| Why should I care about Social Media | | | | not quantity. |
| Optimization? | | | | Using unsavory SMO techniques is the Web |
| You should care about Social Media | | | | 2.0 equivalent to spam. Unfortunately, |
| Optimization (SMO), because you care | | | | we're all far too familiar with spam. |
| about your company's image. There's an | | | | Unsolicited bulk messaging and link |
| old saying that goes something like, "A | | | | heavy advertisements instead of useful |
| happy customer will tell one other | | | | comments are two of the more prevalent |
| person about his good experience. A | | | | methods of Social Media spamming. |
| disgruntled customer will tell ten | | | | However, Social Media spamming is even |
| people about his bad experience." Good | | | | more atrocious than email spam, because |
| or bad, that's powerful marketing. | | | | the offending text is visible to |
| Social Media Optimization gives you the | | | | everyone on the site. It doesn't hide in |
| power to take an active role in managing | | | | your inbox, so it can really dilute the |
| your brand by interacting with your | | | | appeal of the site. Your kindergarten |
| current and potential clients by | | | | teacher was on the right track. If you |
| discussing your products, their comments | | | | don't have something relevant to say, |
| and concerns and continually promoting | | | | don't say anything at all. |
| your brand. | | | | Is SMO right for my firm? |
| Social Media Optimization Defined | | | | There are many different types of Social |
| In its most basic form, Social media | | | | Media sites currently available. To put |
| optimization ( is any method used to | | | | it in perspective, think about all the |
| raise your website's online visibility | | | | different interests you have in life. |
| through meaningful communication. SMO | | | | Now, consider the possibility that |
| opens a dialogue between you and your | | | | there's at least one Social Media site |
| clients, using the power of popular | | | | for each of your interests. Of course, |
| opinion to fuel your marketing campaign. | | | | you're not the only person on the |
| The open format strengthens your search | | | | Internet, so it's a safe bet there are |
| engine optimization efforts by fostering | | | | literally millions of sites dedicated to |
| a mutual connection with your clients | | | | countless interests around the world. |
| through the myriad of online | | | | Believe it or not, there's a group out |
| communities, also called social media | | | | there looking for your company, product |
| sites. Current examples of SMO include: | | | | or service. You just have to make it |
| Â- Creating profiles in social media | | | | available. Therefore, understanding how |
| communities such as MySpace, Facebook, | | | | to submit to and maintain your content |
| and VIRB. | | | | on each community is absolutely crucial |
| Â- Participating in and/or creating | | | | when developing a successful SMO |
| blogs. | | | | strategy. |
| Â- Disseminating your blogs or articles | | | | A few examples of the different Social |
| using RSS feeds. | | | | Media genres include: |
| Â- Creating and sharing content through | | | | Â- News - These sites allow users to |
| community based sites like Flickr, | | | | submit news articles. Once an article is |
| YouTube, and more. | | | | published, users can submit their |
| Not to incorporate unnecessary buzz | | | | comments and vote to promote the story |
| words, but SMO is a very Web 2.0 | | | | and/or author. |
| approach to Search Engine Optimization. | | | | Examples include: Digg, Propeller, |
| Of course, Web 2.0 merely refers to the | | | | Newsvine |
| perceived second generation of Web-based | | | | Â- Media - These sites allow users to |
| communities and hosted services - the | | | | upload and share a variety of different |
| social-networking sites, wikis and | | | | media files. The overwhelming majority |
| folksonomies, which facilitate | | | | of these sites are dedicated mainly to |
| collaboration and sharing between users. | | | | photo and video files. |
| SMO allows you to become an active | | | | Examples include: YouTube, Flickr |
| member of your online community, quite | | | | Â- Wiki - These sites allow users to add |
| an important aspect of marketing your | | | | and edit informational articles as |
| brand. Through participation, you | | | | determined by the individual users. |
| establish yourself or your company as an | | | | Examples include: Wikipedia, WikiHow, |
| industry leader and increase your online | | | | Million Dollar Wiki |
| visibility. | | | | Â- Networking - These sites allow users |
