Social Media gets a lot of buzz both in and out of the internet marketing world. The news media seemingly makes constant reference to the use of Facebook or Twitter in connecting to large audiences, but most people don’t have a clear idea of how to get a return on investment (or ROI) from Social Media Marketing. So before we get into a sweeping, in-depth conversation about Social Media, we want to give you some perspective on how to initially approach the subject.
The best ROI from Social Media Marketing comes from work that overlaps your SEO and website optimization efforts. This is achieved through communities that relate to your business, such as forums, blogs and resource sites. Social Media is great for humanizing your business in the eyes of relevant communities. If you engage these communities, offering advice and asking for feedback, you can establish yourself as an expert who cares. This work can lead to referral traffic and increased search ranking, feeding nicely into your ROI by bolstering your SEO work. Establishing yourself with users online can also help you build momentum as you expand into broad Social Media Sites such as Facebook, Linked IN, Twitter and others.
Warning—Most Social Media ventures do not create instant returns on investment. However, the metrics we suggest looking at include:
· Referral Traffic Growth
· Increases in the number of links pointing to you site
· Increases in Google Alerts – with mentions of your name or business within the web.
Concerning the use of some of the broad Social Media Sites, we have provided a very brief outline below. Just remember to enter into these communities as yourself and not as your business.
· Facebook- Create Groups that relate to your business. Personal profiles are generally poor for business connection, being used as a more intimate friend development site. Only use if you have a product or service that is entertaining or cultural, or has established support communities.
· Twitter - Twitter is an instant, micro-blogging service that is great for time sensitive information, breaking news, asking and answering questions, and posting informational links. We advise only posting product specials occasionally. Follow@ DBSInteractive for more Twitter related Business Information.
· Linked In - Great for business networking, building contacts and B2B marketing. A must join.
· Myspace – A slightly more public or commercial version of Facebook. Users have a low tolerance of spam and business contact that is not directly related to them. Great for music related business.
