Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you've probably heard
about Social Networking and how important it is to your small business
web presence. Not too long ago, all you needed for an online presence
was a web site, maybe with some online shopping capability, and email.
But now that Social Networking has blasted onto the scene, there are new
technologies that are becoming so popular that you may not be able to
ignore them for much longer! So yes, it's time to take the plunge and
learn about Social Networking.
Social Networking is described by marketing expert John Jantsch as "the use of technology combined with social interaction to create or co-create value." This technology includes blogs, micro-blogs (like Twitter), RSS, social search sites (like Technorati), social networks (like LinkedIn and Facebook), and social bookmarking sites (like de.licio.us) - all designed to make it easier to connect with others through social interaction on the web.
But one of the frustrating things about social networking is that like most new things, it takes time to learn and understand before it can become truly useful. So to help you tackle the "social work" of learning about Social Networking, here are some suggestions for learning the basics:
- Read other people's blogs. If you don't already have a list of regular blogs that you read, use a blog search engine to find and subscribe to a few blogs you are interested in. Look for industry blogs, blogs from experts, and even read your competitors' blogs. This will help you understand how people in your industry use blogs, which will in turn help you become better equipped to write blog posts for your own company.
- Use Social Bookmarking. Social bookmarking sites like del.icio.us allow users to tag interesting pages or articles, put them in specific categories, and then share them publicly. Be sure to bookmark your own articles that you find on the web, or pages that mention your business, and ask others to do the same for you. These bookmarks are like "votes" for your content and can also help build inbound links, which is critical for boosting search engine rankings.
- Set up a Profile on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is the most popular social networking site for businesses, and it's pretty easy to use and make connections. Just follow the steps to set up a profile, then start experimenting with joining groups, adding applications, and making connections. You can even upload the contacts from your Outlook address book and find out which ones are already using LinkedIn!
- Try Twitter. One of the new social sites creating a lot of buzz is Twitter, which is a micro-blogging platform that allows users to keep in touch using short, 140-character "tweets." You can use Twitter to instantly provide customers with useful, interesting information and special deals or promotions. Twitter has a lot of potential as a mobile marketing tool since it allows small businesses to reach customers wherever they are; whether they are at their computers or carrying around their cell phones (and at least for now, it's free!).
There is of course a lot to learn with Social Networking, especially since the tools and technologies continue to change and evolve all the time. But with a little effort and some basic understanding, you can add some Social Networking strategies to your marketing routine and start improving your overall presence on the web. Eventually, it can lead to increased organic, natural traffic and better search engine rankings for your web site.
Social Networking is described by marketing expert John Jantsch as "the use of technology combined with social interaction to create or co-create value." This technology includes blogs, micro-blogs (like Twitter), RSS, social search sites (like Technorati), social networks (like LinkedIn and Facebook), and social bookmarking sites (like de.licio.us) - all designed to make it easier to connect with others through social interaction on the web.
But one of the frustrating things about social networking is that like most new things, it takes time to learn and understand before it can become truly useful. So to help you tackle the "social work" of learning about Social Networking, here are some suggestions for learning the basics:
- Read other people's blogs. If you don't already have a list of regular blogs that you read, use a blog search engine to find and subscribe to a few blogs you are interested in. Look for industry blogs, blogs from experts, and even read your competitors' blogs. This will help you understand how people in your industry use blogs, which will in turn help you become better equipped to write blog posts for your own company.
- Use Social Bookmarking. Social bookmarking sites like del.icio.us allow users to tag interesting pages or articles, put them in specific categories, and then share them publicly. Be sure to bookmark your own articles that you find on the web, or pages that mention your business, and ask others to do the same for you. These bookmarks are like "votes" for your content and can also help build inbound links, which is critical for boosting search engine rankings.
- Set up a Profile on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is the most popular social networking site for businesses, and it's pretty easy to use and make connections. Just follow the steps to set up a profile, then start experimenting with joining groups, adding applications, and making connections. You can even upload the contacts from your Outlook address book and find out which ones are already using LinkedIn!
- Try Twitter. One of the new social sites creating a lot of buzz is Twitter, which is a micro-blogging platform that allows users to keep in touch using short, 140-character "tweets." You can use Twitter to instantly provide customers with useful, interesting information and special deals or promotions. Twitter has a lot of potential as a mobile marketing tool since it allows small businesses to reach customers wherever they are; whether they are at their computers or carrying around their cell phones (and at least for now, it's free!).
There is of course a lot to learn with Social Networking, especially since the tools and technologies continue to change and evolve all the time. But with a little effort and some basic understanding, you can add some Social Networking strategies to your marketing routine and start improving your overall presence on the web. Eventually, it can lead to increased organic, natural traffic and better search engine rankings for your web site.
Lauren Hobson, President of Five Sparrows
has more than 15 years of experience in small business technology
writing, marketing, and web site design and development. Five Sparrows
provides high-quality, professional website and marketing services
to small businesses and non-profits at affordable prices, giving
clients access to customized services that meet both their needs and
their budgets.
0 comments:
Post a Comment