I benefit a lot from SEO20/20 tutorials and SEO2020 Univ. Although I have been sidetracked for a couple of months, I am trying to go back in track this year with more focus on themed contents and integration. I should be back in the university. Shoot. $500K last year!! I'll be happy if I get 20% of that this year. I think I'll be able to do it. I am also focused on internet ministry this year and I hope with the success that is forthcoming, I will be able to give back.
Congratulations on this site. Looking forward to your SMM strategies.
Charles
· 1 year ago
@Binky ... Not sure what is going on with the image on your end... It is loading fine on mine... Is anyone else having this issue?
Charles
· 1 year ago
@Geroge - Thank you for the props... Stay focused in 2008 and most importantly create a day-by-day plan and stick to it no matter what.
Great to see you here.
BinkyM
· 1 year ago
Charles, if it helps, I'm told "You don't have permission to access /grafx/seo2020-alexa.jpg on this server."
Charles
· 1 year ago
I just moved the graphic to this domain... do a refresh and let me know if you can see it.
Thanks,
Charles
BinkyM
· 1 year ago
Charles, I see it now! Whoa! It's really enlightening! Thanks for the effort!
Catalin
· 1 year ago
Indeed SEO2020 was great when it came, but i must say what i loved about it was that you didn't try to seem a Guru... or well, you did seem like one considering rour experience and your "Plan", but somehow felt close to the reader.
Anyway, Theming a site will always remain important, and siloing it. But i guess things just keep on moving forward... pretty much all human sensations are covered: visual, audio. When do we "taste" and "smell" the Internet? :)
Looking forward to your clear and concise descriptions of SMM :)
Charles
· 1 year ago
Hi Catalin,
Theming a site is just one part in the bigger picture. With SMM you can gain the deep links you need to gain high SERPs while gaining social popularity at the same time. This is just another piece of the pie.
I hope we never move into tasting and smelling the Internet... that just sounds terrible :-)
Reward Rebel
· 1 year ago
I've had some good results from utilizing networks like Digg, Delicious, Squidoo... but altho aware of forums and the traffic they can bring, I think I suffer from thinking "why would anyone want to hear anything I have to say", which is odd really as I too write a blog - the ultimate ego showcase;-D
I look forward to checking out the rest of your goodies. All the best to you, RR.
Charles
· 1 year ago
Hey Rebel,
Thanks for stopping by... You will be amazed at how many people will be interested in what you say... For every one person that likes what you say, there are probably 10,000 more somewhere... Now social media makes it easy to find you.
Davin Ogden
· 1 year ago
Hey Charles I'm not sure if I have this in the right area or not, but, figured you would find it anyhow. It's some of the SMM sites I would love to see covered. So far off the top of my head I would really like to learn to use Facebook, Bebo, LinkedIn, MySpace to their fullest of capabilities. Of course any and all in your expertise is welcome.
Thanx so much for doing this training Charles, although I know you through a few of these sites, I really don't know how to use them for max. benefit!
And $1400 for Stompernet training on the subject.....please!
Thanx Charles, You've been a great inspiration since "The Plan"
Cheers and thanx again,
Davin
Charles
· 1 year ago
Hi Davin,
Thank you for the feedback... I will make sure to cover these networks and I hope to show you how to generate the $1400 for stomper training all by yourself :-)
My SMM Primer will be released soon.. I am directly in the middle of writing it.
Talk soon,
Charles
Myra
· 1 year ago
Hi Charles,
Thanks for keeping it real (Is that ghetto?) :-)
It amazes me that every time Stompernet comes out, they provide great videos and bait and then hit you over the head for major money. I don't buy it. I can't remember how I found you, but am I glad that I did. I have benefited from the Master Plan and from Theme Zoom. And yes, I love free content from you, but I also buy from you because of the value and the quality of the information you share (and sell). But you are reasonable.
What I like most is that you make the majority of your income from doing what you share, instead of most that make more from selling their knowledge.
I look forward to SMM Strategies.
A Loyal Fan, Myra
Charles
· 1 year ago
Hi Myra,
Thank you for dropping by and thank you for the props.
- Charles
Russell Portwood
· 1 year ago
Charles: On the forums people were asking, "what's this (StomperNet) about anyway?" I would reply they needed to watch for a promo for a high dollar coaching program to follow the free stuff. Sure, it's a great model... but you blow everybody else out of the water! I can't wait to see how you utilize social media - you have the knack to dig out the real meat and we sure do appreciate your letting us in on it. Do you have info on social sites besides the main ones we always hear about? Niche facebooks if you will. Forums are the obvious but there may be more??? Russell Portwood
Charles
· 1 year ago
I have a list of quite a few sites but truth be known... There really is not a magic combination here... It's all about adopting a system of social sites that YOU enjoy & then consistently following your own model.
Now there are specific SM sites that you should definitely work in that will achieve results faster than others... I will be covering the best ones first.
Thank you for your comments.
- Charles
Leanne King
· 1 year ago
Hi Charles, would love to see something covered on twitter - really don't understand its purpose other than for having fun!
Great post
Thanks Leanne
Ray
· 1 year ago
I have 16 sites.
Is there a systematic process to undertake on new posts or launches for all the worthwhile Web 2 sites without spamming and duplication - checklist perhaps in priority order!?
How do I handle all the 'you've got a friend' enquiries without losing impact or believability?
Which are the most powerful (valuable) web 2 sites (prioritized) for traffic and page juice?
Charles
· 1 year ago
Hey Leanne,
Yes, good ol' Twitter... It almost seems like some kind of nervous tick where you constantly Tweet what you're currently up to... There is a way to market yourself using Twitter and I will be covering it.
Just to get an idea... I am starting to use Twitter so that my members can see what I'm doing "right now" and they can follow my actions. You can also drop links in your tweets.
This is kind of link being a fly on my wall or having a peek inside my head at any given moment. See the box at the bottom right of this blog that says "What am I Doing Right Now?" ... Those are my tweets, or twitters (sounds like a nervous tick).
You can watch me on Twitter and you'll be updated on what I am doing up-to-the-minute.
More details coming...
Charles
· 1 year ago
@Ray ... all of those are AWESOME questions and I look forward to delivering that content not only for everyone here (and you) but for myself.
The more I teach this stuff, the better I get at it...
Guru Bob
· 1 year ago
Charles,
I love social marketing. It has made me some serious money over the last 12 months. I can't wait to see what you have to say on the subject.
All the best,
Guru Bob
Chris Guthrie
· 1 year ago
Hey Charles, nice blog and cool article. I would have never found your site if you didn't request to advertise on my blog via Entrecard.
Good job on the traffic for only 4 forum posts hah hah. It's always nice to put in a little effort and get a great return.
(I accepted the ad offer :D by the way and sent one to you)
The Wholesale Products Guy
· 1 year ago
Well, here we go again. Another high priced (Stompernet) package about social media marketing.
I just don't understand how they can get away with charging over 1400 dollars, but I guess if I have to ask that question, I must not be that successful.
