuable and in real time. I could have conversations with other professionals in my industry and I didn’t feel alone. Having built this network, I was able to ask questions and get some great answers. Building a network on Twitter (and on all social media sites) takes time. People should build their networks a little bit every week. Participate and share and be sure not to just sell – that is a huge turnoff. Twitter is a place where people can learn from one another.

Using social media, I was able to get great insights and feedback from a group of talented people in only a few days.

Our society is more plugged in than it has ever been and people are looking to make a connection online and offline. Social media can serve as an extension of your research efforts – it’s like an instant focus group.

My blog post  - How to Be a Better PPC Search Marketing Agency.

Small businesses often have more work than resources and less budget for marketing and PR. Here are some PR tips for small businesses to build on. 

Think local and build a media list in your area. Check Patch and get to know your local journalist. Become a resource. Be sure to publicize any local events and charitable activities. 

Network. Join your local industry organization and get involved. Offer to speak or sponsor an event. 

Offer helpful advice to customers and prospects. Start blogging. Write an FAQ page and answer customers' top questions. Make sure the blog is included on your web site. Wordpress is an easy to use system.

Go social. Set up a free LinkedIn company page. Add products and services. Link your blog to the page. Add a Facebook Page and start a Twitter feed for the company. 

Listen, Monitor and Engage. Check Social Mention and set up Gmail alerts for industry keywords including your company. 

Find out what people are saying in your industry, about competitors, about you! Respond and resonate with people and join in the conversation. 

What other PR tips would you like to see?