| As you can imagine, Social Media | | | | to create profiles and network with |
| Optimization is most effective when the | | | | others according to similar traits, |
| viral nature of the technique and its | | | | tastes, and interests. |
| communities are utilized in a positive | | | | Examples include: MySpace, Facebook, |
| manner. Creating legitimate content, | | | | Virb |
| building relationships and instilling | | | | Â- Bookmarking - These sites allow users |
| trust in your community is the very | | | | to compile public bookmark collections |
| backbone of SMO. You may initiate the | | | | of sites they find interesting, |
| process, but effective SMO will take on | | | | informative, or helpful. The more a site |
| a life all its own. A true forum is bred | | | | is bookmarked, the hgher the ranking. |
| through the act of continual | | | | Examples include: Stumble Upon, |
| communication between your company and | | | | Technorat, Del.icio.us |
| your online audience. | | | | When executed properly, Social Media |
| Of course, not everyone plays by the | | | | Optimization can be quite a beneficial |
| rules. In every aspect of life, you will | | | | marketing tool. However, SMO may simply |
| find those who would cheat the system to | | | | not be the right fit for your |
| receive short term gains. Like most | | | | organization. Some questions you might |
| schemes, the underbelly of SMO may seem | | | | like to consider before launching your |
| attractive to anyone looking for a quick | | | | SMO campaign are: |
| fix, but don't make that mistake. Just | | | | Â- Most SMO sites share very specific |
| as it's true with SEO, erroneous SMO | | | | information. Would your products benefit |
| will backfire. Using questionable | | | | from this type of content specific |
| techniques will very likely yield the | | | | market? |
| exact opposite results you were hoping | | | | Â- The audience for most Social Media |
| to see. | | | | sites is more of a young, tech savvy |
| SMO Etiquette | | | | group. Would your company, product or |
| Legitimate SMO techniques are centered | | | | service appeal to their fickle nature? |
| on sharing information and exposing your | | | | Â- Does your web site contain a blog, or |
| community to your interests. As such, | | | | similar media outlet, you can regularly |
| you want to focus on promoting proper | | | | update with relevant content? |
| SMO etiquette. The MySpace super friend, | | | | Â- Given the fact that community based |
| the guy or gal who adds anyone and | | | | sites focus on individual profiles and |
| everyone, would be a good example of | | | | commentary, are you comfortable with |
| improper Social Media Optimization. The | | | | developing unique profiles across |
| whole concept behind Social Media is to | | | | multiple sites? |
| create a community with similar | | | | In summary |
| interests for meaningful discussion and | | | | Social Media Optimization has become a |
| let the power of popular opinion | | | | successful marketing tool for one simple |
| increase your online visibility. Of | | | | reason. It works. The gap between old |
| course, you may belong to several | | | | media and new has gotten smaller and |
| different communities and you may even | | | | smaller with the majority of the |
| have some of the same friends in those | | | | prominent television and print media |
| different communities. That's perfectly | | | | outlets finally embracing the Internet |
| fine. The idea is to remain active in | | | | by launching sites of their own. The |
| your communities by adding friends and | | | | different Social Media sites, like |
| contributing relevant content. Adding | | | | MySpace and Facebook, have exploded with |
| friends in bulk, for no reason, is no | | | | profiles for everything from 8th graders |
| way to optimize. | | | | discussing their favorite bands to full |
| Communal sites like MySpace and | | | | scale ad campaigns for Blockbuster |
| Facebook, or even YouTube and Flickr to | | | | movies. |
| some extent, are indeed popularity | | | | If done correctly, SMO can expose your |
| contests. However, simply trying to | | | | brand to markets you never thought |
| catalog massive amounts of unrelated, | | | | possible. Whether it's used alone to |
| uninterested "friends" is totally | | | | drive a campaign or in conjunction with |
| counterproductive. Let the high school | | | | your current interactive marketing |
| kids worry about who's got the most | | | | strategy, Social Media Optimization |
| friends. For the purpose of SMO, you | | | | offers you a significant advantage. |
| should concern yourself with quality, | | | | |