|
Article Directory
|
+ Authors
+ Articles
|
|
|
|
Social Media Marketing - Don’t Make These 3 Mistakes
Copyright (c) 2009-2012 Enzo F. Cesario
The Cluetrain Manifesto asserts that "Markets are Conversations." The Manifesto is a document published in 1999 and 10 years later is still considered to be an outstanding treatise on the Internet phenomenon - in regards to the impact and opportunities of Internet and web technology on the modern businessman. Nowhere has this assertion been borne out more than in the complex, fascinating world of Social Media Marketing (SMM).
What is Social Media Marketing?
Any definition of SMM requires an understanding of social media networks. These are any community-oriented networks based on user-generated content. For example, YouTube's primary focus is the hosting of user-generated videos, not the promotion of the parent company's products. Social media networks include Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, and many others.
SMM therefore is the use of these networks to promote and market products, services, or information to the promoter's intended audience. This could be a traditional product seeking a market, such as an author promoting a new novel. Or it could be something much bigger; the US Presidential campaign of 2008 brought Twitter into the spotlight as a way for the candidates to quickly transmit a message to their audience, keeping them updated on happenings on the trail. In the latter case, no tangible product was being promoted per se, but it was a means of marketing the candidates and their messages. Twitter exploded in popularity following the election, and remains a current topic of discussion.
The intelligent business strategy will seek to understand these opportunities, and reach out to the social media markets available, in order to directly reach their customers. SMM has as many pitfalls as opportunities, however. Several politicians have had their tweets made public, and have regretted it. Here are some easy mistakes to make and how to avoid them.
Mistake #1 - Not Having A Blog
Everyone has a blog. While this may not be true in fact, it certainly is true in perception. Free services such as Wordpress and Blogspot allow anyone with a connection to have a voice in an organized and attractive form. Twitter, Facebook, and other networks are useful, but they aren't directly under a user's control. A blog, however, is, and the savvy marketer will take advantage of that. In a blog, a user can post their thoughts, analysis, and arguments with very little restraint and go into greater detail than most social networks permit. For example, Twitter only allows posts of 140 characters, which is certainly too small for a product description or a dissection of a major political speech. However a short 'tweet' telling book fans that their favorite author has been interviewed by a blog will bring people flocking to the site where they will not only read the interview, but probably the many other articles on the site as well.
This of course means that good blogging is consistent blogging. A blog can't be neglected and only updated when big things happen - the modern attention span of Internet users is fairly short. Bloggers need to consistently post good content in order to keep drawing in their intended audience; not month by month but sometimes even day by day.
Mistake #2 - Not Branding Yourself
The web is an information explosion and getting anyone to notice a product or a company consistently is a challenge. The savvy web marketer must take advantage of the chance to brand their name with every networking opportunity. If a company has a blog and a product website, they must be connected. The blog must promote the site's main goal, and the site must refer visitors to their excellent blog content. Posts to social networking sites should refer to this 'brand' image, and keep the message consistent across them all. The successful SMM campaign will treat each element as a unified whole, and approach them systematically. Every Twitter message, every Facebook post should remind users who is posting the content, and where they can find more.
Mistake #3 - Not Being Nice
As mentioned above, "Markets are Conversations." The users on the Internet are not robots. They will respond with a pre-programmed action when a certain combination of criteria is applied. They are people with ideas who think critically, and who have become accustomed to having their say. While a marketer must take every opportunity to promote their message, this does not mean forcing it into every single conversation. Participants on social networking sites will quickly identify the more ham-fisted efforts of some marketers, and let their acquaintances know of their displeasure. A bad reputation can spread quickly on the Internet - a certain St. Louis police officer lost his job when a video of the officer abusing his authority was posted to Google.
So the proper tactic is not to view these markets as simple places to advertise, but places to converse. Simply popping onto Facebook and posting a new product to every available group is a quick way to get noticed, and disregarded as incompetent. On the other hand, a user could join several groups with discussions pertaining to the subject of their personal passions, and cultivate friendships and a reputation as a quality commentator. Then, when they refer folks to their blog, they are more likely to be taken seriously. Simple courtesy and respect for the groups can go a long way to securing a few more hits per post.
