7 Top Tips for Effective Social Media Marketing

Social media sites have become the main buzz in the online world.

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and others have all made the Internet more relevant and connected than ever before.

As of the time of writing this article Facebook has 800 million users, 30 million in the UK.

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Top tips to get it all working for you

As web site owners we want to promote our business, organisation, cause or local group to others and these are some sure-fire methods we can use on social media sites to get our message across effectively.

Tip 1 – Spread the word

Spread the word using informal networks of real people. Sometimes referred to as viral marketing. Use your Facebook and Twitter page to let your friends, followers and subscribers what the latest buzz is in your world. Fresh information is a vital part of a successful web presence.

Tip 2 – Link up your social pages

Link your Facebook, Twitter and websites together using widgets so that your messages are consistent across your family of pages. Make sure your social media profiles link to your main website and your other media pages and blogs

Tip 3 – Keep it friendly

Make the most of your friends and subscribers liking you or your brand by using social media to be friendly in return. Give messages that are useful and add to your subject and profile. Peter Kay, the funny UK entertainer has a great approach on his Facebook page. He just tells you if he’s got a gig on or at Christmas he might give one funny line i.e. “I see DFS have got a sale on Boxing Day”.

Tip 4 – Post up-to-date items

Post up to date news using Facebook and Twitter to encourage viral sharing by followers through their likes and shares, thus exposing your message to your friends friends and contacts.

Tip 5 – Choose your name carefully

Get your vanity URL at Facebook and Twitter by carefully choosing a name or phrase you want to promote online. For example Tusler Design has the URLs facebook.com/tuslerdesign and twitter.com/tuslerdesign.

Tip 6 – Promote your brands with their own pages

If you’re involved in ecommerce consider setting up specific Facebook pages for your brands, sub-brands and categories. This allows your customers to be specific about what they particularly like about you, thus promoting particular aspects of your business to their friends.

Tip 7 – Reward your friends

We all like to receive gifts from time to time so try to think of rewards for your friends and subscribers – this could be special offers or the ability to pre-order items or access to limited editions etc.

And remember – using social media in a responsible way enhances your website’s credibility with the search engines as an up to date and fresh source of information.