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The subject of social media covers a broad area. Although the first (and maybe the only thing) that comes to mind when many people hear the term these days is Facebook, there are actually a large number of social media sites that offer opportunities to online marketers.
The key is not to be overly promotional in your marketing efforts when using the social media websites, but rather to share things that will be of interest to others, (and that also help to reinforce your target niche).
You want to avoid posting merely to leave a link to your own website. The users of social media sites are savvy and are keen to notice when other participants engage in overt marketing. Marketing efforts that are too heavy-handed can be seen as spam by some, even if they obey the rules of the social media site. As a marketer, you can lose credibility if your social efforts are seen as too self-serving.
The fact that social media takes many forms, however, can increase your marketing opportunities. Let’s examine a few of these:
Video sites such as YouTube. The videos on these sites, as well as the ones you offer yourself, can be humorous, instructive, spur of the moment or even political. If you can present your business in a lighthearted fashion, you can create a buzz and generate curiosity about what you have to offer. Just look at all the commercials on television that rely on humor to get their message across, Apple’s recent “I’m a Mac” ads being a prime example.
Facebook (the biggie). This networking site has become so popular because it draws many disparate elements together in an intuitive, fun and convenient interface and makes them available to the masses. In fact, many Internet users see this kind of social networking site as sort of an online, real-life version of reality TV.
Blogs. Yes, this is a type of social media, because it allows for a wide range of interaction between the blogger and his or her readers.
Forums. Online discussion boards can provide many opportunities to discuss the topics that interest you and your potential customers. As with other forms of social networking, you can provide a link to your site, but you must be careful in this arena, because the close-knit nature of these online communities make them watchful and protective of the other members and more likely to view promotional efforts as spamming.
Podcasting. This is another area that many may not see as a form of social media, but is, in fact, an excellent form of two-way communication if the podcaster builds a good audience and encourages feedback, and it can be an excellent form of social marketing. The Mac has great built-in podcasting software in the form of GarageBand.
While far from being an exhaustive list, I hope that I have offered you something to consider in addition to your usual social marketing efforts. The entire point of social media is to take your message to the masses, and to have fun while doing so!
The most important rule is to keep it “real.” The online community has a well-justified low-tolerance for spam, so you want to be careful to avoid using Web 2.0 merely as a blatant form of online advertising.
