How to Fake Twitter & Facebook Followers and Become a Social Media Expert

Yes, well here we go again, another one of those, I've got a list of over "9,000″ Twitter followers so I'm a social media expert marketing forms has hit my desk today. Come along it says, "to my affiliate marketing driven roadshow and in 4 hours I'll make you the expert, but there's more, if you sign away your hard earned money right now, i have an e-book special for you, yes just for you, an E-Book that I didn't write by the way,but I'll pretend its mine, and all it will cost you is $89.00."

I get emails like this every day, offering free product that I can sell or give away as my own, I get E-Books, money making ideas and lots of materials that I can re-brand, that's not being an expert, that's a faker.

These so called experts all have massive numbers of followers on social media sites like MySpace and Facebook and of course Twitter, and they fool you to part with your money.

Well don't fall for it, because I'm going to tell you how to fake it, and then you too can be the instant social media expert, you know, the one who can't get a job selling real estate so they opt for this easy money.

Ok this is how you do it, On MySpace and Facebook, you find as many people with similar names or interests as you and then send them friend requests, a lot will decline but you would be surprised at the number that actually come back and accept you, that way you build up your following very quickly, they never do anything with you but hey it builds your numbers. Next Twitter, there are a number of programs that will show you how to build big follower numbers and it's funny but it's nearly always around the 9000 mark. You can do the same with Twitter as you do with MySpace and Facebook, that is follow large numbers of people and I'll guarantee you a fair number will follow you back, and you know the dead giveaway? look at the follower number next to the following number, that they can't hide.

I know of one expert that actually sends out his flyers with "I have 9000 followers on twitter" so I must be good, well one thing he doesn't tell you is he follows over 10,500. If you really want to get serious with this, have a look at the Twitter accounts with large followings, 99% of them are well known actors, celebrities or business people, so what does that tell you.

I have always taken the tack that to build a social media following you should earn it, build it on providing good quality information and advice and create the "Expert" tag through experience and generate your followers organically not by underhand means and faking it.

There are so many "snake oil" sales people out there you really need to hang on to your wallet.

So next time you get a flyer or an invite, stop and do some research first, the web and Google are a great place to find out information on your expert. How many articles have they had published?, where do they rank on Google?, What recommendations do they have and what companies have they worked with in designing and integrating a social media strategy. For example, I've just done a search on social media experts, and this person I'm telling you about doesn't even rank on the top 20 pages.

Is this sour grapes? no, I just don't like rip off artists who pray on people like you.

Author Mike Andrew is a technology consultant to small business and operates a web consultancy that covers areas such SEO, social media strategy and Internet marketing. You can visit Mike's web site on social media more information at http://www.mikeandrewrealestate.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Andrew

Marketing on Twitter - 3 Simple Rules to Make it Work

There really are three simple rules you must follow if you plan to do a little marketing on Twitter. This type of marketing can be highly effective for many people wishing to grow a business in a specific niche if it is done properly. Failing to follow certain niceties and protocols that are expected in social networking can undo all of your hard work and have you starting over at "tweet" one.

1) Don't go in with advertising guns blazing. It is called social networking not mass advertising. The audience you will find on Twitter is interested in relationship marketing and not bland, faceless, humorless marketing that we've been dealing with for years with big box department stores and mass merchandisers. Make it personal and be personable.

2) Keep it light and make it fun. Don't get too heavy or political (unless of course that is going to fuel your audience and get them riled up and ready to buy). Keep it light, but remember you are representing your products. Relationship marketing through Twitter and similar social media platforms is more informal than traditional marketing but you still need to mind your P's and Q's. You want people to follow you and read what you have to say.

3) Become engaged in the community. Twitter can be a great tool but only if your followers are willing to really pay attention to your tweets. When you have half a million messages floating across your screen you tend to pay attention to the ones you know add value. Make your tweets, short though they may be, matter. Join the discussion and participate so that you won't be ignored at the end of the day.

Doing these things will make a huge difference in your bottom line with Twitter marketing. You can also use them in other social networking situations to make your business really take off. Things you want to avoid at all costs are blatant self promotion, not returning follows (people will drop you faster than a hot potato for this), and offending your audience.

Avoiding those things while working to incorporate the three rules above in your Twitter marketing efforts should help you build a solid stream of subscribers and buyers. Most people find Twitter to be a pleasant addition to their Internet marketing efforts and a great tool for list building when used properly as described above. How can you use Twitter to make your marketing message?