And, they would be right if they assumed I was not all that successful (LOL!)..
Despite my lack of fame and money, I hope that people who are new to the Internet frontier, don't throw in the cash for another overpriced IM program.
Most information about IM, and SM Marketing can be found not only from this site, but visiting sites to name a few: Digital Point, The Warrior Forum, Cashtactics.net, BlueHatseo.com, Earnersblog.com, etc.
Charles, while I have not bought into the University 20/20 program as of yet, I would not hesitate to do so in the future.
Your prices are always reasonable for the information you provide.
Imagine the amount of sites you could make using "The Master Plan" and 1400 dollars?
Whew - the possibilities boggle the mind.
I do want to thank you for the eighteen pages of pure simplicity that is your free report, "The Master Plan".
"The Plan Outline And Time Required" portion was easy enough for even someone like me to understand (LOL!).
Since I have the attention span of a fruit fly, I appreciated it's short and punchy style.
As Shakespeare said, "Brevity is the soul of wit".
While you were not trying to be witty, (maybe you were - and I don't have a good sense of humor!) your brevity was invaluable, and kept my attention.
And, in the immortal words of a modern day celebrity, Sally Field: 'I liked it, I really, really, liked it! (LOL!)
I know that there is more to come in terms of you "plan" for Social Media marketing, but please indulge for minute, while I mention an additional source that could be valuable to your readers.
Michelle McPherson's Social Media daily is another "brief" report that provides a blueprint of strategies and software that she reports to use to promote her blog and Internet properties.
She also emphasizes how you can use SM - Marketing as a solid long term strategy, and not as only a quick hitting traffic method gaming sites like Digg or Reddit.
Can you call it the "Master Plan" for Social Media Marketing? I dare not do that on this blog (LOL!). It is just another SM marketing prospective that someone, or everyone might find valuable.
I do not mean to detract, or disparage any of the education that your blog, or courses provide.
I just mention it as an extra tool for the arsenal of anyone who is interested in Web 2.0. Especially for those who are new to the Social Media game..
And free is always good!
Beyond the report I have no idea, nor do I remember what she is selling, if anything.
Also, I am not an affiliate in any shape of form.
If I am in violation of any of your posting tenets when it comes to links, or third party sites, then dam my post to deletion hell!
Anyway, whatever the outcome of this post will be, many thanks for your continuing efforts to share your expertise, with limited filler, reasonable pricing, and maximum content..
Looking forward to what you have planned for the future of SM universe...
On hale in up...
Robert C.
Glen
· 1 year ago
Charles,
I was wondering where you obtained the three 'SUBSCRIBE' functiions that you have in the top right corner of your blog here.
I have checked out feedburner, but can't find the combo you have.
I must be missing something
--Glen
Glen
· 1 year ago
Sorry Charles...
I found the info. in your previous post of Jan.6th
--Glen
Erik O
· 1 year ago
Hi Charles Just wanted to drop you a note to say Im with you as follower of your relaunched seo2020 (im a U2020-101 alumni and my site is really climbing in ranking thanks to your teachings). Im really glad you still here to teach. question, can we use this forum to ask you questions about topics related to silo and theming etc. taught by you as well?
You asked for feedback on what to cover related to SMM: well how about a discussion about hubpages and scribd and how to use this. also: how best to utilize SMM to build backlinks in the most efficient way (three high quality links per page as you teach)
cheers, and again glad to see you back to teaching
ErikO
Business Inclined
· 1 year ago
Sure this sort of traffic is possible within the 'make money' (in general) market, but thus far my real world experiences have shown far, far less amounts of traffic potential in other markets.
I have been following SEO20/20 for a while...even implementing many (if not most) of the tips and tricks in my non-'make money' related sites. Thus far the traffic has been marginal, yet the conversions are not horrible.
Either I am totally not finding the right keywords or there just isn't all that much traffic - despite what the various keyword research tools say....
Charles
· 1 year ago
@Guru Bob - Thanks for stopping by...
@Chris Guthrie - I did way more than 4 forum posts... I only participated in 4 forums to achieve the result.
@Robert - Thank you for your comments and pointing us to that awesome resource. SMM is a HUGE topic and I'm trying to whittle it down to one cohesive understanding... This is my challenge and it is not going to be easy.
Any input anyone has for resources or social sites is welcome to post them here.
@Erik O. - Thanks for stopping by and commenting... I would prefer if you reserve your comments to the blog post at hand. If you have a specific question on other things that I teach then drop me a line at charlesheflin AT gmail DOT com.
Your requests about Hubpages and Scribd are on the schedule to be covered and I will provide a wealth of sites where you can build links for SEO as well as social purposes at the same time.
@Business Inclined - I certainly understand how you see that... I too had a problem with this perspective until I started digging in a bit further... I will show you what I mean in my free SMM Report (coming soon)...
On finding the right keywords... have you done any PPC testing to discover them?
valentina
· 1 year ago
I am relatively new to IM. Actually, I have been hanging around the internet for several years now flailing about like a ship without a rudder. This past year things suddenly began to make sense ... I now know how little I know, and it is a humbling thing.
I am beginning to make some sense of SMM (have taken my first baby steps). Q. I am developing an online dog personika "BooBoo Barkley" ... Can one open a Facebook profile that is strictly a personika or would that be considered masking and perhaps therefore not acceptable?
Adam Gershenbaum
· 1 year ago
Today I registered my twitter account with www.jott.com which you then can register all the rest of your mobile subscriptions to and voice post to them.
I can call it and say post to twitter or post to live journal or post to wordpress. I can ask mosio questions, track keywords and socialize with people tracking similiar keywords. I can get the nearest starbucks, weather, breaking news alerts. I can set reminders and voice post emails to individuals and groups.
I love twitter and mobile networking.
As far as my favorite ways to stay connected in as many places as possible and avoid social network fatigue? I use the Flock social networking browser for one, and have my twitter registered to my jott account which updates my facebook, and then have my myspace rss to my twitter if I want to tweet something from there. Then I use diggupdates on twitter to get my news and www.clipmarks.com to clip news stories and cross post while on the web, to my blogs etc including live journal, facebook, digg, and other social bookmarking sites. I use myvidoop.com for open ID to quickly register to new sites.
For planning reach campaigns and benchmarking www.hitwise.com is a site I am becoming friendly with.
I love http://www.go2web20.net/ for finding new widgets and some of my favorite 2.0 technology, sites, widgets, and apps are:
@Valentina - I am not sure on facebook... look at their terms of service. My initial reaction is to say yes... You can be BooBoo Barkley if you want to be I am pretty sure but be sure to check their terms of service first.
I did a quick scan and it looks like it is acceptable but double check behind me.
johnp
· 1 year ago
Charles, Thanks for having the courage to take on Stompernet, and their absurd pricing. Seems that $1500 is the new IM pricing standard. And don't forget H. Schwartz' "Conversation Domination" (promoted by Jeff Johnson)- also about $1500 as I recall. It's approach is to outsource a barrage of posts and bookmarks to Web2.0 sites. But checking on a couple of his sites 2 months later shows few of them retained their rankings.
