You are here >> Web Marketing >> Social Media Marketing

What is it?

It's all about relationships!

Social media marketing involves creating content that attracts attention and encourages readers to share it on their social online networks. It creates conversations, builds relationships with clients and prospective clients and gets people communicating. It can help you find new clients, convert prospects into clients and build loyalty among your existing client base. Some of the more the popular social media venues include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Yelp, regional social networking sites and blogs.

The purpose of networking sites is pretty self-explanatory; they’re for meeting people and building relationships. Treat these online sites just as you would a networking event offline, except that you’re sitting at your computer and your conversations take place over a longer than normal timeframe.

You may hear the term Web 2.0. which is commonly associated with web applications that facilitate interactive information sharing, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web. It gives the users the ability to enter into dialogue with others rather than receiving information passively.

Which Social Medium would work best for you?

We can help you identify the venues that could provide value for you, but here is a quick overview of some of the major social networking options..

Facebook

Facebook is an informal venue with huge worldwide participation. Creating a Facebook Page (not a Profile) could be helpful for:

• Entertainers
• Food & Beverage
• Hotels, B&Bs
• Real Estate
• Membership Organizations
• Artists
• Nonprofit organizations

LinkedIn

Think of LinkedIn as of a corporate networking environment. It is more formal than Facebook. Professional organizations, consultants and businesses benefit from LinkedIn by:

• Recruiting employees
• Generating leads
• Finding jobs

Blogs

If you have information to pass on to clients and prospects on a regular basis, consider a blog. Are you an expert in your field looking for clients? Do you have a connection to a place and wish to share your knowledge and photographs with others? Are you a politician who wants to express a point of view? Are you an entertainer who wants to keep your "fans" up to date on your activities?

Twitter

Twitter is similar to blogging, but on a micro level. You are limited to 140 characters in each message. You can "tweet" information about specials, news from your nonprofit, the location of a moving art exhibit, etc.

You Tube

Video is all the rage and some businesses are taking advantage of the interest to promote their products. Demonstration videos can showcase a hotel. How-to videos can explain how to set up a product that you sell. Aerial videos can give prospective buyers information about real estate for sale.

Yelp (and other review websites)

Encourage your customers (gently and periodically) to review your products or services on Yelp or other sites (Amazon, if you have written a book, for example). These sites often foster discussion and strong opinions so monitor them from time to time to find out how you are doing. Make sure your listings with these review sites have current information about your business or organization.

If you have something interesting to say or a video that catches the imagination, your message can go viral!

Content that is useful, humorous, authentic, culturally timely and, yes, sometimes shocking tends to go viral. Like a biological virus, it spreads from person to person. Learn how to make it work FOR you. Social media naturally encourages viral marketing.