SOCIAL NETWORKING: THE NEW AGE OF MARKETING AND WHY A WEBSITE IS NOT ENOUGH!

Back in the old days of the 1990’s, when websites were first introduced, they were perceived as high-tech and stood alone as the only form of internet advertising. Websites quickly became a standard form of advertising, along with more traditional modes of direct mail and the yellow pages. Fast forward 15 years and the internet especially social networking has become an indispensable means of reaching consumers.

Welcome to the world of Web 2.0 and social networking. Web 2.0 is a term that gained traction in 2004. One of the pioneers was Facebook. Then Twitter emerged along with Flickr, Digg, Squidoo, and YouTube. Facebook and Twitter are two of the most popular social network sites and have both grown exponentially in the past two years. Blogs, vlogs (video blogs), and forums are also part of the Web 2.0 experience.

Web 2.0 is all about people coming together to interact, share their opinions, brag about things, and show their photos. In short, it allows users to do more than simply look up information. Some network for personal use, others for business, and some for both. You can interact with people from all over the world 24/7. We are in a new world – the world of Web 2.0.

I have been a business owner since 1995 and my first website was online by 1997. Most of my business came from a combination of online advertising, direct mail, and the yellow pages. By 2006, my response to direct mail had come to a screeching halt, and I discontinued the yellow pages advertising due to a lack of generated leads. The marketing arena had changed entirely, and I needed new ways to get my message out to the public. I had heard a little about Facebook from my 15 year old daughter, but was reluctant to jump on the social network bandwagon.

By 2008, I finally set up a Facebook account. I also realized the value of blogging at about this time. I began to discover how to effectively promote my brand on the new social network by promoting myself as an expert in my field and by providing valuable content. Social network marketing is a two-way street. It’s not enough to merely set up these internet accounts; you must be polite, provide good information, and gently promote your products and services through communication with the public.

Soon after I set up my Facebook account, I started a blog, joined forums, made videos on YouTube, and started a Twitter account. I now have friends, fans, and followers from all over the world who are appreciating the value of my brand. I could not have accomplished this with just a website.

A website contains mostly static information. You build pages, add photos, and periodically add more content through page building, but there is no opportunity for users to interact with you and your site. Unless you are building fresh new pages weekly using keyword-rich content, your site remains passive. Blogs, on the other hand, are designed so that you can add articles (content) as often as you like – and anyone can add a comment on your posts. By adding content frequently, you encourage search engines to find the relevant keywords and rank your post or site (if you have a link back to it). You can test this yourself by setting up a Google Alerts program. Type in your relevant keywords and see how often your blog is discovered.

Does this mean you should not have a website? Absolutely not. A website is the window to your business. To make a truly effective website, you need to give people a reason to visit besides looking at pretty pictures. Post your specials and have a call to action so you can convert your visitors to buyers. Supplement this with your social network marketing sites (SNM) that point to your business’s website. Your links should be added to all of your SNM sites and promotions should be listed daily.

At this point, I would like to talk about your brand. Branding is more important now than ever as you promote your business. You must identify the group you are trying to attract. Your words and photos that will help form an emotional connection with them. That is why SNM is so important these days. You can say so much more about your particular brand with these sites, especially with videos. People like to buy from people, not corporations. If you can connect with them and truly show them your passion for your products, you will be more likely to gain a client.

Once you have identified your brand with a logo, tagline, and photos, you can begin to enter the world of social networking. It can be time consuming, but after it is free except for my time. I allot one hour per day to social network marketing, and I use a timer to keep to this schedule. My suggestion is to start with one program first and get comfortable with it; then move on to another. I find that three SNM programs are enough for me right now. I have chosen Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. I will soon join Flickr, because as a photographer I feel there is a good reason to show my images to the public.

If you are unsure how to set up and manage accounts on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube, there are tons on videos on YouTube that can guide you through the initial steps. There are also plenty of books on Amazon that offer great advice.

Setting up a blog is very easy. You can set up an account with Google and receive a free blog, and there are many other services to choose from, as well. I have several blogs, which I customize to match my different brands. These blogs are the perfect place to write short articles and post promotions. You can even connect blogs with your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Each blog post should have key words, so make sure you know what the best ones are for your field. You can check Google Adwords to see which keywords are the most profitable. Alternatively, you can go directly to Google and type in the keywords and see how many sites come up. Keywords with a high demand and low supply will give you the best chance of being on the first page of Google search results. Keywords are only half the battle, though! You must have the content to keep and attract viewers.

Lastly, I would like to mention forums. Forums are usually industry specific. Since I am a photographer, I have found many valuable forums where the users share information and help each other achieve business success. I make a habit of checking two forums at least once a week for updates. I make sure to answer questions that people post if they are in my area of expertise. When I sign my name at the bottom of a post on a forum, my website is automatically listed, so it is a great way link back to my site. I have found forums to be a great way to help me grow my business by learning from others and by sharing my knowledge.