That leads to my first question, and suggestion for your SMM report. How do you do SMM that has staying power ? The risk of dynamic Web2.0is that speed and change can require more speed and change just to keep up - not usually a problem with quality static web sites. We dont want to build more here- today-gone-tomorrow sites.
Secondly, I think we miss the boat if we focus just on SMM sites by themselves. For me the real quesiton is how do we integrate them into traditional marketing models ? Does Web2.0 work only if you have a blog ? Do I really need a blog ? How do I integrate dynamic SMM with statc web sites ? For example, how do I blog and do SMM if Im selling something mundane like socks, tarps, or paper clips :) ??
Bottom line: Need the big picture, longevity, and integration with traditional webs
thanks for all you do ! john
Adam Gershenbaum
· 1 year ago
Having been a blogger since 1999 and the fact that smm is the way I earn my living for a few years now, I'm also glad that to have stumbled upon Charles' page and it seems like a good place to share ideas.
@johnp,
In my opinion smm has already become part of traditional marketing. I would not market anything unless all media vehicles were interconnected through some form of mobile and social media marketing. This means that all media vehicles you are using to advertise are connected to your web based marketing initiative and you're web, print, radio, tv and other vehicles ads have a clear call to action that leads the recipient back to a web destination that results in opt-in subscription, contact info capturing, or a mobile subscription and ultimately a conversion or a sale. You're goal with smm is to find an audience, captivate them, retain them, and create traction to your product or brand; all of which results in a lot more than just a sale. SMM forms trust between consumer and brand every time they interact with it. In the old days of traditional marketing the last point of interaction with a product before a sale was with your salesman most of the time and a lot of your decision to purchase was because the salesman not only sold his product well, but sold himself well. Today, your smm campaign acts as your 'salesman'.
Even selling mundane paper clips can be SMM'ed. Be creative and think outside the box. The answer to your question about how to social media market the mundane is the complete opposite of the word mundane. Paper clips are so mundane, that it would only be funny and quirky to personify the paper clip as the most extreme and funny being on the planet. I really just got ten ideas for viral videos personifying a paper clip. Find a creative way to personify your brand, or product no matter how mundane it is. Create a campaign that engages you're audience and captivates their attention on a regular basis. Connect them to you, each other and your brand. Have an animated paper clip created that serves as a virtual customer service agent for your site. Brand him every step of the way so they recognize you're paper clip vs other paper clips. Make the process of ordering office supplies interactive and engaging. Have you're animated paper clip guide your customers through the ordering process every step of the way, even suggestively selling your customers other office supplies along the way. Use your database of customer to email market to them on a semi weekly basis but make your campaign embrace office humor and mentality while suggestively reminding customers of their office needs. When they are communicated to it is not by you mr john q paper clip salesman, it's from MR. GQ paper clip character. Create a blog that gives office workers a place to rant and joke about office life. Ghost write the blog entries as coming from 'mr paper clip character' and lend your personality and sense of humor to the character making the focus of your entries around all that is the office humor that is so famous for making it's way to employees printers and cubicles for display. Create a widget for your character that serves all the funny office humor being collected by you. Make it a haven for office humor, hell CREATE your own office humor and make it go viral, watermark the LOL content at all times with you're website. People will laugh, and with a proper call to action be drawn to your site and order office supplies from you once a level of trust is gained and a utility is realized. The key to it all is differentiating yourself from the competiton and that is a traditional marketing principle. When creative a traditional ad campaign always ask yourself, how can this message be conveyed on the web and how would I design it so that users can interact with it and the message speaks to them? What is the reaction you want to see from your ad, and then figure out how to gain that reaction. If you have ever watched a commercial or seen and ad and said this ad sucks, or this ad is amazing, or I like this product. Was the ad listening? The ad clearly has a message for you, but is it listening to the message the consumer is sending? If the ad is desinged right and linked to some form of smm then yes it will tell the consumer that it not only knows what the consumer is looking for but is feeling the 'pulse' of their needs. Smm lets you extend your reach beyond a supply based push towards the consumer. With smm you can organically create a consumer pull for your product.
Charles
· 1 year ago
Well said Adam,
With SMM you build a following based on a concept that may be directly or indirectly related to things that you may sell on the back end. The concept is what attracts people to you.
You then carry and brand that concept again and again...
The popular "elf yourself" was a social interaction on a massive scale and guess who was branded during this wildly viral social event? .... Office Max
Next year during the holidays, people will remember Elf Yourself and the traffic will start all over again... OfficeMax has some "outside the box" thinkers to come up with this legendary social media marketing event.
How much traffic and sales did OfficeMax get from this promotion? ... well if you look at their Alexa traffic you can see that their traffic was more or less doubled while Elf Yourself was running... Do you think they sold more office supplies online with more traffic?
Charles
· 1 year ago
Hey Adam...
Thank you for the awesome brain dump ... I have learned a great deal of insight from your post and am investigating a few of your sources to add to my arsenal.
valentina
· 1 year ago
Charles,
I read Adam's post on the paper clip with great interest. I guess that is what I am driving at with my "BooBoo Barkley" .... so, is there a difference between branding and personika ... and then I need to have a better understanding of the difference.
johnp
· 1 year ago
Adam, I appreciate the thoughtful response. But frankly, you are shooting beyond my target. I’m thinking of the simple niche affiliate, adsense, and blogging sites run by so many beginner-to-advanced marketers. Not everyone needs huge branding campaigns to be successful. Personally, I have neither the time, desire, or the need to create Stompernet-type videos or dancing paper clips. My sites continue to grow, and none of my key rankings have been eclipsed by anyone doing SMM. So my desire is to keep it simple, without having to 'elf' myself :)
I don’t want to go beyond the what Charles wants in these comments. So I’ll just try to clarify my request: I’m looking for ways to integrate various SM mediums with old fashioned static web sites. For example, I know how to build Squidoo lenses, but when and how do I use them ? How do I give longevity to my bookmarks ? Do I bookmark static pages, or just new content ? What combinations of SMM sites that seem to fit together best ? Etc., etc
Maybe this is too basic for most people here, and I'm sure there is no single answer. But a marketing model or ‘blueprint’ would be tremendously useful. MacPhearson’s SM Daily makes a great start. Hopefully Charles can build on that.
john
Charles
· 1 year ago
John,
Thank you for your thoughtful response based on a position of frustration that is common in the SMM space.
I intend to address your concerns in my upcoming report... As you know SMM is a huge topic and social sites are rising and falling all the time. My goal is to build a timeless solution based on solid principles that can be applied no matter where the social platforms evolve.
This is not proving to be an easy task as you may well understand... What I am discovering is... because every business is different, everyone will have to choose their own model for social impact using a solid guide and a proper resource through which to investigate solutions that "fit" the personality of the marketer and the business they are promoting.
