The social media is becoming increasingly important in marketing, and when you start using it you will immediately see why. Social media involves using the social networks (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn), YouTube, Digg, blogs, forums, and related sites to market your product, service, or vision. Social Media Optimization refers to using the social media to market your vision, product, or service – and optimizing that process.

Currently some 50% of the world’s population is under 30 years old and 96% of this group have joined a social network. (For more statistics, see http://socialnomics.net/2010/05/05/social-media-revolution-2-refresh/. )

Why are people turning to social media today? Why is using social media so popular?

It’s very simple. If you put a web site on the Internet, Google will do nothing until it finds a link to your web site. For my clients, once I have posted a web site o the Internet I put a link from my portfolio page on my business web site to the client's site. This is the initial link to your site Google needs to start indexing you. Google probably will still do nothing until it does the next scanning of my portfolio page (or scans another page with a link to your site). That could take a month. Once Google finds the link and begins to index your site, Google puts your new site in what is known as a “sandbox” area. This is probably a virtual area that isn’t really real, but what it does mean is that Google is waiting until it thinks you are serious about your site before it gets serious on indexing you. Google monitors your site activity and links, but don’t expect anything exciting for at least a month.

Now suppose you go out to Twitter (a social networking site) and put a short tweet there about your new site including one of your important keyword phrases and an a link to your site. Remember, you only have 140 characters in which to do this. The difference, however, is that Twitter is real time. That this means is that your tweet is immediately indexed and available to searchers on Twitter.

This real time nature of the social networks is not lost on the search engines like Google. When the Iran Revolution exploded, the State Department begged Twitter to stay up and postpone any changes or actions that could take Twitter down. Twitter was being used to network the activists of the revolution. Then later when the Haiti earthquake hit, it was again Twitter that stepped in for the real-time networking that was needed for the relief teams trying to help. When Nashville was flooded, the first news I got was on Twitter.

Google, then, in order to compete had to start something different with the real-time links that emerged in the social networks. These social network links are indexed quickly on Google. The same thing is true of blog entries, even a blog you carry on your new site. A LOT of my incoming traffic is from my blogs. In other words, if you are social networking, you start showing up in Google and to the Google and social network searchers much, much more quickly. Now there’s a new category in Google: paid ads, organic, and the social ads. And the social ads are organic, based on your social networking activity.

Now the secret here is that you just can’t set up a blog or a Facebook account and sit back and watch your traffic go to the stratosphere. You have to get in there engage on these networks. You also need to hit the blogs of those who are traveling on the internet with you, commenting on their blog entries and participating creatively in the entire process. Marketing involves building trust with potential customers, listening to their needs, and then responding to them. The sales process is much more personal than with any other type of marketing. It’s a very time-consuming process.

The Power of Social Media

What social media should you use? Let’s take a look at the social media and look at the major features of some of these. All of these are free. There are many others out there; and these are only a sample. The dynamic is that of thought-leadership. You are linking people and ideas to create actions and changes that are bolder and stronger than anyone could do on their own.

Security Issues of Social Media

With all of these tools, be careful and not put any private information out on the internet. Do not publish credit or debit card numbers, bank account information, or social security numbers to any social network. In addition, don’t use anything as a password that you think someone else could find out on normal published channels. For example, don’t use your birthday, your mother’s maiden name, where you were born, your pet’s name, or parts of your social security number as passwords. It’s too easy for someone else to get this from the wikis and other databases out there.

Moreover, use caution with any information you put out there. Facebook, in particular, has a very serious security problem. If your family is leaving town for a few days, don't broadcast it to everyone. If you are unemployed, there is about a 50% change any employer you apply to will scan the web on your name, particularly the social networks.

Using Social Networking for Internet Marketing

A social network is a website or network of websites, specifically established to allow a group of users to communicate directly with each other on topics of common interest.

Using Twitter

Twitter (twitter.com) is one type of social network that allows you to send and read messages known as tweets. Anyone that searches on your name or a keyword phrase that you used for your message will get the tweets that match. You are broadcasting your tweets to everyone who searches for you or the subject of your tweets. In addition, people can choose to subscribe to your tweets and then become known as subscribers. Twitter refers to your subscribers as followers. You are limited to only 140 characters for your tweets; but those who tweet learn how to publish the essence of their message and motivate action.