In essence, SMM requires thought, persistence, and critical thinking just as any other marketing campaign. It is not a short series of clever commercials that can be aired for several months at a time, but a means of consistently communicating, day in and day out, with a target audience. Good SMM must provide constant, consistent content for its target markets and be prepared to participate in a lot of give-and-take with an audience uniquely suited to making their voices heard.
|
Enzo F. Cesario is a Copywriter and co-founder of Brandsplat. Brandcasting uses informative content and state-of-the-art internet distribution and optimization to build links and drive the right kind of traffic to your website. Go to http://www.Brandsplat.com/ or visit our blog at: http://www.brandsplatblog.com/
|
Follow "The Phantom Writers" on Twitter
(@phantomwriters)
to be notified when new articles are made available.
VOTE ON THIS ARTICLE
Needs Work >>
0 -
1 -
2 -
3 -
4 -
5
<< Excellent Article
Tell our authors what you think about their article.
|
Top-Level Category: Business Online Articles || Related Categories: Business Offline Articles
10 Most Recent Articles Written by Enzo F. Cesario
Leveraging the Social in Social Media
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario |
Distributed: 2011-09-21 |
Word Count: 907 |
Page Views: 211
| Votes: 1 |
Rating: 1.00
Social media marketing is about the conversation, not the
pitch. Having conversations with people is nice, but the
goal of a brand is ultimately to get people interested in
spending their time or money on the brand, after all. What
does having this conversation accomplish, and just how does
a brand use that conversation to get the critical conversion
from conversation to customers?
Blog Writing - Finding the Right Person
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario |
Distributed: 2011-09-21 |
Word Count: 884 |
Page Views: 368
There are a host of articles and sites covering advice on
how to address various topics, but one area that doesn't
get a lot of attention is what "person" to write the blog
in. Each linguistic person has its own strengths and
weaknesses, depending on the message that needs to be
covered. Ultimately, most will simply write in whatever
person is most natural to them, but there is some merit in
taking a bit of time to think about the implications,
advantages and disadvantages of each.
That First Impression: Title Considerations
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario |
Distributed: 2011-09-19 |
Word Count: 860 |
Page Views: 199
While it certainly isn't as much work as crafting the body
of a superior article, selecting a title for a piece is
definitely an important element of the entire process of
content creation. Here are some thoughts on crafting a
perfect title.
Dynamic Content: Using Analytics to Write Your Blog
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario |
Distributed: 2011-09-16 |
Word Count: 873 |
Page Views: 252
The role of web analytics in setting useful metrics for a
site has been discussed in-depth in any number of places,
but this is far from the only useful function that web
analytic practices can offer. As in any field, a little
thinking outside the box can offer extensive rewards to the
creative researcher. Perhaps most usefully, creative
cultivation of web analytics can help conquer blogger's
block and help a good writer come up with some unique angles
for content they thought they had peaked out on.
Social Media Marketing Tools – Putting Your Finger on the Pulse of the Web
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario |
Distributed: 2011-09-14 |
Word Count: 856 |
Page Views: 201
Social media marketing is the home of successful brand
promotion, and finding the right mix of tools to take
advantage of it has become the defining issue of the modern
brand. Knowing the focus of each of these tools and the best
way to use them is the key to bringing all this power under
control and using it to help promote a brand to its full
potential.
Trans-tangental: The Value of Off-topic Blogging Posts
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario |
Distributed: 2011-09-12 |
Word Count: 863 |
Page Views: 214
Brand-oriented blogs by necessity have to focus on a
particular topic. People are coming to the blog because of
the brand, and they want content related to the brand in
most cases. However, there are many very good reasons to go
into off-topic posting as well. The trick is to balance the
needs of on-topic commentary with the occasional bit of
off-the-wall entertainment that brings some lively
discussion with it.
Press Preferences - Blogging Software Explained
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario |
Distributed: 2011-09-08 |
Word Count: 881 |
Page Views: 174
Understanding a few of the more common blog creation
software programs can help any blogger make an informed
choice about their particular needs and get their message
out in the most efficient way. Here are a few of them.
Blog Writing - Ghostwriting Dos and Don'ts
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario |
Distributed: 2011-09-06 |
Word Count: 879 |
Page Views: 186
There are still some misconceptions about ghostwriting that
pop up from time to time. To that end, it can be helpful to
clarify the nature of ghostwriting and how it relates to
creating a high-quality blog, particularly through examples
of some of the best and worst practices that can pop up when
employing a ghostwriter.
Beyond Expectations - Getting the Most out of Like and Share
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario |
Distributed: 2011-09-02 |
Word Count: 860 |
Page Views: 180
What started as socialization programs only slightly more
complex than the average e-mail client has grown into one of
the newest and most promising marketing niches in the entire
world. Taking advantage of this means familiarizing oneself
with a few surprisingly simple concepts that have unusually
far-reaching implications. In particular, marketers are
finding that the "Like" and "Share" features on Facebook
have become the newest and best tool in the online marketing
arsenal.
