Overview

Social media consists of various aspects of today’s marketing efforts; video marketing, social networks, article submissions, mobile phone marketing, directory listings, map inclusions, blogs, etc.  These are all part of “social media marketing”.   Obvious social media networks such as twitter, facebook, myspace, hi5, etc. are understood as being classified as “social”.  What most businesses fail to understand are the other types of social networks which are just as important, if not more important,  such as; yelp, digg, spoke, linkedin, yellow pages, blogger black book, etc.   Many of these are outlets for consumers to voice their opinions regarding your business or practice; but also allow you ways to enable back linking to your site without using nefarious means in addition to increasing your exposure in the obvious manner.   

Other additions to social marketing are internet radio, internet TV and QR codes.   Radio and TV are obvious terms which need no explanation other than that these are tools used to increase your exposure by enabling users to view them when they have the time to do so; meaning, you create a program and its stored online and viewable from your site or other submission sites which again allow you to establish back links and increased exposure.  QR codes on the other hand are not so well known and require an explanation of its use and functions.  QR codes are small square graphic designs which are similar to a bar code.  The difference is QR codes can be scanned by a client’s smart phone and used to display text to the user, activate an application on a smart phone, add a vCard contact to the user's device, open a URL or compose an email or text message.  QR codes, as well as your email address and web URL, should be printed on every piece of marketing collateral, put on your websites, included in your emails and any place else you enter your business information.  What you want the code to open or do depends on the campaign or marketing objective.

Social Media Marketing is similar to web maintenance and search engine marketing in the sense it’s an ongoing endeavor.  It’s not designed to be a one-time act since the very essence of the word, “social”, means it’s constantly changing due to society’s attitudes, agendas, trends, etc.; in addition to the fact that since social media is made up of so many different aspects of marketing it has a constant need to be updated, changed or additions added to it.  Monthly budgets are needed in order to address social marketing with any real effect.  Many companies are now using social networks to promote interactive engagement on the part of the consumer or client by means of contests, games, offerings, coupons, etc.  These require the user to interact in some fashion whereby they receive some type of reward or chance to win an award.  Some just offer the user to play a game for entertainment but require the user to register entering their email and/or phone number, click “Like” buttons, suggest it their friends, etc.