There are many strategies to making money on the internet, but nothing makes sense unless you have a big list. Email Marketing is the most profitable way to make money on the internet. When you build a list of hot and hungry prospects you control your future. Discover how to use the internet and turn your computer into a cash gushing machine. Sign-up right now for Matt Bacak's FREE online newsletter to find out how to do exactly that - Go here: http://www.promotingtips.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Bacak

Disadvantages of Social Media

We are living in a world filled with the social media craze. From Facebook to Twitter, the world has embraced the new tools that help thousands interact each day no matter where they are. There are so many merits that come with social media and this is undeniable. However, what many forget are the down sides. All good things will have flaws and the following are insights into the disadvantages of social media. Statistics have shown that young people form the bulk of the fan base when it comes to social media outlets. However, those who are in all kinds of businesses are also avid users to further their cause. The following are some of the top cons that business people have to face when they employ the services of different social media.

The first disadvantage to speak about can also be an advantage. I'm talking about the viral potential of the media. In other words, when you have some news or item to share with an audience, it can spread like bushfire all around the world. When this news is negative or in bad taste, the same will happen. This is where the disadvantage comes in. It is hard to undertake damage control when you are dealing with social media and your good name might be soiled within hours.

Another one of the top disadvantages worth a mention is the need for intensive labor. If you intend to build a brand and a name through social media, you must be ready to spend time updating your audience on all the relevant issues. Once you become established, you will tend to have a bigger crowd and it can be difficult to meet the needs of all people increasing you labor greatly. However, to remedy this, you can put in place a networking campaign that is manageable and grow gradually.

Another thing to mention is that you must be ready to connect with your audience at all time. According to experts the law of reciprocity will apply. In other words, you need to give and take. If you have updated helpful information on a network, a person who is interested might respond and it is upon you to reply their queries and satisfy their curiosity. This is the essence of social media and if not done properly, your audience might loose faith in you. There are people who evade this and other disadvantages of social media by establishing themselves are entities that give updates that are promotional in nature. This way, the audience will take and run with what they have.

Finally on the disadvantages, you will be required to stay abreast with all upcoming sites and be ready to make the necessary change. If you are not adaptive, then you might be in trouble because social media in nature will change constantly. You need to keep in touch with all the latest in this industry because this is the sure way to safeguard the interests of your business. Remember, social networking for business gain will help you move to heights you have not been to before. Therefore, know the pitfalls discussed above and steer clear of them if you are to win in this game.

Emma Wanjiku is an experienced writer who focusses on issues affecting you. Her research is based on all aspects and topics of life. For more tips and information go to http://www.emmalifetips.blogspot.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emma_Wanjiku

Generating Traffic to Websites With Facebook - Don't Ignore Social Media Traffic

E-commerce is a wide international market that is growing continuously and the existence and contribution of web hosting companies in this market is significant. In the present period, the online market is fast turning into the most accessed and used medium. Increasing traffic is the motto of all the companies and the newest practice that most of the companies are using to increase the number of visitors is the Facebook traffic.

The network of the web hosting companies is extended in many nations all around the world. These companies are benefiting millions of internet users. The popularity of the social networking websites is generating huge interest among the internet users, especially the younger generation. The popular social networking websites like Twitter, Orkut and others are getting huge traffic, but in terms of numbers, Facebook traffic is leading all the way. People are going crazy over the services provided by this social community such as arranging business oriented portfolio and reforming the website's business objectives. Using this traffic, the websites are gathering huge benefits in terms of commerce and goodwill.

Generating Facebook traffic provides various benefits to the websites. It is a broad platform that provides innumerous benefits and explaining all those advantages in a single article is not possible. This article, however, keeps its focus on the major advantages that the companies generate by using this social community traffic. These companies mainly supply the disk space and the bandwidth for a certain business organization. By the help of this service, the business organization can store its website over the web by placing it onto a formerly selected server. To mark the presence for any online business house in the vast arena of web, this is definitely a very affordable solution.

Apart from that, the e-commerce web hosting organizations offer a whole host of services and support. For example, the patrons (business houses) of a web hosting company have their websites placed on the server because of it. Whether the patron is facing a small or a big technical problem, the web hosting company is providing support all around. In case of certain specific problems, the patron is not required to bear any extra cost. In terms of the business prospective, it is obvious that Facebook traffic will result in better revenue.

Different social networking websites come with certain requirements. In case of Facebook, the patrons can register the name of their websites without any additional cost with a certain domain name. This is a simple process by the help of which the patrons get continuous help from the web hosting providers. Other advantages of availing Facebook traffic is availing free email accounts, discussion forums and website traffic statistical data. Some providers also offer additional benefits like designing service to upgrade the structure of the website.

Facebook is very useful for generating traffic for your website. You have to have reliable web hosting to handle that traffic. If you want reliable web hosting then dreamhost is a perfect choice. Use dreamhost code to get discount on dreamhost signup. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dhruv_Patel

Why it is Important to Be Social in Social Media

If you are like me, you have become fascinated with the popularity of social media and the diversity of its involvement into the mainstream of our lives.