I hope that you have found this article insightful and can use the information to help you grow your business through social network marketing. The possibilities and choices can seem daunting, but the easiest way to start is to pick one and dive right in! Before you know it, you’ll be blogging, posting, and tweeting your way to business success. Back in the old days of the 1990’s, when websites were first introduced, they were perceived as high-tech and stood alone as the only form of internet advertising. Websites quickly became a standard form of advertising, along with more traditional modes of direct mail and the yellow pages. Fast forward 15 years and the internet has become an indispensable means of reaching consumers.

Welcome to the world of Web 2.0. Web 2.0 is a term that gained traction in 2004. One of the pioneers was Facebook. Then Twitter emerged along with Flickr, Digg, Squidoo, and YouTube. Facebook and Twitter are two of the most popular social network sites and have both grown exponentially in the past two years. Blogs, vlogs (video blogs), and forums are also part of the Web 2.0 experience.

Web 2.0 is all about people coming together to interact, share their opinions, brag about things, and show their photos. In short, it allows users to do more than simply look up information. Some network for personal use, others for business, and some for both. You can interact with people from all over the world 24/7. We are in a new world – the world of Web 2.0.

I have been a business owner since 1995 and my first website was online by 1997. Most of my business came from a combination of online advertising, direct mail, and the yellow pages. By 2006, my response to direct mail had come to a screeching halt, and I discontinued the yellow pages advertising due to a lack of generated leads. The marketing arena had changed entirely, and I needed new ways to get my message out to the public. I had heard a little about Facebook from my 15 year old daughter, but was reluctant to jump on the social network bandwagon.

By 2008, I finally set up a Facebook account. I also realized the value of blogging at about this time. I began to discover how to effectively promote my brand on the new social network by promoting myself as an expert in my field and by providing valuable content. Social network marketing is a two-way street. It’s not enough to merely set up these internet accounts; you must be polite, provide good information, and gently promote your products and services through communication with the public.

Soon after I set up my Facebook account, I started a blog, joined forums, made videos on YouTube, and started a Twitter account. I now have friends, fans, and followers from all over the world who are appreciating the value of my brand. I could not have accomplished this with just a website.

A website contains mostly static information. You build pages, add photos, and periodically add more content through page building, but there is no opportunity for users to interact with you and your site. Unless you are building fresh new pages weekly using keyword-rich content, your site remains passive. Blogs, on the other hand, are designed so that you can add articles (content) as often as you like – and anyone can add a comment on your posts. By adding content frequently, you encourage search engines to find the relevant keywords and rank your post or site (if you have a link back to it). You can test this yourself by setting up a Google Alerts program. Type in your relevant keywords and see how often your blog is discovered.

Does this mean you should not have a website? Absolutely not. A website is the window to your business. To make a truly effective website, you need to give people a reason to visit besides looking at pretty pictures. Post your specials and have a call to action so you can convert your visitors to buyers. Supplement this with your social network marketing sites (SNM) that point to your business’s website. Your links should be added to all of your SNM sites and promotions should be listed daily.

At this point, I would like to talk about your brand. Branding is more important now than ever as you promote your business. You must identify the group you are trying to attract. Your words and photos that will help form an emotional connection with them. That is why SNM is so important these days. You can say so much more about your particular brand with these sites, especially with videos. People like to buy from people, not corporations. If you can connect with them and truly show them your passion for your products, you will be more likely to gain a client.

Once you have identified your brand with a logo, tagline, and photos, you can begin to enter the world of social networking. It can be time consuming, but after it is free except for my time. I allot one hour per day to social network marketing, and I use a timer to keep to this schedule. My suggestion is to start with one program first and get comfortable with it; then move on to another. I find that three SNM programs are enough for me right now. I have chosen Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. I will soon join Flickr, because as a photographer I feel there is a good reason to show my images to the public.

If you are unsure how to set up and manage accounts on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube, there are tons on videos on YouTube that can guide you through the initial steps. There are also plenty of books on Amazon that offer great advice.

Setting up a blog is very easy. You can set up an account with Google and receive a free blog, and there are many other services to choose from, as well. I have several blogs, which I customize to match my different brands. These blogs are the perfect place to write short articles and post promotions. You can even connect blogs with your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Each blog post should have key words, so make sure you know what the best ones are for your field. You can check Google Adwords to see which keywords are the most profitable. Alternatively, you can go directly to Google and type in the keywords and see how many sites come up. Keywords with a high demand and low supply will give you the best chance of being on the first page of Google search results. Keywords are only half the battle, though! You must have the content to keep and attract viewers.

Lastly, I would like to mention forums. Forums are usually industry specific. Since I am a photographer, I have found many valuable forums where the users share information and help each other achieve business success. I make a habit of checking two forums at least once a week for updates. I make sure to answer questions that people post if they are in my area of expertise. When I sign my name at the bottom of a post on a forum, my website is automatically listed, so it is a great way link back to my site. I have found forums to be a great way to help me grow my business by learning from others and by sharing my knowledge.

I hope that you have found this article insightful and can use the information to help you grow your business through social network marketing. The possibilities and choices can seem daunting, but the easiest way to start is to pick one and dive right in! Before you know it, you’ll be blogging, posting, and tweeting your way to business success.

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