Social Media Marketing

With greater frequency, webmasters are beginning to incorporate SMM (social media marketing) techniques in conjunction with SEM initiatives. Such a strategy has been made possible because of the great popularity and accessibility of improved web technology and social networking capabilities.

Search Engine Marketing And Social Media

We will now explore ways in which an social media marketing initiative can be a successful part of your search engine marketing plans.

The practice of search engine optimization has evolved into one of the best, most cost-effective techniques for improving search engine rankings, generating more website traffic and producing more sales. But, this particular SEM method has been somewhat overlooked in its potential for assisting in conventional public relations work.

This technique has the ability to maximize the effectiveness of press releases, internet news forums and article syndication processes to boost natural search engine rankings. For instance, integrating URLs or tracking code information in press releases can help an SEO campaign be simply transformed into a tool able to solicit direct response activity and optimize results simultaneously.

Despite the fact that social media marketing continues to develop its capabilities, it is fast becoming a respected technique befitting SEM. Now that Facebook and MySpace pages increasingly turn up in search engine queries, SEM gurus simply cannot ignore the relevance and impact of social networking and social media outlets.

Flickr & Youtube

If utilized properly, social media marketing has the ability to provide numerous positive elements, including help with branding. Further, heavily trafficked content sites including Flickr and YouTube offer the possibility of disseminating a business or other entity’s media elements to a broader, more useful set of prospective customers.

This is also possible by using conventional content techniques such as blogging and micro-blogging, using outlets including Twitter and Plurk. The potential of SMM is so significant, in large part because social networking sites are so helpful with regard to ORM (online reputation management).

Selecting the appropriate metrics gauge is critical for assessing the true effectiveness of using social media marketing as part of your overall marketing plan. The tool you select will enable you to accurately measure your target group and set goals and objectives.

Conventional media tends to rely on questionnaires and focus groups in order to measure the usefulness of a particular initiative or strategy. In the case of internet marketing, however, web analytics and systems tend to be much more precise and cost effective.

There is a quickly expanding market for such online measurement and analysis options, with packages available which encompass full data review of search engine presence, PPC impressions and perhaps the most critical component, conversions. For this realm, conversions might be classified as sales, downloads, registrations, and lead generation success. Conversions could also encompass offline actions including leads pursued via promotional code usage, website address or toll-free telephone contact.

With regard to social media marketing and SEM, comprehensive marketing strategies require a business entity to make the most of current attributes to boost its online image through expanded awareness, leads and sales activity. By seizing these two techniques and implementing them in a unified way, the potential positives are innumerable. Ultimately, such a strategy may just be the one to catapult your enterprise to the top permanently.