All you have to do for social proof is to take a look at the Alex ranking of the Top 20 most visited websites on the Internet and you will see that 5 of these sites are social media sites (#2 Facebook, #4 YouTube, #12 MySpace, #15 Twitter, #20 Bing)

So I think it is comfortable to say that social media is here to stay and if we are waiting to see if it is a fad or a force, I am here to help, it is a FORCE.

Now if your thought is to get involved in ALL the social media sites, you are biting off more than perhaps you can chew. Why? Because there is literally hundreds of social media/bookmarking sites available to us that offer similar and in some cases distinct options.

My recommendation would be to join three to four at the beginning and really master the use of the site before moving on to the next one and the next one.

One of my observations as I virtually travel through these sites is the lack of "social" etiquette used by some users within these communities.

What I mean by this is that each and every social media site is a community within itself. It has its basic structure and rules and regulations. The community as a whole will help others stay within those guidelines using various methods such as; gentle hints in posts, deleting of comments and in some cases pretty nasty communication.

So if we are interested in joining a community, then it is my recommendation to learn the dos and don'ts of that community.

The first thing I recommend that you do when you join a social media site is to fully complete a profile and upload an appropriate picture of yourself.

I don't know how many people on a daily basis try and offer me, sell me, connect with me, etc... within a social media community and do not even have a picture uploaded.

This actually boggles my mind.

Why would I want to connect or do business with anyone that does not have the decency or credibility to upload an appropriate picture of them? Answer: I wouldn't. For me any communication I receive from another member of the social media site that I am a member of that does not have an appropriate picture uploaded is immediately deleted.

Now let's talk about what an appropriate picture is within a social media site. Well that depends on what you are using that site for. If you are using the site strictly for social interaction and non-business connecting than any picture that you choose to represent you is of course at your discretion. In some examples that I have come across, some people do not necessarily use any discretion.

So, the question that remains is what is an appropriate picture for one to use within a social media site if one is choosing to conduct business? Answer: A picture of you that your grandmother would be proud of.

We have all seen the examples of pictures used on a social media site that are at best questionable and yet the individual is expecting to have credibility with their audience.

Personally, when I coach someone about personal branding, the first two things that I review are the picture and the information being used in a profile.

It starts with your picture. That is the first thing that people see of you. It should represent you in a positive manner. Now, I am not suggesting that it shouldn't be fun, what I am suggesting is the "one" picture that you choose to represent yourself in that social media site should be appropriate for your chosen use for that site. Hint: I recommend putting the fun pictures within the appropriate sections of the profile.

In closing, the most important part of social media is to be "social." Think of it as you walking into a room of people that you have never met, but want to get to know. Ask yourself this question, "How should I present myself if I want to attract people to me?"

Kevin D. McNabb has been a professional network marketer since 1985. During this time he has been able to build an organization in excess of 60,000 people in over 37 countries. His goal is to help create 100 millionaires through network marketing. For more information about how to explode your presence on social media or Kevin McNabb (The Responsible Network Marketer(TM)), please see http://RNM.KevinMcNabb.info Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_D._McNabb

How I Got 15 New Clients a Week From Linkedin

LinkedIn, if used correctly, can definitely be one of the greatest things since sliced bread. Here's a couple of examples that delivered 15 new prospects a week to one of my clients.

Getting 15 New Prospects a Week from LinkedIn

One of my clients, a $40M company up in Chicago had hired me to help them develop their marketing plan. Once that was done, they liked it so well they asked me to implement it for them.

Normally, I'd rather be a coach, helping them learn how to succeed, rather than implementing it for them, but, this time, because I was also becoming hyped over what this thing could do I agreed to help them become national and eventually international, moving from just the Chicago area. They were a company with an IT product they were selling to local city governments. So, I would do a search on LinkedIn for IT companies in each of several target metropolitan areas. I'd have a list, and actually a common interest that would allow me to make a call to those IT companies.

First, keep in mind that most small business owners make the mistake that when they call a potential client, of trying to talk about themselves. Marketing that works is ALWAYS about the prospect and not about you. So, if you start off by doing anything about you then you are starting off on the wrong foot. A call that starts off with, "I'm John from dah dah dah, and I'd like to introduce myself and what we do" will get the door, or phone, slammed in your face or ear, probably before you get to the "I'd like to introduce myself". Starting your call off about them will immediately perk their interest, and even get them begging for you. It's all a matter of perspective. So, start your call off about them and their interests.

In this case I started the call this way:

"Hi John. I found your IT company on LinkedIn. I've been looking for an IT company in ________ [name the city].

