Social Media

Social Media

Give Your Customers Something to Talk About With Social Media

Word of mouth advertising has kept small businesses afloat since the trade and barter days. How then do your create that same impact on the internet? The most effective way is through social media and marketing.

What is Social Media?

Social media is best defined as a set of varied activities that utilize technology to engage a user in social interaction with the author or others. This result can be achieved by using many different platforms; some examples include forums, bogs, and email, video, and pod casts. You can bring readers into your content and create an exchange through the posting of relevant content. You can also engage potential customers by becoming part of other peoples content. When you see another business in the same area of expertise you can comment on their content. You can also become involved by answering questions, Yahoo and Amazon have a platform where users ask specific questions and receive answers from other readers. This can be an effective way to introduce your business to a community and gain trust.

How Is Social Media Different From Social Marketing?

When we talk about utilizing social media in terms of marketing your website this is social marketing. This process is achieved by submitting content based on your products or services to the social media sites. The content will need to be relevant and engaging so that it will generate interest and conversation among the people who read it. This in turn will motivate people to visit your website through the strategically placed links located within the content. As people visit and enjoy the content you provide they will be inclined to bookmark your information. When users bookmark a site they essentially say to others ìHey this is where I visit online and you should too!î The bookmarks are often shared and bookmarked by additional users across a multitude of platforms, the effect of this is called viral marketing and greatly mimics word of mouth or referral based advertising.

Isn’t this stuff Just for Kids?

This is a common assumption among small business owners; sites like My Space and You Tube often get press for their appeal to the younger users. The truth of the matter is that many adults search on social media sites daily for news and product information. There are social media platforms aimed at every demographic, and more are being created each month. The effects of these methods are so powerful that even large corporations have thrown their hats into the ring. It is also important to note that social marketing is an ongoing process that takes a long term plan and vigilant nurture to remain effective.