Using Social Networking To Promote Your Website

These days it would be difficult to find someone that isn’t a part of at least one social network.  Social networking is definitely here to stay.  As a website owner, you can use that to your advantage. Get connected with some of these social networking sites and find free ways to promote your website and increase your traffic.

Mass Appeal of Social Networking

Social networking is one of the easiest ways to stay in touch to friends and family regardless of where they live. When you are both logged in to the same network, you can share pictures, stories and send instant messages. This way of keeping in touch has extended into the business world and has become useful as a marketing tool. Joining a social network is free so there’s no reason not to try it out. These sites bridge the gap across the miles better than simple email.

Which sites can you use? Most business owners and website owners have found most of the more popular sites useful: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and MySpace. The results from each site are different for every business so don’t be afraid to test and track to find which ones yield the best results for your business. After you sign up with a valid email address and password, you are ready to get started.

With social networking sites, you can create a bio page that tells all about you and your business. Look for friends, family and business associates who are also connected so you can keep in touch with what is going on in both their personal lives and businesses.

Effectively Using Social Networking

Let’s examine a site like Facebook. It is highly popular and can be beneficial for both business and personal use. On the business side, you can post links to your website when new products are launched, new newsletters are published or any promotions that you are offering.

If you blog, post links to your latest blog posts (or to guest blog posts you’re doing elsewhere around the web). Highlight contests, guest bloggers and any other events that you are involved with.  Say that you have an online radio show, you can invite friends to listen to live podcasts to learn more about your business.

On a site like YouTube, you can post videos and add the links to your Facebook profile, Twitter stream, etc. You can invite friends to view and leave comments.

Maybe the best part about social networking sites such as these is that friends and business contacts can forward your links to others who might be interested in the same topics. Quite possibly the best form of viral marketing!

The Importance of Relationships

One important thing to remember about promoting your website or blog on social networking sites is not to do so solely for that purpose. Take your time and get to know the people you are trying to reach out to. Some say that social networking can be addictive. While it can be a double edged sword if you’re not careful, setting boundaries will allow you to use this concept in a good way by enabling you to grow your business.

Just like so many other marketing tools and methods, the name of the game is relationships. You can build meaningful ones not only with friends and family, but also with your target audience and business associates using social networking sites.

Comment on your friends posts and also visit their links.  As an Internet marketing tool, social networking works both ways. Don’t think of it as a means to an end but one of the more fun marketing tools that you can use to grow your business. And the best part is that you can do it all for free.

If you aren’t currently using any social networking platform, now is the time to start. It can serve dual purposes in your life; both to your benefit. Each business contact you meet, invite them to be your friend or follower. You never know who you will connect with. You might end up connecting with a future joint venture partner or find that diamond in the rough service provider that can help you to take your business to the next level.