Twitter & Facebook - the Latest Social Media Craze

Twitter is a site where you can post messages and also read/follow someone elses messages. These text-based posts are known as tweets. Tweets are also considered microblogging because they can only contain up to 140 text based characters (unlike a blog which you can write unlimitted text about a topic). These tweets are displayed on the author's profile page and are delivered to his/her followers. Twitter can also be used as an advanced form of website marketing. We recommend that all the standard forms of marketing are covered first.

Facebook is a site where you can have your own profile page, upload photos, and invite people to become your friend or fan. It's a great social networking tool and is wonderful for keeping in touch with family and friends and finding people you've lost touch with. Again, this can be used by certain businesses successfully as an advanced form of website marketing by inviting people to join your group, which ultimately grows the amount of people that know about your business. Certain businesses can benefit from these advanced marketing techniques if done correctly and if you have the time to spend on them. But quite honestly, it is not as important as the basic forms of marketing that should be done first. And it primarily depends on what your business is and how you get people interested in becoming a part of your network. If you are offering them something of tangible value through these outlets, such as interesting posts, insiteful information, or promotional deals, then you will be more successful with these endeavors. But then again, these same things can be offered through email newsletters and on your website.

Share This is my personal favorite. It's a way that your customers can easily spread the word to their network of friends using their favorite social media and you don't even have to be involved. Here's how it works. A current or potential client goes to your website, loves what they see, and clicks on the 'Share This' facebook button (or the social media of their choice like 'Share This on Twitter', or 'Share this by email') and a post automatically goes up on THEIR facebook page with the link to YOUR website with whatever they said (like "check out this amazing website"). Let your visitors help promote your website.