find useful, they are likely to pass it along and
spread the word. If that media happens to be linked back to your web presence in
some way, the results are a new influx of potential customers. Viral promotion
can be as simple as a text message or as complicated as an online game but will
ultimately be enhanced by a social network.
 |
Community Social networks focus on building online communities of people who share
interests and/or activities and provide a variety of ways for users to
interact, such as e-mail and instant messaging services. Some social networking
sites feature large databases such as Classmates.com
which are useful for searching friends and making new contacts.
 |
Optimize your content and think about how your titles will be searched. It is better not
to be quirky or use plays on words for a journalistic approach…it will not spider well (see happy spider guy in box below for definition). Your content should be succinct, reader-focused and “spider web friendly.”
Blogs Some of the most ambitious corporate blogging campaigns have been primarily
aimed at B2B uses. Microsoft and Sun, which between them have about 10,000
corporate bloggers, use this tool to reach developers, business customers and
prospective employees. The blogs are easily searchable and they allow readers to pose questions to the
best sources of information in the industry.
Among other B2B companies that are using blogs effectively are Emerson Process
Management, the New York Stock Exchange, Marriott, PricewaterhouseCoopers,
Boeing and Accenture, to name just a few. You won’t find a lot of playful
repartee and trivia contests here. These blogs are intended to communicate useful information and reinforce their
authors and their companies as
Web 1.0 applications are the web sites we have all come to know and feel comfy
with. These sites are controlled by the developer, viewed by the reader and
interactivity is largely limited to…shopping! Let’s compare and contrast this “brochure of the internet” with the next exciting and dynamic generation of internet applications that is
Web 2.0.
Web 2.0 describes the changing trends of internet technology that aim to enhance
creativity, communications and information sharing. These app’s are social networking sites, video sharing sites, wikis, and blogs and most of
us have some experience with them. We have already visited sites like Facebook, Wikipedia, and YouTube and many
times at the recommendation of a friend’s email message or text message. These Web 2.0 sites feature content added by
the users as opposed to the developers and have led to the evolution of web
culture communities. The lines have now become blurred between developer and user.
These communities are hot venues for targeted advertising, providing click-thru
opportunities that take viewers to the websites of businesses and services. For example… on Facebook it is not unusual for an older member to see banner and skyscraper
ads for credit lines and cheap airfares while teens will see online
universities and acne treatments. These new trends are “way” interesting!
Social Media Marketing…
getting engaged
Successful marketing through social media venues takes research, strategizing
and ultimately choosing the right tactics with which to reach, engage and
ultimately motivate your customers. Here are some ways and means for your consideration:
Viral advertising (no, not germ warfare) refers to marketing techniques that use pre-existing
social
networks to increases brand awareness and sell products. If you create media
that people enjoy or
authorities in their fields. If you have a blog, you should make sure you change
your information as often as possible and respond to all those who respond to
your blog to build your community.
Track Yourself It is important to keep abreast of what is written about you (including
photographs!) on social networks. Did you know that today, most HR departments will seek you out on Facebook and
other networks to learn more about you? You never know what embarrassing blogs, photos or even videos might show up that
provides “TMI” about you to your students, prospective employers, clients, etc. Of course, in addition to being aware, be selective about what you put out there
about yourself.
With Web 2.0 apps, not only can you grow your client base, you just might make
some new friends or find some old ones in the process!
Want to learn more about how social networking can help you in promoting your
product or service? Give us a call us for a no committment chat ... 973.276.9576.
