Social Media Marketing - The Myths

The original Internet changed the way we work and live, and the way we interact with one another. The coming of Web 2.0 promises to be just as revolutionary, and just as important to businesspeople around the world.

When the original Internet came along, businesses like eBay and Amazon.com were quick to see the power of the online world, and those early adopters went on to become some of the most successful net residents. The same is sure to happen with the world of social media, and companies are already lining up to take advantage of this unique marketplace.

Unfortunately, myths and misinformation about the social media landscape and its business potential abound. Falling for one of these common myths could hurt your business, even as you are tying to build an online presence in the Web 2.0 world.

Let's take a look at ten of the most common social media myths in the business world:

1. Social media is easy - your 10 year old cousin can start a website, but that does not mean building a social media presence is easy. Take the time to think out your social media strategy before you get started - your business is riding on it.

2. Social media is free - it is true that there is no charge to join most social media networks, but there are costs involved in establishing your business presence on those sites. How you look is important, so look for people who can help you establish a great presence from day one.

3. Social media provides instant results - we have all heard the stories of the overnight YouTube sensations, or the new blog or website that makes a big splash. But those stories are the exception, not the rule. It takes time for social media to start working, and it pays to be patient.

20 Tools for Tracking Social Media Marketing

reference: http://www.addme.com/

Social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter make it easy for people to come together and share opinions,experiences and thoughts on a number of topics. Smart companies understand this and are using the power of social media to connect and inform their customers, and potential customers. Referred to as "Social Media Marketing", it's a smart way to open the lines of communication between you and your prospects.

Social media activities run the gamut from Blogging, micro blogging sites such as Twitter, social networking communities such as LinkedIn and Facebook, video and music uploading sites, discussion forums, photo sharing and more. With so many different sites and ways to participate, it can be difficult to keep track of all your efforts.

Participating in social media doesn't take a lot of money, but it is very time consuming and businesses want to know that all of this investment in time is paying off. Before launching a campaign, you shouldhave a firm grasp on what it is you're trying to accomplish. Is it increasing website traffic? Getting more ezine subscribers? Having more people download your free ebook or whitepaper? Or maybe you just want to work on your company's brand image.

Content Syndication and RSS 101 By Ron Jones @ Search Engine Watch

Reference:http://searchenginewatch.com/

So you have a Web site or blog and you need to tell the world and invite them to hear what you have to say. Content syndication is a content sharing strategy that you can use to get the word out. Several people asked me to cover this topic in more detail after reading my columns on duplicate content and article marketing.
Basically, content syndication is the process of sharing your site or blog content with other Web sites related to your industry or niche. In addition to helping you promote your site, this great strategy also helps with your SEO efforts.

Benefits to Sharing
Syndicating or "sharing" your content to other sites has benefits. Reaching out to other related Web sites helps you build a community around your content.

Many Web site owners are hungry for good quality content. Sharing with them generates exposure to you and your Web site. This in turn means more traffic and links, which is what we all want.

Having many streams of Web site traffic from other sites in which you've syndicated to will bring visitors who will leave comments, ask questions, share their thoughts, and provide feedback. This creates a community of people around your site who interact with each other and help spread the word.

Link Building for Bing Rankings: Dos and Don'ts By Chris Crum

 Reference: http://www.webpronews.com/

It's easy for businesses to get caught up in Google's expectations for their sites, when trying to market through search. That's certainly a wise thing to do, considering Google dominates the search market by a huge margin. Still, there are other search engines that people are using, and it is also wise to make sure your site is performing to the best of its ability in those too.

I'm obviously talking about Yahoo and Bing, but Yahoo's share is declining, while Bing's is gaining. Furthermore, if the deal between Microsoft and Yahoo goes through, Bing search will be talking over Yahoo anyway.

Do you take Bing into account when optimizing your site? Comment here.

We don't hear as much about what Bing wants out of a site for rankings, but Rick DeJarnette of Bing Webmaster Center has shared some dos and don'ts of link-building for Bing. Not surprisingly, a lot of his advice for honoring Bing's policy, does not differ too much from advice that Google would give you. It is, however, still always nice to see how they feel, just to clear up any possible confusion.

Like Google, Bing places great emphasis on quality links to determine its rankings. "Just don't make the mistake of believing it will result in instant gratification. Successful link building efforts require a long-term commitment, not an overnight or turnkey solution," says DeJarnette. "You need to continually invest in link building efforts with creativity and time."

Article Marketing 101 By Ron Jones

Reference: http://searchenginewatch.com/

Article marketing is a good tool for reaching out to a broader audience and letting them know about your expertise on a given topic. The purpose is to establish credibility and drive traffic back to your Web site. So let's first cover the basics of article marketing and submission, and then touch on potential duplicate content issues.
What is Article Marketing?
Article marketing allows writers to promote themselves and their company by writing articles and making the content freely available for reproduction on other Internet sites. Basically, you're providing something of value for free to those who have similar interests or work in your field.

Link Marketing Challenges & Solutions By Justilien Gaspard

Reference: http://searchenginewatch.com/

What are two of the biggest obstacles companies face in link marketing? Developing linkable content and making people aware of it. Here are some insights from my experience that will make it easier to overcome those obstacles.
First let's look at linkable content. Content could be anything from an interactive tool, to videos, to user-generated content. Don't limit yourself to thinking content is just written words by a writer.
Study Related Industries
There's no need to reinvent the wheel. Study what other related industries are doing to attract links. This will give you an edge on your competition. While they're busy investigating each other, study what other competitive industries are doing.