"Do you know how hard it is to find an IT company that I can rely on? [let them talk if they have a response]

"Can you tell me about your company? [let them talk, and talk, and talk. They are now in their sales mode and trying to convince you that you should talk to them further]. it puts the shoe on the other foot, theirs. Instead of trying to hang up on your, they are trying to keep you on the phone and to convince you to talk further. Sort of changes the whole perspective of the call, right?

After they wind down:

"I represent a $40M Chicago company that is looking for help from an IT company in your area. We are looking for ____________ [I gave them specs of the skills we needed to support our work there.]

You get the idea. We were actually looking for a company that would resell products and services in that city, and needed some IT experience to sell, and install the products, but they'd be buying our products and services for resale.

As long as you keep the focus on THEM and what THEY WANT you will literally get that phone answered almost 100% of the time, and the same for getting an appointment 100% of the time.

I delivered consistently 15+ new prospects a week, and I was sometimes quite surprised who I met, everything from companies that had 95% of the banks in several South American countries (and who introduced my client to them as well), to one that had the largest distribution network in Asia and the top government officials in some of those countries. That all came from LinkedIn.

What are those on LinkedIn Looking for?

As I said from the beginning, keep the focus on them, so understanding what those on LinkedIn are looking for will help you open the conversation that puts the shoe on the other foot so that they are "working to keep yo uon the phone" instead of hanging up on you.

Those on LinkedIn are looking for

• A networking experience, someone to connect with that can refer them, or increase their sales.
• Increasing their sales
• Strategic partners for two-way improving of each other sales and referrals.

So, help them get that with your call. They will literally be jumping up and down trying to further this conversation when you call if you make it clear that you want to help them do those things.

Other Ways to Use LinkedIn

I use a similar approach to increase connections in other networking. For instance, I'm in a BNI (Business Networking International) group who is always looking for new visitors each and every week. Recognizing that there are between 250 and 500 new people every day joining LinkedIn in my metropolitan area, and that every one of them is looking to extend his network, and find people to help him get referrals and sell his products, and that BNI provides all of those things to it's members and visitors, I can call any of those 250 to 500 people, keeping the focus on THEM and get them coming as a visitor to our next meeting.

The reason I do this so freely is that 50% of those that show up at BN become my clients, and I get 75% of those I call from LinkedIn show up, it's a fantastic call to client ratio, at least 30+%. Of course being seen by other BNI members as someone who can bring lots of people to a meeting who are excited about BNI and having met with me in the first place certainly doesn't hurt the referrals I get from other BNI members either..

And yet another way to use LinkedIn - I once created a Top CEO's of Top Businesses in Kansas City networking group. It was an informal luncheon meeting of the top CEO's in this city. I'd find them on LinkedIn and call. Since I was offering something they wanted most of them actually took the call. (And how hard has it been for you to call a CEO, let alone a TOP CEO?).

We had a very small group, typically 4-8 for lunch every week or so, all just wanting to meet other top CEOs of the city for lunch. Using LinkedIn really works!

Do you want to learn more about how to increase your business nearly overnight? I have just completed my brand new "Marketing Formula to Generate an Extra $10K Per Month" Get your eBook on how to add another $10K a month to your business with the marketing formula from Alan, a top Marketing Coach. Alan Boyer coaches small business owners who want at least another $100K within the next few months.....The reports have been "5-10 times more clients in just a few weeks, and still growing. http://www.100k-small-business-coach.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Boyer

Social Media Marketing - 3 Vital Components For Your Success

Social marketing provides an incredible opportunity for you to market your business to the masses. The only cost for it is your time. But you can waste many hours if you do not do it right. Here are three essential components needed to start a successful marketing campaign using social media.

1 - Know Who Your Target Audience Is.

If you do not know who you are marketing to then you are shooting in the dark with your marketing and wasting your time. This step is vitally important if you want to create an effective campaign. First think about what type of person you are targeting. For Example are you targeting Network Marketers or those searching for a home based business? Or are you offering solutions to a certain market?

What are the needs of your target audience. Think about what they are looking for and what they want to hear. Define the who, what, where, and when of your target audience and mold your social media marketing around that.

2 - Add Value.

Now that you have determined who your target audience is you must add value to them. What are their needs? What are the problems they are facing? What questions are they asking. Start addressing these areas in videos, articles, and on your blog. You can also meet these needs on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and the hundreds of other sites available.

In each of the above examples it is critical that you offer incredible value. People want to work with a leader. When you off them valuable information they automatically start to see you as a leader. On the flip side if you do not add any value to them they will see you as a waste of their time! People want to work with someone they know, like, and trust. Plant these seeds by giving value before expecting any return! When you start meeting peoples needs you will automatically begin to see results with your social media marketing!

3 - Get Personal.

