Social Media Cool

Marketing in the Web 2.0 world is almost the polar opposite of traditional marketing and advertising methods.

You can avoid some of the pitfalls by practicing these strategies.

Be Useful

I can’t tell you how many ‘friends’ and groups that I have blocked on Facebook, LinkedIn and other Social Networking sites because of the constant bombardment of crap I get in my mail box. Interact with people – don’t sell to them! You may not feel you’re spamming but stop and ask yourself if the information you are putting out there is relevant, useful and interesting or just advertising.

Be Human

Show your personality! If you have kids, mention their winning softball game. If you have special plans for the weekend, share them. If you came across something entertaining during your Internet travels, post the link. Sharing personal things about yourself shows that you are bona fide person and allows you to connect with other people on a more personal level.  A strong word of caution: constantly posting inane information such as “Just brushed my teeth” “Now eating my breakfast” and “Going to let the dog out” is considered ‘noise’ and is a definite no-no. Another piece of advice: If you think that something might be inappropriate, well than it probably is! Don’t post it!

Take Down the Scoreboard

Whoever has the most ‘friends’ doesn’t always win. Be selective with your contacts. Make sure you connect with the leaders in your industry and research networks that your ideal client would be a part of. If someone wants to connect with you, take a couple of minute to read that person’s profile and history and decide if you want to connect with them. A bit of advice for Twitter users, if someone is following a significantly higher amount of people than they have followers’ chances are they are putting out a lot of noise or spam.

Be Honest

Don’t lie about who you are! The world of Web 2.0 can smell dishonesty almost instantaneously. You and your company will lose all credibility. Deceitfulness has a strong habit of turning into a viral nightmare. Be as transparent as possible! If there is a conversation about a company and you are the CEO of that company then by all means, join in on the conversation but always disclose who you are.

Check if You Have Spinach in Your Teeth

Regularly search out and monitor any mention of you or your company on the Internet. Catching any negative feedback regarding yourself or your products can make the difference between bad news going viral or saving your/your companies reputation.

Following these strategies will help lead you on the path to Social Networking Success for your business.