Wish me luck :-)
The Wholesale Products Guy
· 1 year ago
JohnP Writes..
"Thanks for having the courage to take on Stompernet, and their absurd pricing. Seems that $1500 is the new IM pricing standard. And don’t forget H. Schwartz’ “Conversation Domination” (promoted by Jeff Johnson)- also about $1500 as I recall.
It’s approach is to outsource a barrage of posts and bookmarks to Web2.0 sites. But checking on a couple of his sites 2 months later shows few of them retained their rankings.
Secondly, I think we miss the boat if we focus just on SMM sites by themselves. For me the real quesiton is how do we integrate them into traditional marketing models ? Does Web2.0 work only if you have a blog ?
Do I really need a blog ? How do I integrate dynamic SMM with statc web sites ? For example, how do I blog and do SMM if Im selling something mundane like socks, tarps, or paper clips ??
Bottom line: Need the big picture, longevity, and integration with traditional webs
But a marketing model or ‘blueprint’ would be tremendously useful. MacPhearson’s SM Daily makes a great start. Hopefully Charles can build on that."
thanks for all you do ! john -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Accept for the information that Charles will provide, I cannot think of any other free resource that breaks down the confusion of SMM into very manageable parts.
I would have probably paid for the information that the Social Media Daily ebook provides. You may not be as enthusiastic about the report as I am, but, you are spot on in terms of a place to start.
It will, at the very least, give you a healthy perspective on where to begin...
In addition to tapping SMD, I would just like to "comment on your comments" concerning a lasting advertising strategy using social media. I maybe stating the obvious but you have provide most of these venues with controversial headlines and stimulating subject matter when you are submitting articles or blog posts to Digg and Reddit.
My early attempts at trying to promote a friends website with a press release found me "flagged" as spam on the Digg network. The website in question was a free forum that discusses "the good, the bad, and the ugly" of wholesale suppliers and distributors.
Even though the site was free to join with no selling attempts thrust upon members once they did, it was considered a "spam portal".
Some of the "Digg" community came to that conclusion on the basis of it's design.
Granted, it did look like a site that was designed with FrontPage in the late 90's. But, perception can be reality in the Digg community. Despite my best efforts to convince readers otherwise, it was "dug up and then buried"..
SIDENOTE: I love ugly sites. They do make money...
I realize that there are plenty of other SM outlets available and not all would have treated my press release the same way.
However, this is just a cautionary tale and the makings of a larger point. I think that some people (not you or anyone here per'se) try to promote a business, or a particular e-commerce website strait out of the box so to speak.
Most of the headlines and subject matter among the SM crowd serve up controversy, political discussion, and stories that capture the communities attention.
Just go to a site like Reddit.com another "digg" type of SM. Type in George Bush.
It is filled with articles about his incompetence, or the latest slaming of adminstration policies. If you wrote something that was positive about his Presidency then you might just be able to garner some traffic from it.
On the medical end of the social media spectrum, there was a guy (and his name and blog escape me now) that wrote on article on how certain brain diseases can make you smarter. It was a run away hit and the "traffic hits" soon followed..
You have to keep in mind (and I sure you do) that these are socially driven sites first, and business promotion vehicles second. You can weave your signature file, URL, or a blurb about your company within the fabric of a good article or story.
Your goal should always be to first entertain, or to get someone to complain!
With outlets like Squidoo and other free web page creation services, I would just concentrate on the top twenty words or phrases that have proven (that keyword research you will have to do) to convert, or keywords that you feel are worth targeting.
I think the reason H. Schwartz probably fell a bit in his rankings (and I am only guessing here) is that he might have outsourced a lot of the material he produced, and well, lets say the quality might have been "less than stellar".
Again, I don't have any evidence of this and speculation is my only guide.
The only reason I can offer an opinon, is because he does mention that he outsources some of his website or blog work in his free report.
He might have outsourced just a little too much and the Google Gods in their divine wisdom started knocking chipping away at his PR rankings
Personally, this is something I would not do. I have about 20 keywords that I am working on. When I attempt to develop a Squidoo lense about said keywords, I also am knowledgeable in each category because they relate to the industry I am familiar with.
I am not just creating hundreds of pages hoping that some long tails will convert..
So, they will be updated and cared for just like I would a regular site.
They will not be a "set and forget" strategy, but part of an ongoing long term method of generating income. If I am not mistaken, you also split ad revenue with Squidoo.
They make money from Google, AdSense, Amazon, and other sites that do not come to mind right now. They keep track of the earnings and provide you a 50/50 split.
The bottom line with SM sites like Squidoo is to not create a plethora of sites in the hope of gaming the SE's. You will only get a "google" slap, sooner, rather than later.
When it comes to sites like the "Squid" and their counterparts, sometimes less is more, and quality does out rank quanity..
Regarding your comment..
"Secondly, I think we miss the boat if we focus just on SMM sites by themselves. For me the real quesiton is how do we integrate them into traditional marketing models ? Does Web2.0 work only if you have a blog ?
Do I really need a blog ? How do I integrate dynamic SMM with statc web sites ? For example, how do I blog and do SMM if Im selling something mundane like socks, tarps, or paper clips ??" ___________________________________________________________________
No, you don't need a blog and you can promote any type of static site, or blog format you want. Here again, see the above mentioned SM rules. One of your questions is how do you promote such run of the mill items such as paper clips or tarps.
Well, I would say that if you were to use SM sites like Digg, or Reddit, then, right off the top of my small mind, I could think about some provactive headlines concerning both of the items of which you speak..
"Fast Thinking Man Uses Paper Clip To Disarm Gun Wielding Robber" "Trucker Uses Paper Clips To Tow 50,000 Pounds Of Frozen Food" "Forget The Largest Rubber Band Ball - Inventor Builds Automobile Out Of Paperclips" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Fireman Amazed At Thin Plastic Tarp - Saved Two People That Fell 20 Stories" "One Hundred Skiers Set New Record On A Plastic Tarp" "A Plastic Tarp Saved My Family" "Using The Right Plastic Tarp Can Save Lives" __________________________________________________________________
Yes, the above headlines are somewhat exaggerated, and, well, maybe even a bit ridiculious. But, that is the point. You want to create a sense of wonder, interest, and if you can, controversy.
Just goes to show that just about anything sells on the Internet..
Well crafted lenses and social media driven articles can give you the traffic spike you need and the long term "gifts that keep on giving" type of traffic that can sustain you over the long haul.
As mentioned, you can supply all the necessary contact and website information about where they can purchase their "towing capacity" paper clips, or life saving tarps (LOL!)
SMM can work for anything that you are promoting - online or off..
SM can be used in conjunction with other Internet Marketing strategies and some people are currently using it as their only strategy, because it can provide fast indexing for new sites and rank for keyword phrases with established sites..
How do you find ideas for story lines? Well, you could sign up for Google alerts. Type in just about any keyword or industry you want to keep track of and Google will alert you via e-mail when anything is written or posted about it.
