In your set up of a long term online marketing framework, I want to be sure that you make the best of your Social Media Marketing efforts.
Most online entrepreneurs already know that social media has become a cornerstone of an internet business presence.
As a matter of fact, internet marketing, and particularly social media marketing is now as integral a part of marketing, sales and advertising as traditional methods have ever been.
But to have a truly effective Social Media Marketing campaign, you want to be getting a valuable return on your investment of time.
In other words, you are not spinning your wheels, spending excessive dollars and countless hours socializing to some minuscule fruition of your goals.
Social Media Marketing 101
It all begins with accurately defining your target market and developing your niche and personal brand.
Without these key elements, your hopes of a good return on investment will wane, and your lack of effective social media marketing will cost you more than you have invested.
Once you have these components nailed however, the rest is truly the easy part.
It is easy not only because it should seem naturally intuitive to be social, but because you’ll find that connecting with truly like minded individuals who are happy to hear from you is uplifting and motivating.
Communicating, asking questions, posing solutions, getting feedback, and listening, all contribute to your getting to know your market, and allowing them to get to know you.
But you do have to watch your clock, as social media can truly be a time vortex!
Additionally, the beginning stages of building out your networks might seem a bit burdensome and even counter productive at times.
But given the ‘slight edge’ advantage of doing a little each day, and using some automation, you can create a fully functional marketing system.
Central Social Media Marketing Components
Another key element of your internet marketing machine is your sales funnel, whether that ‘sale’ is defined as the exchange of product for money, or the exchange of personal information for some other value.
To create a doorway to the sales funnel, your central hub will serve as the place which you provide value, solve problems and give inspiration to your target market.
The central hub as many of you know is often implemented with a blog, or it can be a static web page.
The purpose of your effective Social Media Marketing will be to draw your audience to your central hub, from where they might contact you, or opt into your various offers.
Blogs are actually more search engine friendly because of the nature of their constant updating, even including the comment activity.
Putting Social Media Marketing into Play
So given that we have the four key elements,
- a defined target market
- a niche (for which you provide services or solutions to problems for that market)
- a sales funnel
- a central hub
With those elements in place, the effectiveness of a social media marketing campaign can take shape with persistent and efficient actions.
The first (and most obvious) building blog in your effective Social Media Marketing framework are your profiles in the major social media networks (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn).
Secondly, all of these profiles should all be inter-linked to your blog or central hub, and display the same picture of you in all of them so that you are solidifying your personal brand.
Your picture, video and posts all serve to let people get to know, like and trust you. As you create content that will provide value and solve problems for your target market, you utilize the social networks to syndicate your content.
With ping.fm, you can update your new posts, video or other content one time and have it immediately update your social accounts.
Using automated methods you can increase your following on Twitter, and joining groups in your related niche you can find people to connect with on networks like Facebook and LinkedIn.
Facebook fan pages are a very effective social media marketing tool for Facebook.
Contributing not only content but relevant comments and feedback on others’ content will get you noticed and build backlinks, bringing more traffic to your site.
Learning more about SEO and keyword optimization will also increase your social media marketing effectiveness. As a matter of fact it goes both ways, in that social media marketing can have a positive effect on your SEO.
The more value that you provide, the more you will find that your content will be syndicated. It is well worth considering a few copywriting techniques, and utilize your social network syndication wisely!
The point is that as you take the time to be consistent and persistent, you build know, like and trust with your target market. This is truly a crucial component to your successful social media marketing campaign.
As you build you might find that outsourcing and tools are a viable investment to make, as long as you see some return on that investment.
Over time, your personal brand builds integrity and value. You may not see it taking shape but others do, and you will get feedback proving that.
Your social media marketing effectiveness will improve and bring more value to you, as well as to your target market as you continue to build!
What a coincidence Vicki, I was talking about blogs being your social media hub just in my last post!
With a central hub, you spread around in your social networks of choice, with a consistent image through each of them and maximizing your results in an efficient way.
It’s not easy to get it done but with a carefully planned strategy, you’ll go a long way
Gabriele Maidecchi´s last [type] ..Your blog is the king of your social media presence
Hi Gabriele!
