Examples of Various Social Media and Networking Sites

• Content sharing: Squidoo, EzineArticles, YouPublish.com, SelfGrowth.com
• Social bookmarking sites: Digg, Del.icio.us, StumbleUpon, Kirtsy
• Social networking: LinkedIn, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Plaxo, Meetup, Bebo
• Networking communities: Ladies Who Launch, Downtown Women’s Club, Perfect Business, Ning, Brightkite, Ryze

  So What’s Your Media Strategy?

• Know what you want to get out of the social networking scene: Increased SEO, new clients, page views and increased site traffic, advertisers or sponsors, media and news opportunities, more business-to-business opportunities, content for a book or article, etc.
• Know how much time you’re willing to invest. Plan for 10 minutes a day or about 30 minutes a week or find someone to do the work for you (like a virtual assistant).
• Research which Web site or networking opportunity best suits your needs. Do you need to reach the teenage market? Are you hoping to become known as an expert? Are you looking to create a viral phenomenon? Are you expanding your clientele?
• Don’t spread yourself too thin. Focus on two to three networking opportunities and learn the pros and cons and the ins and outs. Otherwise, learn the tools that can help you to cover more ground while doing less (Ping.fm is a good tool).
• Be realistic—while things could go viral and you could be the next big thing, know that it takes time to create your network and build your tribe. You have to actively go out and find your new friends and you have to put yourself in a situation where they can find you.

  Tips for Service Professionals …

• Focus on getting your profile, experience, and knowledge out there:
  • Share your resume and experience online (LinkedIn).
  • Write in a blog and publish those articles (YouPublish.com and SelfGrowth.com).
  • Share your knowledge in videos and podcasts.
  • Create a “lens” on Squidoo.
  • Share your bookmarks and favorite Web sites (Digg, Del.icio.us, Kirtsy, StumbleUpon).

• Use testimonials whenever possible (again, LinkedIn is great for this).
• Use Twitter to let your customers know about new blog posts, services, or discounts.

<<Previous | Next >>