Social media marketing – or more particularly, marketing that leverages Web 2.0 technologies – seems to be the order of the day in marketing parlance. Social Marketing 2.0, as this strategy is concisely called, involves marketing through social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and so forth. Social Marketing 2.0 harnesses the social impact of the web, and it triggers participatory marketing at a dynamic level. The effect is much more widespread and sustained than traditional marketing.
A recent business survey discovered that more than half of online businesses plan to add Web 2.0 capabilities into their sites in the coming 6 months. Web 2.0-based social marketing includes online social networking, video sharing, tagging and pinning, blogging, RSS feeds, podcasting, and swanky Web 2.0 graphics.
Now let us have a look at some of the popular flavors of Social Marketing 2.0.
Social Media Marketing 2.0 and Social News
This is perhaps the simplest form of Social Marketing 2.0. Here, articles and blog entries are tagged for effortless submission and voting on social news sites such as Digg.com. If you see “Digg Vote Counter” or a “Share This Widget” at the end of an article, you can easily infer that it is Social Marketing 2.0 in action.
Social Media Marketing 2.0 and Blogs
Blogs augment the traditional media like newspapers and magazines. Product reviews can be written to the online community in the form of blogs. Blogs can also contain “virtual tours.” This is an automated form of marketing, and it is becoming increasingly important to have a company blog.
Social Networking
It is becoming increasingly important for companies to have a presence in social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. In addition to these leading social networking sites, there are many specialized social networking sites that cater to a specific community and bind people with common interests. These social networking sites allow the marketer to pre-sell their wares to the online community and establish a platform for continued interaction with present and potential clientele. Social Marketing 2.0 through networking sites is considered to be a rapidly growing practice, as more and more people can participate in the process once the good words are propagated.
Social Media Marketing 2.0 and Twitter
The potential of Twitter as a micro-blogging site has increased exponentially in the context of Social Marketing 2.0. Twitter should be considered as a company blog. The main purpose is to let the word flow out to the community. Twitter is also capable of adding a personal touch to the message. It is becoming more and more effective for interacting with customers and fans.
YouTube
YouTube is a highly effective tool for social media campaigns. YouTube is a great way to interact with customers and put the message out in a straightforward manner. A classic example of YouTube Social Marketing is Microsoft’s response to Apple’s “I’m a Mac” commercials. Microsoft ran a parallel “I’m a PC” video response stream to much success. The reach of this commercial was extensive.
To make Social Marketing 2.0 increase your website ranking indirectly, you need to just have the right person at the right time to re-tweet, like, or digg your submissions. Put your concept product on these social media sites, and test how the visitors like it. These sites are great tools for test marketing and to gauge the continued popularity for your products.