Be the first one, or at least "one of the many" that gets to the story so you can rewrite your own "exciting and revamped" version of it.
Look for new and different products in trade publications of your particular interest, or websites such as Trendwatching.com. If you can't write very well, there are websites like..
They are expensive, but for one article, or page that is well written and researched, the price can be recouped in thousands if you hit it right.
I could go on, but I am getting too long in this post already. I will end by leaving you with this..
The Chinese have a saying..
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."
While this is by no means the end of the journey, I hope the information in this post can at least help you with the first step..
With Regards..
I am,
Robert C - The Wholesale Products Guy
Charles
· 1 year ago
@Valentina -
There is not much difference between branding and a persona if the persona is to become your "hook" into the social space then you will use it often to move people to your message. The people that like you (or your persona) will follow you away from your areas of promotion to arrive at your website or blog.
Once they get there then you promote your products but you have to be "forever aware" of why that visitor came to your space or they will run. You can't come across as a bait and switch operation... Your integrity must carry through all the way through to the sale and after the sale.
Always remember you visitors arrived because they like you. Much like a guest arriving at your home, you wouldn't bombard them with advertising... instead you would make them feel welcome and then offer them more of you.
Once people trust you then they will buy from you by simply suggesting things.
I know this goes beyond what you asked but I just had to get this out.
Adam Gershenbaum
· 1 year ago
@johnp: It is difficult to say what combo of sites work best for which product, service or gaol you have so sorry if I aimed too high. I wasn't suggesting a huge budget marketing plan based on paper clips but just making the point that no product or service has to be considered 'mundane' as long as you get creative in how you market it.
If you are looking to build your keywords up, and benchmark your keywords vs industry leaders for your category of interest I implore you to use a site like www.hitwise.com.
It's and expensive resource, but worth it's weight in gold if you use it correctly. Charles do you have any other sites that might be free that are like www.hitwise.com?
@the wholesale products guy great ideas for paper clip and tarp headlines!
Julia
· 1 year ago
Charles,
You Rock!!!!
By following your teachings, I was able to create a website, purchase the correct domain name at end of Nov 2007 and by the middle of January 2008 I had achieved a PR 2 on my home page. I was amazed that in less than 60 days, I had reached that.
I am still a beginner as far as the internet marketing goes, but my faith has been restored.
My light at the end of the tunnel finally came on!
Highest regards to you,
Julia
Franck Silvestre
· 1 year ago
Hi Charles,
I was on of the first member of your forum, and I learned a lot from you mate.
I do agree with what you said about forum because I've had the same sort of (not 500K) success with forum.
If you know how to play within the top forum in your niche, you are ahead of the game.
I will keep this post and add it in a case study for my affiliate profit mentor club members if you don't mind.
Franck the body guard.
Charles
· 1 year ago
Hi Franck,
What you say is VERY true. Most marketers don't understand the value of a high traffic forum if you step in and contribute.
Phil
· 1 year ago
Finding your site was an accident thanks to google, but I like it
Rachael Ray
· 1 year ago
Hello...Thanks for the nice read, keep up the interesting posts..what a nice Thursday . Rachael Ray
dyennybes
· 1 year ago
I’d prefer reading in my native language, because my knowledge of your languange is no so well. But it was interesting! Look for some my links:
Charles, as usual your information is top notch. And while I haven't been a big fan of forums I'll certainly be checking them out from now on.
Thanks again
valentina
· 1 year ago
Charles,
Have been absent for a while ... doing catchup tonight ... thank you for the additional info. I find it most helpful. I am working on developing BooBoo Barkley who of course will be the "go to" for all info etc. on dogs. I am having fun and spending a good deal of time on further educating myself on IM.
Thank you for all that you do...................
best...........valentina
Terri Stallcop
· 1 year ago
Hi Charles, I've been writing about you :) I have your blueprint. My formula is SR1 (I think) In my business blog I linked to SEO20/20. That article is now on page 1 of google for the key word seo2020!! So your tutorials are working!! THANK YOU! Terri Stallcop BTW, I love this article and all the great comments your getting. WOW!
Anna
· 1 year ago
Hi - I have been really wondering about one thing. It is this server-side software called RSS Bookmarker. Which gradually bookmarks your sites and pages over time to random sites.
Now it sounds very time-saving and enticing (okay, pricey) but what I am mainly wondering is - is it spam? Or valid promotion? If it's not spam it sounds really good.
Charles
· 1 year ago
Anna ... you will not see good results using software like that in social media sites. You need to drop all of your traditional Internet marketing knowledge in this space.
Anna
· 1 year ago
Dear Charles,
Thank you - the software works with bookmarking sites, Scuttle sites. Which is not really Social Media (is it?) just Bookmarking (del.icio.us, furl, ma.ganolia, simpy, etc). It makes RSS Feeds for your site and will then bookmark any site, blog, or page which has an RSS Feed (which might include Hub Pages etc.?).
But I assume you knew that was what I meant and if you say to drop it I should probably drop it.
I just downloaded your 25 page formula.pdf. I had no idea - where have you been hiding this? I have looked through your site more than once and never found it.
I just wanted to tell you that there is an E-Book offered for sale on your site for about $10.00 which teaches how to use Google Adwords to find the right keywords to Theme your site. I tried to buy it but I got error messages.
I use Keyword Elite (I got it for free with Traffic Kahuna). Could I use Keyword Elite (which uses the Google Adwords tool) to find good keywords for structuring and siloing a site? I have and use the Master Plan, and I have been overhauling and creating my sites based on this. (It has created a definite increase of traffic.)
komik
· 1 year ago
Hello…Thanks for the nice read, keep up the interesting posts..what a nice Thursday .
All Comments
Congratulations on this site. Looking forward to your SMM strategies.
Great to see you here.
Thanks,
Charles
Anyway, Theming a site will always remain important, and siloing it. But i guess things just keep on moving forward... pretty much all human sensations are covered: visual, audio. When do we "taste" and "smell" the Internet? :)
Looking forward to your clear and concise descriptions of SMM :)
Theming a site is just one part in the bigger picture. With SMM you can gain the deep links you need to gain high SERPs while gaining social popularity at the same time. This is just another piece of the pie.
I hope we never move into tasting and smelling the Internet... that just sounds terrible :-)
I look forward to checking out the rest of your goodies. All the best to you, RR.
Thanks for stopping by... You will be amazed at how many people will be interested in what you say... For every one person that likes what you say, there are probably 10,000 more somewhere... Now social media makes it easy to find you.
Thanx so much for doing this training Charles, although I know you through a few of these sites, I really don't know how to use them for max. benefit!
And $1400 for Stompernet training on the subject.....please!
Thanx Charles, You've been a great inspiration since "The Plan"
Cheers and thanx again,
Davin
Thank you for the feedback... I will make sure to cover these networks and I hope to show you how to generate the $1400 for stomper training all by yourself :-)
My SMM Primer will be released soon.. I am directly in the middle of writing it.