Four Types of Blogs and How To Use Them
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario |
Distributed: 2011-08-31 |
Word Count: 930 |
Page Views: 187
Blogging clearly has arrived and is here to stay, according to
the buzzword-slinging set. It's the “next big thing” or the
“wave of the future” - even a “revolution.” Still, most of the
people commenting on the blogging trend aren't sure exactly what
it is, how it works or even what the different kinds of blogs
are. Here are a handful of blogging types and what sets them
apart from the others.
All of Author's Articles on this site: Enzo F. Cesario Articles
Most Recent "Business Online" Articles
Sell Yourself, Not Your Products or Services
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2012-01-02 |
Word Count: 989 |
Page Views: 2324
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 4.00
Sell yourself, not your products or services. The point we
need to make is that your products and services will change
over time as your business adapts to the realities of the
marketplace.
Work From Home - Make Money Online With EBay Store
Written by: David Miller |
Distributed: 2011-12-12 |
Word Count: 2105 |
Page Views: 151
Find out how to present your items, as well as other key factors
to profit from your eBay Store.
Bring Your Photography To Life With Stunning Video
Written by: Adam Harding |
Distributed: 2011-12-12 |
Word Count: 684 |
Page Views: 190
I want to let you in on my little secret. It is about how I bring
photographs to life by creating professional video slideshows
that look like they cost hundreds of dollars.
Leveraging the Social in Social Media
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario |
Distributed: 2011-09-21 |
Word Count: 907 |
Page Views: 211
| Votes: 1 |
Rating: 1.00
Social media marketing is about the conversation, not the
pitch. Having conversations with people is nice, but the
goal of a brand is ultimately to get people interested in
spending their time or money on the brand, after all. What
does having this conversation accomplish, and just how does
a brand use that conversation to get the critical conversion
from conversation to customers?
Blog Writing - Finding the Right Person
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario |
Distributed: 2011-09-21 |
Word Count: 884 |
Page Views: 368
There are a host of articles and sites covering advice on
how to address various topics, but one area that doesn't
get a lot of attention is what "person" to write the blog
in. Each linguistic person has its own strengths and
weaknesses, depending on the message that needs to be
covered. Ultimately, most will simply write in whatever
person is most natural to them, but there is some merit in
taking a bit of time to think about the implications,
advantages and disadvantages of each.
That First Impression: Title Considerations
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario |
Distributed: 2011-09-19 |
Word Count: 860 |
Page Views: 199
While it certainly isn't as much work as crafting the body
of a superior article, selecting a title for a piece is
definitely an important element of the entire process of
content creation. Here are some thoughts on crafting a
perfect title.
5 Tips For Writing Great Content For Your Blog
Written by: Lee Dobbins |
Distributed: 2011-09-16 |
Word Count: 987 |
Page Views: 207
If you want people to come back to your blog over and over
again, then you need to provide great web content. This may
seem like an impossible task if you aren’t a natural born
writer. Here are 5 tips that will help even the least
experienced writer create blog content that will entice even
first time visitors to become frequent readers.
Understanding Cloud Computing for SMBs
Written by: Audre Hill |
Distributed: 2011-09-16 |
Word Count: 449 |
Page Views: 313
| Votes: 2 |
Rating: 5.00
The buzz about cloud migration, or taking your business to the
cloud, is all over the internet. But the geek speak and sales
hype make understanding the cloud difficult for small and
mid-sized business owners. Read this to clear up your cloud
confusion.
Dynamic Content: Using Analytics to Write Your Blog
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario |
Distributed: 2011-09-16 |
Word Count: 873 |
Page Views: 252
The role of web analytics in setting useful metrics for a
site has been discussed in-depth in any number of places,
but this is far from the only useful function that web
analytic practices can offer. As in any field, a little
thinking outside the box can offer extensive rewards to the
creative researcher. Perhaps most usefully, creative
cultivation of web analytics can help conquer blogger's
block and help a good writer come up with some unique angles
for content they thought they had peaked out on.
Social Media Marketing Tools – Putting Your Finger on the Pulse of the Web
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario |
Distributed: 2011-09-14 |
Word Count: 856 |
Page Views: 201
Social media marketing is the home of successful brand
promotion, and finding the right mix of tools to take
advantage of it has become the defining issue of the modern
brand. Knowing the focus of each of these tools and the best
way to use them is the key to bringing all this power under
control and using it to help promote a brand to its full
potential.