Connect with people on a one on one basis. Remember social marketing is about connecting with people. Pay attention to their needs on an individual basis. Engage in conversation with them. The social networking sites give you a perfect platform for doing this. The best part is it only takes a few minutes to get personal using these mediums.

The time it takes is minimal compared to the impact it can have on you and the other person. By taking a few moments you can gain a loyal follower that may turn into an eager customer some day. So take a few minutes today and determine who your target audience is. Create some value for them and start connecting with those individuals one on one. With these three elements you will see your social media marketing become more effective!

If you would like to find out more nuggets about social media marketing and marketing in general check out the link in my resource box for more information.

Mary Thayer is an expert author who is passionate about helping people. Learn how you can take control of your life. Only the serious and motivated click here: http://askmaryt.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Thayer

Does Your Company Have a Social Media Plan?

Social media and conversation marketing have the potential for transforming brands like no other communication methodology ever employed. The reason? It transforms the fundamental nature of the traditional brand/customer relationship. Historically, companies have used traditional media to advertise in a uni-directional way. It used to be all about broadcasting a message - with feedback loops tied chiefly to the ultimate purchase of a company's product - or worse, no purchase at all.

Thanks in part to the transformative impact of online social media, that brand/customer relationship is experiencing a sea-change.. As increasingly informed and savvy consumers begin to demand more transparency and honesty from businesses they support, companies are no longer able to hide behind an ability to fully control the message. Steadily, businesses are now leveraging social media as both an offensive and defensive means to forge new and solidify existing relationships while building trust through transparency. The most successful of these organizations are now doing much more than simply monitoring the consumer pulse... they are engaging and interacting on a real-time basis with existing and potential customers, throughout the entire buying cycle.

In some respects, today's businesses face the same challenges that early marketers experienced with emerging print and electronic advertising mediums, the most important of which is building meaningful and lasting relationships with new and existing customers. The key difference this time around is that successful marketing efforts increasingly hinge on the ability to reciprocate, in authentic ways and real-time ways, with a growing and increasingly sophisticated online consumer audience.

That's why, planning for consumer engagement through social media is an increasingly central consideration for today's business owners!

However, the pitfalls of a poorly or ill-conceived plan are myriad, and social media and conversation marketing by themselves are only a part of an integrated marketing solution. Although it's important to stress the value of building relationships through social media, it's incredibly difficult to achieve success when you're developing those relationships in an unstructured fashion.

Thus, social media is not to be performed in a haphazard way. Rather, it works best when applied in a logical sequence using a more structured approach. The mistake that most often leads to frustration and ultimately, abandonment, is not having a plan of attack!

Instead of thinking of social media as a freestanding tactic, first consider how you can add social media components into your existing marketing plan. Before you begin any social media campaign, you should think about incorporating these three elements specific to these marketing channels:

1. Know what you don't know.
2. Determine how much time you have to commit to a social media campaign
3. Understand your audience objectives within each social network
4. Dovetailing social media objectives with where your customers "live"

Know What You Don't Know

Social media and conversation marketing are not ends unto themselves... like traditional marketing, they are simply tools, albeit transformative tools, to building brand, market affinity and sales. And while it may be too much to expect even the wisest "old dogs" to learn to master all the nuances of these "new tricks", true wisdom stems from surrounding yourself with people who get it. Don't let fear control, instead become intellectually engaged in ways that leverages your knowledge of your core business, customer and products and work with teams who can help convert your vision into the social media and conversion marketing space.

Social Media Time Commitment

It's essential to understand how much time you have to devote to social media. The online world is a vastly different place than the traditional advertising space largely due to the lightning fast and highly reciprocal communications the web presents. In terms of product marketing, people now have the ability to share experiences, provide recommendations and promote products and services with speeds unmatched in other forms of media. Positive experiences, as well as bad ones, are shared easily and can make their way through the online landscape with an immediacy never before experienced.

As a result, dipping a tentative toe in social media waters without knowing how to swim (or at least tread water) is a prescription for looking at the sky from the bottom of a pool. Nor is it right to spend time developing valuable online relationships, only to appear and disappear like a social media ninja. The best results are often achieved with steady participation, constant communication and engaging interaction with your audience. People will want to hear what you have to say as long as it provides real value to the community.

But note, online communities can spot an online poacher from a mile away! Savvy users of social media know what this term means but for those of you who don't, online poachers are only there for one thing: to use social media merely as a platform to broadcast their marketing messages in much the same manner as they would with traditional media. Don't fall into this trap. Make sure that you are prepared to get involved in more than a one way communication.

Ultimately, the only way to succeed is to make time and commit to an on-going online relationship campaign. Know that once you decide to engage your customers in the virtual world, there should be no turning back.

