Seattle Chinatown International District PDA is looking for ways to help local merchants thrive. With $20,000 in support from the City’s Technology Matching Fund, the SCIDpda has begun educating local businesses on social media. The SCIDpda developed workshops with One Media Venture, a Seattle based-media and production company, on the basics of why social media is important and how neighborhood businesses can start using different social media platforms to improve economic growth and development. In March, five local [...] 
Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Seattle Chinatown International District PDA is looking for ways to help local merchants thrive. With $20,000 in support from the City’s Technology Matching Fund, the SCIDpda has begun educating local businesses on social media. The SCIDpda developed workshops with One Media Venture, a Seattle based-media and production company, on the basics of why social media is important and how neighborhood businesses can start using different social media platforms to improve economic growth and development.
In March, five local businesses attended “Intro to Social Media” and “Facebook and Twitter Basics” training. Participants received a step-by-step tutorial on how to set-up Facebook and Twitter accounts in English and Chinese. The businesses, including 705 Lofts, were able to set-up their new Facebook and Twitter business accounts.
Getting small businesses to embrace social media is not without its challenges. Language is often a barrier. Businesses also find it hard to keep up with the ongoing demands of maintaining their online presence. To help with the language fluency issues, the SCIDpda has identified a group of students from the Asian Student Association at North Seattle Community College that are fluent in Vietnamese, and will concentrate their assistance to businesses in the Little Saigon sector of the International District.
The SCIDpda has also learned that it is important to introduce social media in a way that is not overwhelming. The Community College students will work with the businesses to create videos to post on YouTube and their own websites and blogs. Volunteers will also continue to work with businesses to address their concerns.
For more information on the project contact Allison Iguchi at (206) 838-9266.