Talk soon,
Charles
Thanks for keeping it real (Is that ghetto?) :-)
It amazes me that every time Stompernet comes out, they provide great videos and bait and then hit you over the head for major money. I don't buy it. I can't remember how I found you, but am I glad that I did. I have benefited from the Master Plan and from Theme Zoom. And yes, I love free content from you, but I also buy from you because of the value and the quality of the information you share (and sell). But you are reasonable.
What I like most is that you make the majority of your income from doing what you share, instead of most that make more from selling their knowledge.
I look forward to SMM Strategies.
A Loyal Fan,
Myra
Thank you for dropping by and thank you for the props.
- Charles
On the forums people were asking, "what's this (StomperNet) about anyway?" I would reply they needed to watch for a promo for a high dollar coaching program to follow the free stuff. Sure, it's a great model... but you blow everybody else out of the water! I can't wait to see how you utilize social media - you have the knack to dig out the real meat and we sure do appreciate your letting us in on it.
Do you have info on social sites besides the main ones we always hear about? Niche facebooks if you will. Forums are the obvious but there may be more???
Russell Portwood
Now there are specific SM sites that you should definitely work in that will achieve results faster than others... I will be covering the best ones first.
Thank you for your comments.
- Charles
Great post
Thanks
Leanne
Is there a systematic process to undertake on new posts or launches for all the worthwhile Web 2 sites without spamming and duplication - checklist perhaps in priority order!?
How do I handle all the 'you've got a friend' enquiries without losing impact or believability?
Which are the most powerful (valuable) web 2 sites (prioritized) for traffic and page juice?
Yes, good ol' Twitter... It almost seems like some kind of nervous tick where you constantly Tweet what you're currently up to... There is a way to market yourself using Twitter and I will be covering it.
Just to get an idea... I am starting to use Twitter so that my members can see what I'm doing "right now" and they can follow my actions. You can also drop links in your tweets.
This is kind of link being a fly on my wall or having a peek inside my head at any given moment. See the box at the bottom right of this blog that says "What am I Doing Right Now?" ... Those are my tweets, or twitters (sounds like a nervous tick).
You can watch me on Twitter and you'll be updated on what I am doing up-to-the-minute.
More details coming...
The more I teach this stuff, the better I get at it...
I love social marketing. It has made me some serious money over the last 12 months. I can't wait to see what you have to say on the subject.
All the best,
Guru Bob
Good job on the traffic for only 4 forum posts hah hah. It's always nice to put in a little effort and get a great return.
(I accepted the ad offer :D by the way and sent one to you)
I just don't understand how they can get away with charging over 1400 dollars, but I guess if I have to ask that question, I must not be that successful.
And, they would be right if they assumed I was not all that successful (LOL!)..
Despite my lack of fame and money, I hope that people who are new to the Internet frontier, don't throw in the cash for another overpriced IM program.
Most information about IM, and SM Marketing can be found not only from this site, but visiting sites to name a few: Digital Point, The Warrior Forum, Cashtactics.net, BlueHatseo.com, Earnersblog.com, etc.
Charles, while I have not bought into the University 20/20 program as of yet, I would not hesitate to do so in the future.
Your prices are always reasonable for the information you provide.
Imagine the amount of sites you could make using "The Master Plan" and 1400 dollars?
Whew - the possibilities boggle the mind.
I do want to thank you for the eighteen pages of pure simplicity that is your free report, "The Master Plan".
"The Plan Outline And Time Required" portion was easy enough for even someone like me to understand (LOL!).
Since I have the attention span of a fruit fly, I appreciated it's short and punchy style.
As Shakespeare said, "Brevity is the soul of wit".
While you were not trying to be witty, (maybe you were - and I don't have a good sense of humor!) your brevity was invaluable, and kept my attention.
And, in the immortal words of a modern day celebrity, Sally Field: 'I liked it, I really, really, liked it! (LOL!)
I know that there is more to come in terms of you "plan" for Social Media marketing, but please indulge for minute, while I mention an additional source that could be valuable to your readers.
Michelle McPherson's Social Media daily is another "brief" report that provides a blueprint of strategies and software that she reports to use to promote her blog and Internet properties.
She also emphasizes how you can use SM - Marketing as a solid long term strategy, and not as only a quick hitting traffic method gaming sites like Digg or Reddit.
Can you call it the "Master Plan" for Social Media Marketing? I dare not do that on this blog (LOL!). It is just another SM marketing prospective that someone, or everyone might find valuable.
I do not mean to detract, or disparage any of the education that your blog, or courses provide.
I just mention it as an extra tool for the arsenal of anyone who is interested in Web 2.0.
Especially for those who are new to the Social Media game..
And free is always good!
Beyond the report I have no idea, nor do I remember what she is selling, if anything.
Also, I am not an affiliate in any shape of form.
If I am in violation of any of your posting tenets when it comes to links, or third party sites, then dam my post to deletion hell!
Social Media Daily.com
http://www.socialmediadaily.com/
Anyway, whatever the outcome of this post will be, many thanks for your continuing efforts to share your expertise, with limited filler, reasonable pricing, and maximum content..
Looking forward to what you have planned for the future of SM universe...
On hale in up...
Robert C.
I was wondering where you obtained the three 'SUBSCRIBE' functiions that you have in the top right corner of your blog here.
I have checked out feedburner, but can't find the combo you have.
I must be missing something
--Glen
I found the info. in your previous post of Jan.6th
--Glen
Just wanted to drop you a note to say Im with you as follower of your relaunched seo2020 (im a U2020-101 alumni and my site is really climbing in ranking thanks to your teachings). Im really glad you still here to teach. question, can we use this forum to ask you questions about topics related to silo and theming etc. taught by you as well?
You asked for feedback on what to cover related to SMM: well how about a discussion about hubpages and scribd and how to use this.
also: how best to utilize SMM to build backlinks in the most efficient way (three high quality links per page as you teach)
cheers, and again glad to see you back to teaching
ErikO
I have been following SEO20/20 for a while...even implementing many (if not most) of the tips and tricks in my non-'make money' related sites. Thus far the traffic has been marginal, yet the conversions are not horrible.
Either I am totally not finding the right keywords or there just isn't all that much traffic - despite what the various keyword research tools say....
@Chris Guthrie - I did way more than 4 forum posts... I only participated in 4 forums to achieve the result.
@Robert - Thank you for your comments and pointing us to that awesome resource. SMM is a HUGE topic and I'm trying to whittle it down to one cohesive understanding... This is my challenge and it is not going to be easy.
Any input anyone has for resources or social sites is welcome to post them here.
@Erik O. - Thanks for stopping by and commenting... I would prefer if you reserve your comments to the blog post at hand. If you have a specific question on other things that I teach then drop me a line at charlesheflin AT gmail DOT com.
Your requests about Hubpages and Scribd are on the schedule to be covered and I will provide a wealth of sites where you can build links for SEO as well as social purposes at the same time.
