Using social media in marketing

These days social media is a big part of marketing. Instead of forgoing tradition entirely, look for ways to innovate it, and don't ignore new media channels. Traditional media channels can still serve a purpose, but learning to build an integrated marketing plan that uses the new and the old is key to success.

SEO- This is search engine optimization. It involves a great deal of logistics, and formulas, but it boils down to creating quality content that attracts people to your brand, getting links, and basically positioning yourself in a way that search engines, and consumers recognize you as a worthwhile company.

Email marketing- Email marketing is a way to reach your customers and provide them with something of value, such as information, a guide, a schedule, etc. You can get potential consumers to provide you with their email addresses by providing them with something they value in return, such as a freebie.

Viral marketing- Viral marketing is basically word of mouth, spread online. It is a common phenomenon on social media sites like YouTube where a video sparks interest, and then spreads like wildfire through other social media channels. It requires you to have something people will really want to share.

Social networking- This is using sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. to connect with your consumers, and start conversations. If you want to know what your consumer's needs are, and solve problems quickly, these are great channels to use. They help you get on their page. There are all kinds of social networking sites out there, allocate your efforts and resources to the most used sites, such as Twitter and Facebook. If you try to have a presence on all of them, you will find yourself spread too thin.

Blogging- Blogging allows you to take an informal approach to providing information, opinions, and even entertaining articles to your consumers and an audience. It is a great platform for expressing views, posting information, positioning yourself as an expert, and more.

If you want to be a better marketer, you have to learn about these tools and how they can help you generate leads. In addition to being a good way to generate leads, they will also help you to improve customer loyalty and brand awareness.They are great interface tools for getting to know your customers, understanding their needs, and meeting those needs better. In other words, using social media in marketing is about becoming more customer focused, and generating new leads as you do so.