Understanding Audience Objectives Within Each Social Network:

What is the audience objective within each social network? The great thing about social networks is the ability to pinpoint with precision special interest groups that dovetail nicely with your company's mission. But beware the trap of hitting the "right" audience with the "wrong" message.

For example, professional networks like LinkedIn are not really the best place to deliver your sales pitch as they often fall on deaf ears. For instance, if your company sells women's high fashion clothing, you'll likely miss your mark with a buy now sales pitch on the 1,550+ entertainment groups found on LinkedIn. Here, you'll be better served offering helpful content relating more to industry news, trends, jobs and advice. On the flip side, Facebook's 100,000+ entertainment groups offer a tremendous opportunity to find and interact with audiences that may already be talking about your products. This may sound like marketing 101 stuff but no social media plan should be undertaken without understanding network- specific audience objectives.

Dovetailing Social Media Objectives with Where Your Customers "Live"

This said, where do you go online to find that audience? Social networks, much like traditional marketing channels, do tend to cater to specific audiences. However, unlike offline marketing mediums, social networks require companies to engage with consumers on their own terms. Therefore, it's important to do some research to find out which social networks are right for your business' message.

At a high level, social networks like LinkedIn focus more on professionals while Faceook and MySpace are more informal and cater to X and Y gen audiences alike. But the real value (and opportunity) with sites like LinkedIn and Facebook rests in the ability to get involved with a variety of mini networks such as Groups, Pages and Causes.

Here, businesses can find and interact with consumers in a highly relevant setting. Say your company sells high performance mountain bikes. There are currently an amazing number of Facebook Groups (3,600) devoted to mountain biking and over 35 on LinkedIn! Your company's target audience is here and might already be talking about your products so why not join in the conversation?

Facebook allows companies to create a free Fan Page where your product evangelists can "Become a Fan" and get breaking news, tips and even special Fan discount offers. In addition, Fan Pages can be marketed to other Facebook users much like the way Google's AdWords paid search service works. If your company doesn't already have a Facebook Fan Page, it is highly recommended to start one now.

The internet marketing era may have only come about in the decade or so but the rate of evolution is, to put it mildly, a revolution. We haven't yet reached the pinnacle nor can anyone say for sure where social media will be or what role it will play in business communications in the coming years but one thing is certain, having the right plan and committing to its proper execution will place your company at the forefront of the new age of digital communications.

Jim Gibson is the Publisher of Online Media Today, the business owners magazine for online marketing. Jim is also a principal at GibSEM Group, a botique internet marketing firm located in Los Angeles, CA. Find us online: http://www.youtube.com/Onlinemediatoday http://www.facebook.com/Onlinemediatoday Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_W_Gibson

Making Money Online Using Facebook

When Facebook was launched, it was intended for US college students to use it to stay in touch with each other. However, if you are conversant with the current Internet business you will realize that Facebook is not only used as a platform for advertising worldwide but also as a resource to conduct business online. Many people have had the opportunity to start online business is based solely on Facebook and have struck it rich.

Facebook enables users to connect and interact with millions of users worldwide. They can be broadly categorized according to their geographical location, ages, education, political views, interests, professions and workplace among others.

Using your account to make money

Any Facebook user is allowed to have an account. If you have an account, you can connect with other Facebookers and turn a social networking into a business networking. This is because Facebook allows you to use your profile both for personal and business use. Just the mere fact that you can have business associates in your Facebook friends list is enough to enable you conduct business on Facebook.

There are many strategies you can use to make Facebook your income source. Establishing networks with like minded people and forming groups will allow you to easily share ideas, market and even sell online. To do this, you must conduct your research well and always see what your competitors are offering. By establishing your own network, it ensures that you have a greater influence and following. This way, you will be in a better position to reach many users at an instant.

To promote your business or business ideas in Facebook, one secret you must learn is that focusing on the business and ideals will not gather much audience to whatever you may have to say. Putting in too many links on your promotion page will look more of business minded than the social site it is.

One of the most effective ways to announce your new business developments, events and minor improvements is by making updates on the Facebook promotion page. Many people will be reached instantly and you do not have to pay hefty advertising fees.

Business website

Your Facebook promotion page is not enough to market your business and conduct all online business. You must have an active user-friendly website where Facebook users can be directed to get more information and conduct other businesses like buying and refereeing others.

There are also other social networking sites other than Facebook that can get you noticed at no charge. Twitter, which has been a hot social networking site for the last 12 months, is another great site. MySpace too has many tools and resources that can enable to reach many clients and business people by social networking.

Before choosing to promote your business using social networks, it is vital that your strategy be well planned and clear. The core quality of such strategy is that it has to be social, friendly and appealing. This will attract users to your page and you are on your way to building a social business.