@Business Inclined - I certainly understand how you see that... I too had a problem with this perspective until I started digging in a bit further... I will show you what I mean in my free SMM Report (coming soon)...
On finding the right keywords... have you done any PPC testing to discover them?
I am beginning to make some sense of SMM (have taken my first baby steps). Q. I am developing an online dog personika "BooBoo Barkley" ... Can one open a Facebook profile that is strictly a personika or would that be considered masking and perhaps therefore not acceptable?
I can call it and say post to twitter or post to live journal or post to wordpress. I can ask mosio questions, track keywords and socialize with people tracking similiar keywords. I can get the nearest starbucks, weather, breaking news alerts. I can set reminders and voice post emails to individuals and groups.
I love twitter and mobile networking.
As far as my favorite ways to stay connected in as many places as possible and avoid social network fatigue? I use the Flock social networking browser for one, and have my twitter registered to my jott account which updates my facebook, and then have my myspace rss to my twitter if I want to tweet something from there. Then I use diggupdates on twitter to get my news and www.clipmarks.com to clip news stories and cross post while on the web, to my blogs etc including live journal, facebook, digg, and other social bookmarking sites. I use myvidoop.com for open ID to quickly register to new sites.
For planning reach campaigns and benchmarking www.hitwise.com is a site I am becoming friendly with.
I love http://www.go2web20.net/ for finding new widgets and some of my favorite 2.0 technology, sites, widgets, and apps are:
www.clearspring.com
www.modazzle.com
www.gydget.com
www.msgme.com
www.sphinn.com
www.dizzler.com
www.twitter.com
www.gigya.com
www.digg.com
www.thesixtyone.com (like digg but for music)
www.artistdata.com
www.gruvr.com
www.ilike.com
www.feedburner.com
www.addthis.com
www.mashable.com
http://www.sexywidget.com
http://www.tumblr.com
www.thenewmarketing.com
www.mattcutts.com (SEO)
www.pageflakes.com
www.technobabble2dot0.wordpress.com
www.fanbridge.com
www.pdfhammer.com
www.endeve.com
www.gizmodo.com
www.linkedin.com
www.lavalife.com
www.g4tv.com
http://www.cleancss.com
http://www.readwriteweb.com/
www.zoho.com
www.seomoz.org
www.emersondirect.wordpress.com
www.podtech.net
Thanks for letting me 'dump' along with ya!
-Adam
http://www.facebook.com/terms.php
I did a quick scan and it looks like it is acceptable but double check behind me.
Thanks for having the courage to take on Stompernet, and their absurd pricing. Seems that $1500 is the new IM pricing standard. And don't forget H. Schwartz' "Conversation Domination" (promoted by Jeff Johnson)- also about $1500 as I recall. It's approach is to outsource a barrage of posts and bookmarks to Web2.0 sites. But checking on a couple of his sites 2 months later shows few of them retained their rankings.
That leads to my first question, and suggestion for your SMM report. How do you do SMM that has staying power ? The risk of dynamic Web2.0is that speed and change can require more speed and change just to keep up - not usually a problem with quality static web sites. We dont want to build more here- today-gone-tomorrow sites.
Secondly, I think we miss the boat if we focus just on SMM sites by themselves. For me the real quesiton is how do we integrate them into traditional marketing models ? Does Web2.0 work only if you have a blog ? Do I really need a blog ? How do I integrate dynamic SMM with statc web sites ? For example, how do I blog and do SMM if Im selling something mundane like socks, tarps, or paper clips :) ??
Bottom line: Need the big picture, longevity, and integration with traditional webs
thanks for all you do !
john
@johnp,
In my opinion smm has already become part of traditional marketing. I would not market anything unless all media vehicles were interconnected through some form of mobile and social media marketing. This means that all media vehicles you are using to advertise are connected to your web based marketing initiative and you're web, print, radio, tv and other vehicles ads have a clear call to action that leads the recipient back to a web destination that results in opt-in subscription, contact info capturing, or a mobile subscription and ultimately a conversion or a sale. You're goal with smm is to find an audience, captivate them, retain them, and create traction to your product or brand; all of which results in a lot more than just a sale. SMM forms trust between consumer and brand every time they interact with it. In the old days of traditional marketing the last point of interaction with a product before a sale was with your salesman most of the time and a lot of your decision to purchase was because the salesman not only sold his product well, but sold himself well. Today, your smm campaign acts as your 'salesman'.
Even selling mundane paper clips can be SMM'ed. Be creative and think outside the box. The answer to your question about how to social media market the mundane is the complete opposite of the word mundane. Paper clips are so mundane, that it would only be funny and quirky to personify the paper clip as the most extreme and funny being on the planet. I really just got ten ideas for viral videos personifying a paper clip. Find a creative way to personify your brand, or product no matter how mundane it is. Create a campaign that engages you're audience and captivates their attention on a regular basis. Connect them to you, each other and your brand. Have an animated paper clip created that serves as a virtual customer service agent for your site. Brand him every step of the way so they recognize you're paper clip vs other paper clips. Make the process of ordering office supplies interactive and engaging. Have you're animated paper clip guide your customers through the ordering process every step of the way, even suggestively selling your customers other office supplies along the way. Use your database of customer to email market to them on a semi weekly basis but make your campaign embrace office humor and mentality while suggestively reminding customers of their office needs. When they are communicated to it is not by you mr john q paper clip salesman, it's from MR. GQ paper clip character. Create a blog that gives office workers a place to rant and joke about office life. Ghost write the blog entries as coming from 'mr paper clip character' and lend your personality and sense of humor to the character making the focus of your entries around all that is the office humor that is so famous for making it's way to employees printers and cubicles for display. Create a widget for your character that serves all the funny office humor being collected by you. Make it a haven for office humor, hell CREATE your own office humor and make it go viral, watermark the LOL content at all times with you're website. People will laugh, and with a proper call to action be drawn to your site and order office supplies from you once a level of trust is gained and a utility is realized. The key to it all is differentiating yourself from the competiton and that is a traditional marketing principle. When creative a traditional ad campaign always ask yourself, how can this message be conveyed on the web and how would I design it so that users can interact with it and the message speaks to them? What is the reaction you want to see from your ad, and then figure out how to gain that reaction. If you have ever watched a commercial or seen and ad and said this ad sucks, or this ad is amazing, or I like this product. Was the ad listening? The ad clearly has a message for you, but is it listening to the message the consumer is sending? If the ad is desinged right and linked to some form of smm then yes it will tell the consumer that it not only knows what the consumer is looking for but is feeling the 'pulse' of their needs. Smm lets you extend your reach beyond a supply based push towards the consumer. With smm you can organically create a consumer pull for your product.
With SMM you build a following based on a concept that may be directly or indirectly related to things that you may sell on the back end. The concept is what attracts people to you.
You then carry and brand that concept again and again...
