Much has been talked about Social Media Marketing over recent years and its potential to drive online business and revenue. Few have mastered the use of Social Media. Even fewer have turned Social Media activities into hard cash.

Here is our guide on Social Media and the key steps in the Social Media process:

1. Content, content, content

If you are not able to generate good quality, unique and useful content on a regular basis you might as well stay clear of the Social Media route. Good content, if promoted correctly, gets you an audience. Ongoing good content gets you a following.

2. Become the expert

Not only do you need to publish good content you also need to become an expert in your field, publishing on blogs,  writing articles and white papers,  answering questions on niche forums.

3. Keyword focus

Make sure each post, document, video or status update you publish includes keyword rich anchor text to relevant pages on your website.

4. Automate content distribution

There are many ways you can automate communication with your target audience.  RSS feeds and ping allow users to subscribe to your content.

5. Publish, publish, publish

Publish your content wherever and whenever you can.  Avoid duplicate content and article spamming. Use blogs, forums, social networks, potcasts, youtube, flickr and other websites to publish quality content and comments.

6. Capture emails

Wherever you can, make sure you capture email addresses, that way you can support your Social Media activities with targeted email campaigns.

7. Drive Traffic to your main site

Anything you publish should link back to your main business website,  ideally to a page with relevant content. the web page should also have contact information and email sign-up forms.

8. Maintain Conversation

Keep in touch with your audience through social networks, forums, twitter, blog comments etc. Maintain the same identity so your audience can identify you as a trusted source.

9. Maintain steady effort

Keep up your Social Media effort at the same or increasing pace. Don’t stop and start.  Try to do something every day.

10. Budget for Social Media

Although most social media sites are free to use, your time is not.  Larger companies have teams to deliver their Social Media strategies. Other companies outsource to agencies at substantial costs. Social Media Marketing requires considerable effort and time.

Social Media is not free. Don’t fall for it.

Filed under: Online Marketing, Web Marketing Ideas, Web Thinking by admin