My name is Kausar Khan. I love to write articles on various topics related to work from home business opportunities and affiliate marketing. Please do visit my website work from home and work from home online Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kausar_Khan

How the Coming of Trusted Sources Will Change Search

Twitter Lists have generated a lot of excitement. There are some obvious reasons, but there's also an undercurrent: a sense that Lists change things dramatically, not just for Twitter, but for social media, in general.

I believe that sense is correct. I believe that Twitter Lists have introduced the first effective use of Trusted Sources, and they will change search, advertising, marketing, and social media, in general.

• What Are Trusted Sources? The people you and others have chosen to trust for information on a given topic.
• Why Twitter Lists? They are the first good, leveragable implementation of Trusted Sources.
• What's a Trust Network? An outward-spreading wave of Trusted Sources, starting with your own selections, and moving outward through the Trusted Sources your selections have made, the sources they have selected, and so on.
• How will Trusted Sources impact search? Search will let you leverage your selected sources as the starting point for the search, walking your Trust Network, validating the results returned based on other factors, and giving you search results in which you have greater faith.

What Are Trusted Sources? The people identified as knowledgeable on a given topic, or as important sources to you, in general. While Twitter Lists can be used in a variety of ways, they are primarily being used to identify and segregate people by topic. Hence, we see lists like "Twitter Tools and Devs," "Marketing Experts," and "SEO Resources." Each List represents a list of trusted sources on a topic.

Why Twitter Lists? One could argue that people already have been creating lists or communities of Trusted Sources. After all, you decide who to accept as friends in Facebook or connections in LinkedIn. In Facebook, you can create different groupings for your friends and control who has access to what information. That allows you to kind-of segregate. You also have groups in Facebook and LinkedIn, which are topic-focused. Again, kind-of providing Trusted Sources. And of course, there's always email, where you can add contacts and use folders and other methods to semi-categorize people.But it's all kind-of and semi. Twitter Lists are different because:

• You can create your Trusted Sources list from everyone on Twitter, easily, including experts that you may not be connected to otherwise.
• You're in control--you decide who will be in your List on a topic. In Facebook or LinkedIn groups, pretty much anyone can join the group and you have no control.
• You can get as specific as you want on the List topic: "mobile marketers working at ad networks". Again, groups in FB and LinkedIn are usually more general.
• You can easily leverage other people's Lists. You may not know the best resources on a given topic. But you know people who do know, and whom you trust. And you can use the Lists they create.
• Twitter Lists are simple and easily accessible. It's easy to see what a List is about by the name (though it'd be nice to be able to get a little more descriptive). It's easy to see who's in the List and view their profiles and streams to vet them. It's easy to see everyone's Lists, to find out what resources they offer.

What's a Trust Network? The way that Lists are implemented on Twitter makes it possible to surf them, and it creates a network of Trusted Sources. I can create my list of sources for SMM. Then, I can look at the Lists for each of my SMM Trusted Sources to find their Lists of SMM (or related) sources, and check those Tweeps' Lists of sources on SMM. My network of trusted sources, which began with the small list I was able to create from my own knowledge, just expanded exponentially all through avenues I'm comfortable with.

Of course, the further that I get from my original list, the less sure I can be of the quality of these sources. I've set a certain quality bar and defined the type of people I'm interested in. Others may have different criteria. If I'm a newbie, though, with a limited knowledge of SMM "experts" or resources, there's a good chance that traversing this network will reveal more, excellent resources for SMM, and ones that I might want to add to my own, original List.

How Will Trusted Sources Impact Search? Soon, when you Search for a product, a review, advice, you'll be able to begin with your Trusted Sources. When you want to know whether to buy the latest iPhone or what iPhone app to use to track your finances, you'll click a checkbox next to the keyword box for Search. That checkbox will say "Leverage your Trust Network."

When you check it, Search will begin with any Lists (or the equivalent) that you have. If you're a technophile and have a technophile List, it'll start there. Otherwise, it might check your Friends and Family List and, for each of the people in it, check their Lists to see if they have a technophile or iPhone List of Trusted Sources. It will move out through your extended network of Trusted Sources, pulling tweets and posts and links relevant to your search from all of those sources, and compile them as results.

Search will marry that info with data about the sources themselves--how many other Lists they are in, how many blog posts, tweets, etc. they've made on the topic, and how those were rated. It'll use authenticity tools to gauge their authenticity. It'll check the "freshness" of the information, so that more recent information ranks higher.

Search will combine all of these factors to rank the results for you, to give you the ones deemed most trustworthy and relevant first. There will be an indicator next to each result indicating a Trusted Sources rating.