You begin by creating your account. That doesn't cost anything. Once you've done that, you can prowl around and just experiment. To find your friends on Twitter, search on their name using Find People. If you want to follow their tweets on an on-going basis, click their icon (avatar) to get to their page and then click their Follow button near the top of their page. In this way you can follow their tweets from your Home page. I also follow some people just because they are interesting. Each time you log in, you see the latest tweets from those you are following.

You choose who you want to follow. You will be surprised at how many influential people are on twitter. Knowing how to using the large amount of information here is the problem.

You can also put your profile on Twitter, just as with other social networks. From the profile you can create a link to your website.

As you continue, you will probably find some people are beginning to follow you. The search on the same subjects you are interested in, find your tweets, and then click to follow you.

Twitter is especially useful for launching your breaking news – a speech you have scheduled, a book just released, a restaurant review from where you just ate, a book you have read, a song that has just moved you emotionally, or a movie you just saw. Your tweet is indexed instantly to anyone who is following you or to anyone that searches on a keyword you used in your tweet.
More than 100 million users are using Twitter around the world. Along with Facebook, this site is one of the more popular for social networking. Just remember that what you put there is broadcast to the world.

Although your tweets are only a maximum of 140 characters, you can use that small space to motivate and link them to another site. Some people link you to Facebook; but I have had major security problems there. It's better to start your own blog (free, and no web site needed) and link them into your posts there. As this blog is also considered social networking, Google will index you entries there very quickly.

Using Facebook

Facebook (facebook.com) has become the largest of the social networks. You’d be surprised at how many of your friends are already out there in Facebook. Go ahead and make a long list of the people you know in any area of your life (business, social, classmates, relatives) and then go searching for them on Facebook. The results will surprise you.

Facebook started as a social networking site for students at Harvard. Then it expanded to include other universities. Now anyone 13 or older can use the site, and it has over 400 million users.

With Facebook you start by creating a profile of yourself. The profile can include photos, a list of your interests, contact information, links to your website, your email. You also control privacy settings on this. From that you invite others to be your friend. Be cautious and invite only those you know and/or trust. Because of the site’s high usage, it is very popular with spammers and phishers.

You can also create special fan groups or join the fan groups of others. Organizations and schools can also create their own fan groups.

Using LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a social network for professionals; that is, it is business oriented. This network is valuable if you are looking for a job, networking to start a business, or trying to find business ideas.

You begin by posting your profile on LinkedIn. You can put links in the profile to your site or sites. Put those links in there. Add your picture. Let people know you are a real person. This profile is very much like a resume; in fact, it could be a resume. You may want to use a cryptic email address in your profile. The address could be farmed by scamming sites. I’ve had it happen to me. The best way to prevent this is to use only your Web site address (URL) in the profile and use a form on your site to capture information from visitors to your web site.

You then build a network of connections on LinkedIn – people you already know that you find on LinkedIn. Do searches on anyone you know – business associates, church members, old classmates, relatives. In fact, you can ask LinkedIn to scan your contact list and add connections from there.

To these that you know, you extend an invitation to join your Linkin network. Only invite people you know. As these friends join, you can see their list of their friends; i.e., who is in their network. These “connections of your connections” are your second level. If you see someone you know in this level, you an invite them to your network. If you want them in your network, you can ask your first level connection to recommend them.

From this second level, you can explore the connections of these and see your third level. Very soon you could find yourself with a connection level with thousands of people or more.

If you are looking for a job, you can explore the Job tab in LinkedIn. Companies looking to hire put a priority names that find in searching LinkedIn. They know they are looking at someone who knows how to use the networking tools to accomplish their task. You may find someone that works for the company that is hiring is already in your network. When that happens, you probably want your connection at that company to recommend you on LinkedIn for the job.

Linkedin also has a large, large number of professional groups. Choose the Group tab on the site and then search for groups that are relevant to your vision. These are free, and you can discuss your vision in these groups and add a pointer to your blog on your site. (You do have one, don’t you?) If you don’t see a group that specifically addresses your concerns, go ahead and start a new group.

Using Amazon

Amazon a social network? You better believe it. You can go in and post reviews on your favorite books. From that, you can create a hyperlink from your name to your profile on Amazon you can create. The profile, in turn, can refer them to your site or blog. Also, you can set up an associate account on Amazon and sell books from your web site. From your site the link would take them to Amazon, and you get a cut of the sale if they purchase the books you referenced.

Other shopping sites often have tools for networking. Networking draws more people to their site. The more people they draw, the more people see stuff they can purchase.

Using News Releases for Your Message

Using Social Bookmarking

Using Audio and Video to Drive Action

Other

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