Social Marketing Guide

Building a website is a challenge in itself, but the biggest challenge for any new website owner is planning for and implementing a social marketing plan. Social marketing is one of the most profitable strategies today for increasing profits through better brand awareness, but can take up a lot of your time and energy. To get started with a Social Marketing Plan, concentrate your efforts where they will likely do the most good. Your social marketing planning process should include the following:

With more than 200 million people around the world using Facebook®, it should be easy to find someone you know. After you create a personal profile, you can upload pictures and send messages to your friends. Try to connect with co-workers, people in your city and from your schools and colleges that you attended. Also find related businesses and become a fan so your can get the inside scoop on all the latest products and information related to your business.

Twitter is a free online microblogging social network where you can get details about what your friends and/or favorite businesses are doing during the day. You can receive "tweets", which are messages up to 140 characters, or send "tweets" to your friends or "followers" who have subscribed to your Twitter page. You can also make your "tweets" private or public. Start updating your twitter as soon as you're signed up! Search for people by name or e-mail address, follow them and read their posts. You can post your own 140 character messages for your own followers to read or you can send direct, private messages to people and businesses.

YouTube® is a video sharing site on the Internet where you can find excellent "how-to" videos, music videos, movie clips and video blogs. You can watch videos, upload your own video tutorials, and you can subscribe to specific user and/or company channels. You don't have to be a member of YouTube to watch the videos but you must create your own account to comment on videos or post your own videos.

Flickr® is a photo and video sharing site on the internet where you can browse and upload photos to share with friends, family and the rest of the world! This is a place where you can upload and share new product photos or videos of product demonstrations.