Most Viewed "Business Online" Articles
Attracting Readers to your Book
Written by: Alastair Hall |
Distributed: 2006-05-18 |
Word Count: 708 |
Page Views: 42398
| Votes: 9 |
Rating: 2.11
One of the common and obvious ways to market a self-published
book is having your own website. The harder part is how to
attract your target audience and then convert the sale.
How To Make Visitors Bookmark Your Site
Written by: Cheryl Miller |
Distributed: 2006-10-10 |
Word Count: 536 |
Page Views: 34672
| Votes: 13 |
Rating: 2.38
When visitors bookmark your site it is a sign that you have built
a great website and are pleasing them. Visitors think highly
enough of your site to want to return and possibly tell others
about it. You are not only increasing traffic from your existing
clientele you are encouraging new traffic by means of viral
marketing.
Treat Online 'Guests' With Respect
Written by: Rick Sloboda |
Distributed: 2007-07-27 |
Word Count: 472 |
Page Views: 27049
| Votes: 25 |
Rating: 3.76
Does your website show your customers lack of respect? Review the
following checklist to find out.
How I Got 70,000 Useless Visitors To My Site In One Day! (One Internet Marketer's Analysis of Social Bookmark Traffic)
Written by: Titus Hoskins |
Distributed: 2007-11-06 |
Word Count: 1545 |
Page Views: 23603
| Votes: 8 |
Rating: 2.13
Is social bookmark traffic useless? Is it even worth cultivating
for your site? Can it be used from an online marketing
perspective? Read to discover one Internet Marketer's analysis
of social bookmark/media traffic...
Successful Article Marketers Help Readers Solve Problems
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2008-10-29 |
Word Count: 816 |
Page Views: 18672
| Votes: 23 |
Rating: 3.26
Every week, I have the opportunity to speak with people about the
benefits and challenges of using article marketing to promote an
online business. Article marketing is about getting your sales
message in front of potential customers and to get links to your
website. Many interpret this to mean that an article should
directly promote a website within the article, but that approach
is wrong and will reduce one's success using this methodology.
Tips For Building Your First Website
Written by: Benny Tsabba |
Distributed: 2007-05-30 |
Word Count: 1511 |
Page Views: 14011
| Votes: 9 |
Rating: 2.00
New people are coming online everyday. And many of those people
desire to turn their spare time into spare cash. So begins their
journey.
Successful Forum JVs and How To Get Them
Written by: Diana Barnum |
Distributed: 2006-06-15 |
Word Count: 648 |
Page Views: 6331
| Votes: 11 |
Rating: 2.18
The forming of common alliances, also referred to as a joint
venture (JV), happens nearly every day in the business world.
One of the most popular means of linking people up online of so
that they can work together on their projects is via forums,
where people of all levels of business and expertise post in
common threads.
Increasing Productivity In Your Online Business
Written by: Willie Crawford |
Distributed: 2006-06-14 |
Word Count: 1407 |
Page Views: 4216
| Votes: 32 |
Rating: 3.72
Running an online "empire" of approximately 1600 websites and
blogs, selling a variety of products, services and ideas, I
have to be much more productive than the average person in a
"regular job."
Who Else Wants to Know How-To Write an Effective Advertisement?
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2011-08-25 |
Word Count: 1431 |
Page Views: 4133
| Votes: 22 |
Rating: 2.59
Webmasters struggle everyday with the question of how they should
advertise their website. There are so many advertising venues; it
is hard to know which is the right venue or the right combination
of advertising venues.
A New Home Business
Written by: Angela Recchia |
Distributed: 2006-09-08 |
Word Count: 319 |
Page Views: 4032
| Votes: 7 |
Rating: 2.57
When joining a new affiliate program, many people do not know
where to go next. They join thinking that's all that is needed
without a plan of action. What is needed is promotion of your
program and getting others to join you. If you are motivated and
have the drive and knowledge to get you started. Then you are on
your way.
Highest Ranked "Business Online" Articles
What Kind Of Backlinks Are Best At Helping Your Website In Google?
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2009-11-09 |
Word Count: 439 |
Page Views: 1638
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 4.80
I was in the Warrior Forum, and someone asked what kinds of
Backlinks are worth pursuing. This is my answer to that
query.
