WSI Simply Social

Trends on the web changes quite fast. What was considered good a couple of years ago (frames), is now considered old school.  Search engines change their algorithms frequently and it has become necessary to constantly research changes on the net and new trends.  Especcially if you are into internet marketing.

Social Media Marketing (SMM) is at the forefront of internet marketing and it is quite an exciting trend to be part of.  It is a worldwide phenomena.  Social Media Marketing focuses on marketing communication, branding and the social interaction with your target market.

SMM fosters two way communications rather than a one way broadcast of your marketing message like in the old days.  Social Media Marketing makes use of online tools such as De.li.cio.us, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Digg, Blogs, Forums, etc.

To get the best results from SMM takes time and dedication.  It’s really not a quick and easy way to conduct business.  It’s all about building  lasting relationships that later can result in business deals or sales leads.  Social Media Marketing makes use of multiple venues and multiple media types found online.  These media types can include audio, videos, content and even images (Flickr).  The goal of these online tools is to engage and interact in many places and in many ways.

SMM gives people and businesses a chance to ask questions, talk, learn, network, bookmark, vote share information and opinions, give feedback on other social activities around a given topic, etc.  It’s not about marketing directly or selling.

Social Media Marketing can be used to:

Create a buzz online

Use Blogs, Twitter and YouTube videos to attract attention to a product, service or an event.  The key here is to make it fun and interesting.  Not about sales.

Build a following

Use Social Networking tools like Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace to build a loyal fan base that you can reach out to.  LinkedIn is more focused on professional relationships (connections) than Facebook or MySpace.  Youcan also build your fan base by Blogging.

Engage

Interaction and conversation is at the heart of social media.  The best way to start the conversation is by blogging and listening to what other people have to say.

Social Media Marketing is not advertising.  It is also not fully controlled by the organization.  It strives to interact and it encourages participation. It is a marketing campaign not built on control but rather on honesty and respect.

Leave a comment below if you require more information regarding Social Media Marketing