Social networking, YouTube, blogs, podcasts, viral marketing, user created content, FaceBook, MySpace, del.icio.us, vlogs, widgets, Twitter etc.
Do these buzzwords make your head spin? Do you find yourself wondering what happened to the good old days when a website was enough? Feel like you’re on the receiving end of the proverbial fire hose?
Trying to understand these buzzwords and figure out if they matter to your business is hard work. But, it’s definitely worth your time!
Internet marketing today is increasingly flexible and AFFORDABLE. The new tools brought to us by Web 2.0 have created a new “social” world. Instead of being so technology driven, Web 2.0 is all about how people interact with the web. Thus, the fire hose of social networking sites that let people build all kinds of community around things that are important to them.
The great news for small and medium sized companies is that the “Social Web” has literally leveled the MARKETING playing field with large companies.
Will $1,000,000 convince you of the marketing power of the Social Web? You decide!
CarAdvice.com.au was started as a hobby blog in early 2006 by an Aussie name Alborz Fallah. Today his blog is ranked as the 6th biggest car site in Australia. He competes directly with some of the largest AU media companies who have sites that produce car related content!
His blog generates (give or take) a million dollars in revenue and all of this happened in under 3 years, with one guy who decided to start writing about cars. With the help of the social web, it has skyrocketed into a major player! (You can find his entire interview and story at Yaro Starak’s entrepreneurs-journey.com).
Ok, so hopefully your interest is peeked, but you might still be scratching your head and asking “What exactly is Web 2.0 and all of this social networking/media stuff”?
For starters, let’s take a look at Web 1.0.
In the Web 1.0 world, your website is simply your “online” brochure. Websites are passive or static…meaning one-way communication with rare changes to content. The primary purpose is to provide basic information “online” about your company’s products and services.
It kinda reminds you of when you were a little kid and your parents said the proverbial “No questions!”. One-way communication…which most kids and (adults) don’t like.
Can We Talk and Talk…and Talk Some More?
The differences between Web 1.0 and 2.0 worlds can be summed up in one word …conversation. Changes in technology make it EASY for people and prospects to collaborate, share opinions, and have virtual conversations 24×7x365. All of those buzzwords, represent different ways that you can use the web to VIRTUALLY reach out and touch your prospects and customers.
SHARE
Let’s use the word SHARE to describe the key elements of marketing using the Social Web.
Social
Social networking starts with relationships and a mindset of “what can I give” versus “what can I get”? It’s about active participation and building relationships.
FaceBook, YouTube, LinkedIn, My Space, Flickr etc, are some of the best known networking sites, but there are literally hundreds of other sites focused on specific niches.
Social bookmarking sites like Digg, del.icio.us and Reddit provide another alternative to traditional networking sites. You can easily share news stories, articles and other information that you think would be helpful to people in your network.
To figure out if social networking is right for your business, ask your clients and prospects where they “hang out” on the web. Visit those sites and join if you feel that you can make an authentic contribution.
Hungry
Today, people are HUNGRY for information and the more you share what you know…the more your business will grow. It is estimated that over 80% of all Internet users start a search with “How to”.
Great content demonstrates your expertise and increases the ‘trust’ factor that you develop when visitors come to your site. It also drives web traffic via keyword usage, linkage, bookmarking and return visits.
Add an RSS feed and e-mail option so that your prospects and clients will be kept in the loop when you post new content.
Analyze
The word “social” might sound like fun and games…but don’t forget this is about growing your business and making money! So be sure and analyze the results of your marketing efforts.
With automated tools, it’s easy. You can measure everything from basic stats like the number of site visitors to more complex actions like the order of pages viewed that resulted in a purchase!
There are lot’s of purchase and free analytic packages. Google Analytics is the most robust free package.
Reach
With one simple click, your content (written, video, audio) can suddenly find it’s way into millions of inboxes and YOU did not do the clicking! Someone else did! Or the reverse, something you have done goes viral and suddenly your site is hit by thousands of people who want to know more.
A great example of this is a playful idea the team at Blendtec thought up to increase brand awareness of their blenders. They filmed 5 mini videos featuring the head of the company blending all kinds of things into smithereens. These were then posted on YouTube and on a site they designed called Will It Blend?
The results…an amazing 6 million views on YouTube 5 days after the posting! Now that’s viral and it translated into an increase of over 500% in online sales. Now that’s FUN! To read the full story visit Wordtracker Academy.
Engage
Engage in the conversation! It’s simple to turn your static website into a two way conversation. Add social tools and services like blogs, videos and forums, to start a conversation with your site visitors and clients.
Also, Engage in the conversation wherever it might be taking place…leave posts on blogs that relate to your area of expertise, participate in forums on Yahoo and Google, or other social networking sites that are a good match for your business.
Can We Talk?
Are you worn out from all this “talking”? The social nature of the web can be overwhelming, so if you are just starting out, pick one thing…a social networking site, book marking site, read and respond to a blog, or participate in forums. Play and have some fun. And, remember that the key to success can be found in the word SHARE!
5.5 Secrets to Easily Turn the Web into Your #1 Sales Rep training series and