You'll no longer have to worry that the results you're seeing are simply a reflection of the money and time spent on SEO by a company. You won't feel like the results you're getting are possibly the consensus of the crowd, but not necessarily reflective of your priorities. Your results will be more relevant to you, more reliable, and more timely because they are based on your Trusted Sources.

That's how I see Trusted Sources changing Search. There are other implications for marketing, customer support, and social media, in general. I'll blog about those later. For now, I hope you'll contemplate the future of Search with the same pleasant anticipation that I do.

Neicole M. Crepeau http://nmc.itdevworks.com http://twitter.com/neicolec Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Neicole_Crepeau

Ways of Optimizing Social Media

Social media sites have been the favorite destination of many online marketers these past years. These web sites offer a whole new different way of people communicating to one another with the use of videos, forums, or blogs. For an effective online marketing using social media, you must be able to apply optimization methods for your site to gain the popularity it needs. By being popular in these sites would mean more people will get acquainted with what you are promoting on the net. Your site will be able to generate the traffic it needs in order to achieve your target sales in the long run.

Traffic is very important to every online marketer who relies on his web site to sell his products or services. Next to search engine optimization, social media optimization has now become a major part of every affiliate's marketing strategy especially to those who join these sites to promote their businesses. This type of optimization pertains to employing certain techniques that would make your site popular among social media sites by generating publicity. You can do this by using online media such videos, blogs, or forums in attracting internet users to visit your web site. There are many affiliate marketers who produce their own web videos which include information related to their products and they post it in video sharing web sites.

Once the video is uploaded on this site, millions of people around the globe will be able to have an access to that video. The affiliate marketer benefits from the free one way links it can gain and have more people directed to his web page. With every video that you post, you can include your site's link at the bottom which can really work for your advantage. If you are one of those online marketers who have not yet tried social media marketing, you could be missing a lot of opportunities. This type of marketing is actually an exciting one since it is not one of those traditional ways of promoting an online business.

You'll be surprised to know that online marketing could be fun and creative. You may explore the world of blogging, too. You can write blogs related to the niche you are promoting and submit them to free blog directory sites. The more web logs you post, the more visible your web site link will be on the net. However, keep in mind that content is very important. That is why online marketers who are into blogging are encouraged to write on interesting topics that could draw its target readers to their blog site. If your blogs are not interesting, then you may not be able to attain the ideal traffic that you want.

Furthermore, if you join social media networks, you will also be able to expand your network and linkages. Linkages are very vital to a web site's success because the more links pointing at your site, the better search engine rankings you will get. There are various ways of increasing links to your site like using social bookmarking. Keep on exploring new ways to further forward your business by joining these interesting media sites.

The author of this article, Menno Spijkstra, is an underground Internet Marketer who has been successful in selling products online for years. Menno is now coaching people how to make real money online through his program IM Achiever. This course includes a detailed manual plus 5 products to sell and keep 100% of the profit. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Menno_Spijkstra

Social Marketing & List Building - How to Use Twitter to Quickly Build a Highly Qualified List

One of the really nice things about building your list with Twitter is the immediacy of response on Twitter. When you include the right words and links in your "tweet stream" (a phrase I never imagined saying) you can quickly build a list of highly qualified members.

This is so quick and easy I'm a little surprised more people are not using it. I think this is because of some of the misinformation out there, so I will clear some of that up while I give your the strategies below.

Here are a 2 powerful strategies:

1) Invite people back to one of your opt-in pages for more good info from you in exchange for their email address. Some people will tell you not to do this on Twitter. My opinion is they are wrong. As long as you are also being social on Twitter and not just marketing with every message, you can certainly use this strategy. I tweet an invitation like this almost everyday. Tweet about the benefits your prospect is going to get and include a link back to your opt-in page.

When you do this you are offering great quality stuff in exchange for their email address. Once the prospect has opted-in, you can turn that highly qualified list member into a highly responsive list member when you follow up well.

2) Use your other resources as list building tools on Twitter - Did you know you can leverage your blog posts, your articles, and your videos to build your list from Twitter? Each time you have a new blog post, a new article, or a new video, let your Twitter followers know about it.

When you have set it up correctly there will already be an automatic message on Twitter about each of these things. Your job now is to follow up these "auto-tweets" with invitations of your own.

A phrase that will draw attention is to ask "Have you seen this yet?" and then include the link to your blog post, article or video.

In each of these resources you should have at least one way for your prospect to opt-in for something cool and powerful and join your list.

To learn more about how to leverage the Social Networks to build your list and more, get your FREE Instant Access to our Social Marketing Video Training Series when you visit http://SocialMarketingBlueprint.com/7laws You'll get a series of videos, audios and pdfs all about Social Media Traffic & Profits From Jeff Herring and the SocialMarketingBlueprint.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Herring