You’re right, blogs make great central hubs, not to mention the fact that you own them, not Facebook or Twitter as they own your accounts there. And as well, consistent images throughout make the difference in recognition! I know people have told me that they see me all over the place, and I know that without that same picture they might not realize it!
Great to see you as always, thanks so much for dropping by!
Wishing You Tremendous Success,
Hi Vicki,
thanks for your thoughtful and thorough insights. The first step is really defining who we are, what we want and what we are able and willing to give in exchange. In my opinion. it’s also important to do one step at a time. You are right, consistency and persistency are key. The “Slight Edge”-principles apply wonderfully in the world aif social media marketing.
Take care
Oliver
Oliver Tausend´s last [type] ..Outsourcing For Network Marketers – A Foundation
Great post Vicki. As Gabrielle said, using the same image everywhere really helps get you noticed. Often when I ask my leads where they found me they say…I don’t remember, you’re everywhere! Just cause I use the same image on all sites
Rachael Macgregor´s last [type] ..A Free Alternative To Traffic Geyser – Video Marketing Tip
Thank Vicki, this is great! Thanks for explaining it so I dont have to
and so some really great tips, I will be implementing right away. I’ll definitely be sharing this one for all my business friends leaning to marking online as well 
Hugs
Renee Nadeau
Renee Nadeau´s last [type] ..Has Your Bubble Ever Been Popped
Thank You Renee! I’m happy to help!
And I appreciate your sharing it as well!
Have an awesome week!
Wishing You Fabulous Success,
As always my friend Vicki is providing unique and valuable content. I totally agree here with you in every point, and being consistent about giving high value is key. Thank you Vicki!
I find this inspirational and informative Vicki. I have been blogging for more than a year in an effort to gain authority before I go further into marketing my product. It’s hard but I learned much. A week from now I will be launching my first ebook and it will be another challenge that I will face.
Walter´s last [type] ..3 powerful lessons I have learned by just TRYING
Hi Walter!
Good point, its wise to be a student of the industry for a while before doing a lot of promotion! And congratulations on launching your ebook! I am sure you will do well, let me know!
Wishing you Wonderful Success,
I am not sure how to evaluate my social media marketing as it is difficult to compare it my competition. Thank you for good information.
Wow Vicki you have provided a lot of useful information here. I have bookmarked your site for further review and to click on some of the other links you suggested. On another note, we have the same last name but it seems that we have crossed paths before in network marketing, but I can’t seem to put my finger on it. Maybe it’ll come to me. Thanks again,
Michael
Mr. Personal Development Michael Berry´s last [type] ..You Already Know All the Answers
Hi Michael!
Thanks for stopping by! Yes you are right, we have crossed paths I believe through the Unified Tribe! It’s good to see you again, and thank you for the comment, hope to see you back soon!
Wishing You Continued Success,
Hi Michael!
I thought I had replied to this comment before but just found it in my queue waiting for approval (most comments approve automatically anyway!). So if you get this reply in duplicate it is some technological time warp I suppose- anyway I do believe we first met on the Unified Tribe! I haven’t seen you much there lately but then I am absent quite a bit these days myself!
Thanks for stopping by and for your comment!
Wishing You Much Success,
Another awesome post, Vicki. Thanks for consolidating a bunch of great tips into a concise post. I haven’t been using ping.fm, but will definitely go check it out.
Bryan
Thanks Bryan!
Thanks for stopping and taking the time to comment, I’m glad you found something new to learn here!
Have a great week and a fantastic 2011!
Great article, social media advertising seems simple when laid out so plainly. It is true that social media is now key to advertising for just about any business. The suggestions for automation are perhaps just as important, I will read those next.
Hi Vicki,
Social Media marketing has been a great tool for building online presence and glad to know that blog is an effective tool to use as central hub because this is more cheaper and easy to use than the other platform.More power and looking forward to read more of your post.
Great article, social media advertising seems simple when laid out so plainly. It is true that social media is now key to advertising for just about any business. The suggestions for automation are perhaps just as important, I will read those next. Great job.!
I am always following your blogs.. I really admire how your tips.. You are a big help!
Nice Vicky, glad I find your blog, Thanks for sharing and keep up the great work
Hey there Vicky! Indeed was a very good post here. I just loved your tips. Thank you so much
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Thank you Cheryll!
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