Companies today can choose to be active in social media/Internet marketing, but they cannot prevent individuals from posting messages or articles (positive or negative) concerning their product or services.

All across the web you are able to visit “referral web sites” that allow individuals to review products and services from the companies they frequent whether locally or online. “5 Basics For Making the Scene in Social Media“ shows us five ways to be successful when engaging with our customers. Being genuine and active online with them builds trust and a basic foundation. 

Also, remember you’re the subject matter expert regarding your product or service, so share some of that knowledge with your followers. Example: If you’re a plumbing company post some Handy Dandy Tips to prevent drain problems. Communication via social outlets is the key that can help your business succeed virally and through word of mouth locally.

Belinda Sissom, March 6, 2010

Note: Post not sponsored.

As social media becomes an increasingly popular tool for marketing, your business has no reason to stay away, claims the CRM Buyer in “5 Basics for Making the Scene in Social Media.”

Businesses are nervous about negative attention with social media, but the article explains that there will be negative messages with or without your presence.

By following five simple steps, businesses can combat bad social media and generate gobs of positive attention. The story says newcomers need to be genuine, build relationships, engage in the conversation and provide both valuable and fresh content. Following these simple rules will help your company or product build a lasting, honest image in customer’s minds. Just like with any marketing strategy, by being clear, helpful and truthful you might just be able to strengthen relationships in ways direct marketing campaigns only dreamed of a few years ago.

Patrick Roland, March 5, 2010

Note: Post not sponsored.

Marketing consultants Econsultancy and ExactTarget sampled over 1,000 companies and found that digital marketing will comprise an impressive 24 percent of overall marketing in 2010. If the actual numbers stay close to that estimate, it will mean that the phenomenal growth of social media could easily double this year. Silicon.com’s Tim Ferguson turned up another startling trend amidst the research and reports in “Social media and SEO: Where you’ll spend your marketing budget this year.” Over one fourth (28 percent) of the companies surveyed are shifting their current marketing funds to digital channels from traditional methods, such as direct mail, print media and radio. While your business model may be floating along on the back of traditional marketing, that doesn’t mean that your current and prospective customers won’t test the social media waters. The reality is that if you don’t reach out to them and find some means of riding the dominant digital marketing trend, your competitors probably will.

David Thimme, Feb. 25, 2010

Note: Post not sponsored.

There is still resistance in the marketing world to fully utilizing social media. What will it take to convince businesses of just how pervasive it is? As American’s economy continues to struggle, the plan to keep customers coming back is crucial. Developing a social media marketing plan, as discussed in “How Important is Social Media in a Marketing Plan?,” can be challenging, but ultimately necessary to capture the “paradigm shift” from a traditional, mechanical marketing structure to a “new and evolving organic model.” A similar article, “Why Many Small Businesses are Still Struggling,” highlights this model with some key points: consumer exposure through social networks, “soft sells” through indirect messaging, and relationship-building, conversation-starting communities about the products and services your company offers. This open engagement can’t be stressed enough, and must be executed through social avenues like Twitter and Facebook. Do some research to see the power of Web 2.0 marketing and how social media can benefit your business.

Wrap-up: Still don’t believe social media is important? Watch this YouTube video.

Sam Hartman, Feb. 23, 2010

Note: Post not sponsored.

Difficult to measure does not necessarily mean difficult to achieve. In thenextweb.com’s recent article ”Rethinking the Value of Social Media to Online Shopping,” they propose that retailers using social media to attract new customers have yet to see positive results. They believe the only incentive to “follow” a particular retailer for customers is for advanced notice of sales and incentives; not any different than being on an e-mail list. For what it’s worth, I disagree. Engaging customers in any method, social media or otherwise, is a positive step towards initial or continued business from that customer. Can you always measure it on a spreadsheet or give it an ROI value? Possibly not, but since when is customer service – and that is what we’re talking about – not a good investment?

Melody K. Smith, Feb. 22, 2010

Note:   Post not sponsored.

It appears that many businesses are willing to take that risk and increase their marketing spend on social media advertising even though the ROI is not as cut and dry as say, e-mail marketing. Website Magazine recently shared a report of digital marketing budgets in “Are Businesses Drinking the Social Media Kool-Aid?” that revealed 70% plan to up their spending on social media in 2010 but only 19% considered the ability to measure results for these mediums to be good. In contrast, over 50% consider the measurability to be good on email marketing channels. Is the ROI really that hard to measure or are they looking at it on its own and not in conjunction with their existing messages and strategies? The real benefit of social media is providing a consistent message and adding value to your core marketing.

Melody K. Smith, February 21, 2010

Note:   Post not sponsored.