Social Media Marketing / Social Networking
What the buzz is all about

Social Networking or Social Media Marketing are the major buzzwords in the Search Marketing world lately. Social Networking has had a strong presence on the Web for quite some time; however only now has it really reached its highest point. So, what is Social Networking? It's just that. Web sites created which allow networks of people to share content or Web pages that they find interesting. In the process, in-bound links are spread virally that are indexed and rewarded by search engines.

There are basically two types of Social Networking avenues; Web sites such as Digg, Technorati and Reddit which allow you to submit articles that in turn users can vote on whether they like or not. The other is online book marking sites such as Del.icio.us, Simpy, Yahoo MyWeb and Netscape which allow you to share you bookmarks across the Web.

Top search engines (Google, Yahoo and MSN) have been granting great importance on links from Social Networking sites, especially Digg. By submitting articles / stories related to your industry that are on your Web site, you can easily gain links that search engines see as good, quality links thus benefiting your search visibility.

Social Networking for Link Building

Why all the hype? Social Networking has become an important piece of the pie in terms of your link building strategy and overall search positioning. Social Networking can increase traffic to your Web site. However, unless your story can compete with Britney's newest dilemma or Hollywood's dramas, don't expect a large amount of traffic to come from it. The links your articles receive from Social Networking sites is where the real link building advantage lies.

To gain the most bang for your buck with Social Networking link building, you need to write about topics that professionals, consumers and readers within your industry will find interesting and important. Try writing "how to" articles or describe your opinion on current industry developments. Remember, your articles / stories must be written in an informative manner. Sales pitch content will not serve its purpose and may even get you booted from the Social Networking sites. With Social Networking, the key is to sell by not selling.

Whether you decide to Digg or book mark, go ahead and take advantage of Social Networking, since it seems to be here to stay. At least for the time being!