Social media sites like Facebook, and Google+ (a far second) are all the rage today; and for good reason. Not only will information posted to these sites bring visitors to your target site, but the link-juice that is created when linking to your site will help your rank higher in the search engines. Not only is Google already considering links from these sites to be valuable, but it is believed that they will become much more valuable over time.
Marketing your site or Facebbok page on and through Facebook can also be a very lurative way to market your business.
So if you haven’t already started using social media sites as part of your SEO campaigns, you need to do so now. One of the best ways to do this is to include like buttons and share buttons and +1 buttons on your site. These buttons can be gotten from Facebook and Google directly, or can be inserted into your CMS website in a group, by using a plugin like the Sharthis plugin. When people click the like or share button, the content is posted to thier Facebook timeline for friends to see and share. This can create a viral affect that is very good for traffic and for your site’s SEO.
Running contests and even advertising on Facebook itself can be very good for certain types of businesses. If you’re not a graphic designer, it’s easy and cheap to have a small ad created for you on oDesk, Elance, or even fiverr.
But the real marketing magic happens when you actually participate on the social media sites. Here is a down-and-dirty quick guide to getting started with the big 3 powerhouses of social media today.
Twitter can be very useful for finding and communicating with your audience. It’s also good for building social signals to your site. Google likes to see this kind of activity, and it will become more and more important as time goes on.
If you don’t have a twitter account, visit twitter.com and set one up. Be sure to fill out every field you can, and post a nice picture as well. Don’t wave your arms in the air and scream look at me in your marketing. Instead provide great information that people would like to read.
Next go to https://twitter.com/search and click on the advanced search link. Search for people with an interest in a subject that would be a good target audience for you, in an area that makes sense for you, and then hit enter. You will be given choices of many people to follow. Many will follow you back. These are people you can now communicate with on any subject, and occasionally send them a link to your website. build your list up over time by following more people, and by re-tweeting the tweets of others. If you provide value, people will find you and even seek you out. Every mention or retweet of your content with your link in it can not only drive traffic to your website, but counts in Google’s eyes as a sign that your site carrys some authority.
Facebook is another 600 pound gorilla when it comes to social media and online free marketing. The concept is much the same as it is for Twitter. Create a personal account, then create a fan page for your business. Find and join some groups, and participate by providing value. Occasionally post a link to an interesting article you’ve written on your website or blog, or to a page on your site for some extra traffic and some of Google’s love.
Do not underestimate the value of Facebook marketing. It’s huge. I’d go as far as saying it’s on it’s way to being the new SEO. In addition to what I have written above here’s how you should use it:
Google+ is still little kid in town, but it is a Google property, and so it’s gets some clout from Google. Unlike Facebook, Google plus allows you to create business pages directly. So go to Google+ create your page, add some content, join some groups, get some people into your circles, and begin providing value and information. An occasional link to your own page, content, or site will be good for your business. Just don’t overdo it. The opportunity for marketing will come with time.
Action Tip: Create accounts on the big 3 of social media. Also, install a social media plugin for FaceBook, Google+, and Twitter on your website. Have your friends or clients click the button, or set up a fiverr gig to get the ball rolling.