Making Money with High Paying Adsense Keywords
Written by: Blake Evans |
Distributed: 2008-12-18 |
Word Count: 536 |
Page Views: 1409
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 4.20
Google was ingenious when they came up with Adsense. Not only do
they get an opportunity to make additional money from their
search engines, but they also allow Internet marketers a chance
to make money in an easier manner. Why is this so? Well, with
traditional affiliate marketing, you must make a sale before you
receive commission. But with Adsense, all you have to do is
create content that will produce ads that readers will click on.
Why Is The Wellness Industry So Popular?
Written by: Michelle Penfold |
Distributed: 2009-03-12 |
Word Count: 407 |
Page Views: 3196
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 4.20
There is a lot of money to be made in the wellness industry. The
field is large but there are many niche markets within it. The
health supplement industry is one of the most popular niches.
Health supplement juices and products abound. What is the reason
that people are so interested in this niche?
How to Keep Your Article Content Fresh and Interesting
Written by: Craig Ritsema |
Distributed: 2006-08-29 |
Word Count: 699 |
Page Views: 2003
| Votes: 17 |
Rating: 4.18
Webmasters everywhere are constantly on the lookout for fresh and
interesting content for their website. Along with these content
qualities is the requirement that it be unique. Everyone wants
their website to stand out above the others in the search engine
results. So what is the trick for you to keep a steady supply of
this quality content coming your way?
Is Your Business 'Out Of Site'? Employ The Ultimate Marketing Tool
Written by: Rick Sloboda |
Distributed: 2007-01-09 |
Word Count: 445 |
Page Views: 2058
| Votes: 19 |
Rating: 4.16
With the rapid expansion of the digital economy, the web site is
conceivably the most powerful marketing and sales tool you can employ.
Find out what a web site can do for you.
How To Use Your Race To Get Rich
Written by: Herbert Harris |
Distributed: 2009-07-07 |
Word Count: 1407 |
Page Views: 2411
| Votes: 40 |
Rating: 4.05
Amid recent news reports that there continues to be an ongoing
and substantial gap between the net worth of Whites and other
racial groups, it is easy to be distracted and overwhelmed by the
raw data. However, I am immediately reminded of a quote offered
by an economic expert from the past... "There are lies, damned
lies, and statistics!"
Secrets of Domain Parking - An Innovative and Easier Way to Make Money
Written by: John Khu |
Distributed: 2009-02-27 |
Word Count: 484 |
Page Views: 1216
| Votes: 7 |
Rating: 4.00
Using a good domain parking services to monetize expired domain
names seems to be a neglected aspect with a number of domain
names traders. Domain parking is also an unfamiliar concept to
many inexperienced domain name traders. Read this article to
better understand domain parking and how it can be of benefit to
you.
Expired Domain Gains - Simple Ideas to Create an Income Base
Written by: John Khu |
Distributed: 2009-07-31 |
Word Count: 549 |
Page Views: 3079
| Votes: 14 |
Rating: 4.00
You can use a number of simple methods and plans to create a
solid income base that earns a monthly ongoing income base.
For many expired domain entrepreneurs (both full-time and
part time), expired domains offer an opportunity to
supplement their current income with money earned out of
dealing with expired domains.
Sell Yourself, Not Your Products or Services
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2012-01-02 |
Word Count: 989 |
Page Views: 2324
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 4.00
Sell yourself, not your products or services. The point we
need to make is that your products and services will change
over time as your business adapts to the realities of the
marketplace.
The Most Important Ingredient for Info Product Success (is You)
Written by: Judy Murdoch |
Distributed: 2008-04-15 |
Word Count: 981 |
Page Views: 1279
| Votes: 13 |
Rating: 3.92
Last week I was attending a conference and mentioned to someone I
help small business owners create information products. The other
person was very friendly until I said "information products."
Then the temperature in the room dropped about 10-degrees
|
|
|
Article Reprint Rights
|
This work is
licensed under a
Creative Commons
License
You are not required to show the creative commons license notice when you reprint this work.
|
|
Article Statistics
|
Word Count: 974
Total Views: 618
Views This Month: 8
Views Last Month: 19
Article Rating: 5.00 of 5
Votes Cast: 3
Author Overall Stats:
Times Viewed Overall: 56563
Author Rating: 2.52 of 5
Votes Cast Overall: 163
More Articles By Author:
Articles On This Website
Article Title Search:
Widow Search
Right Blinker
Google
Yahoo!
Zuula
Bing
Cuil
Last Distribution Date:
2009-10-29 11:00:00
|
|
|
Home
for Writers
for Publishers
Article Directory
Article Search
Contact
Get RSS Feed