The popular "elf yourself" was a social interaction on a massive scale and guess who was branded during this wildly viral social event? .... Office Max
Next year during the holidays, people will remember Elf Yourself and the traffic will start all over again... OfficeMax has some "outside the box" thinkers to come up with this legendary social media marketing event.
How much traffic and sales did OfficeMax get from this promotion? ... well if you look at their Alexa traffic you can see that their traffic was more or less doubled while Elf Yourself was running... Do you think they sold more office supplies online with more traffic?
Thank you for the awesome brain dump ... I have learned a great deal of insight from your post and am investigating a few of your sources to add to my arsenal.
I read Adam's post on the paper clip with great interest. I guess that is what I am driving at with my "BooBoo Barkley" .... so, is there a difference between branding and personika ... and then I need to have a better understanding of the difference.
I don’t want to go beyond the what Charles wants in these comments. So I’ll just try to clarify my request: I’m looking for ways to integrate various SM mediums with old fashioned static web sites. For example, I know how to build Squidoo lenses, but when and how do I use them ? How do I give longevity to my bookmarks ? Do I bookmark static pages, or just new content ? What combinations of SMM sites that seem to fit together best ? Etc., etc
Maybe this is too basic for most people here, and I'm sure there is no single answer. But a marketing model or ‘blueprint’ would be tremendously useful. MacPhearson’s SM Daily makes a great start. Hopefully Charles can build on that.
john
Thank you for your thoughtful response based on a position of frustration that is common in the SMM space.
I intend to address your concerns in my upcoming report... As you know SMM is a huge topic and social sites are rising and falling all the time. My goal is to build a timeless solution based on solid principles that can be applied no matter where the social platforms evolve.
This is not proving to be an easy task as you may well understand... What I am discovering is... because every business is different, everyone will have to choose their own model for social impact using a solid guide and a proper resource through which to investigate solutions that "fit" the personality of the marketer and the business they are promoting.
Wish me luck :-)
"Thanks for having the courage to take on Stompernet, and their absurd pricing. Seems that $1500 is the new IM pricing standard. And don’t forget H. Schwartz’ “Conversation Domination” (promoted by Jeff Johnson)- also about $1500 as I recall.
It’s approach is to outsource a barrage of posts and bookmarks to Web2.0 sites. But checking on a couple of his sites 2 months later shows few of them retained their rankings.
Secondly, I think we miss the boat if we focus just on SMM sites by themselves. For me the real quesiton is how do we integrate them into traditional marketing models ? Does Web2.0 work only if you have a blog ?
Do I really need a blog ? How do I integrate dynamic SMM with statc web sites ? For example, how do I blog and do SMM if Im selling something mundane like socks, tarps, or paper clips ??
Bottom line: Need the big picture, longevity, and integration with traditional webs
But a marketing model or ‘blueprint’ would be tremendously useful. MacPhearson’s SM Daily makes a great start. Hopefully Charles can build on that."
thanks for all you do !
john
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Accept for the information that Charles will provide, I cannot think of any other free resource that breaks down the confusion of SMM into very manageable parts.
I would have probably paid for the information that the Social Media Daily ebook provides. You may not be as enthusiastic about the report as I am, but, you are spot on in terms of a place to start.
It will, at the very least, give you a healthy perspective on where to begin...
SocialMediaDaily.com
http://www.socialmediadaily.com
In addition to tapping SMD, I would just like to "comment on your comments" concerning a lasting advertising strategy using social media. I maybe stating the obvious but you have provide most of these venues with controversial headlines and stimulating subject matter when you are submitting articles or blog posts to Digg and Reddit.
My early attempts at trying to promote a friends website with a press release found me "flagged" as spam on the Digg network. The website in question was a free forum that discusses "the good, the bad, and the ugly" of wholesale suppliers and distributors.
Even though the site was free to join with no selling attempts thrust upon members once they did, it was considered a "spam portal".
Some of the "Digg" community came to that conclusion on the basis of it's design.
Granted, it did look like a site that was designed with FrontPage in the late 90's. But, perception can be reality in the Digg community. Despite my best efforts to convince readers otherwise, it was "dug up and then buried"..
SIDENOTE: I love ugly sites. They do make money...
I realize that there are plenty of other SM outlets available and not all would have treated my press release the same way.
However, this is just a cautionary tale and the makings of a larger point. I think that some people (not you or anyone here per'se) try to promote a business, or a particular e-commerce website strait out of the box so to speak.
Most of the headlines and subject matter among the SM crowd serve up controversy, political discussion, and stories that capture the communities attention.
Just go to a site like Reddit.com another "digg" type of SM. Type in George Bush.
It is filled with articles about his incompetence, or the latest slaming of adminstration policies. If you wrote something that was positive about his Presidency then you might just be able to garner some traffic from it.
On the medical end of the social media spectrum, there was a guy (and his name and blog escape me now) that wrote on article on how certain brain diseases can make you smarter. It was a run away hit and the "traffic hits" soon followed..
You have to keep in mind (and I sure you do) that these are socially driven sites first, and business promotion vehicles second. You can weave your signature file, URL, or a blurb about your company within the fabric of a good article or story.
Your goal should always be to first entertain, or to get someone to complain!
With outlets like Squidoo and other free web page creation services, I would just concentrate on the top twenty words or phrases that have proven (that keyword research you will have to do) to convert, or keywords that you feel are worth targeting.
I think the reason H. Schwartz probably fell a bit in his rankings (and I am only guessing here) is that he might have outsourced a lot of the material he produced, and well, lets say the quality might have been "less than stellar".
Again, I don't have any evidence of this and speculation is my only guide.
The only reason I can offer an opinon, is because he does mention that he outsources some of his website or blog work in his free report.
He might have outsourced just a little too much and the Google Gods in their divine wisdom started knocking chipping away at his PR rankings
Personally, this is something I would not do. I have about 20 keywords that I am working on. When I attempt to develop a Squidoo lense about said keywords, I also am knowledgeable in each category because they relate to the industry I am familiar with.
I am not just creating hundreds of pages hoping that some long tails will convert..
So, they will be updated and cared for just like I would a regular site.
They will not be a "set and forget" strategy, but part of an ongoing long term method of generating income. If I am not mistaken, you also split ad revenue with Squidoo.
They make money from Google, AdSense, Amazon, and other sites that do not come to mind right now. They keep track of the earnings and provide you a 50/50 split.
The bottom line with SM sites like Squidoo is to not create a plethora of sites in the hope of gaming the SE's. You will only get a "google" slap, sooner, rather than later.
When it comes to sites like the "Squid" and their counterparts, sometimes less is more, and quality does out rank quanity..
Regarding your comment..
"Secondly, I think we miss the boat if we focus just on SMM sites by themselves. For me the real quesiton is how do we integrate them into traditional marketing models ? Does Web2.0 work only if you have a blog ?
Do I really need a blog ? How do I integrate dynamic SMM with statc web sites ? For example, how do I blog and do SMM if Im selling something mundane like socks, tarps, or paper clips ??"
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No, you don't need a blog and you can promote any type of static site, or blog format you want. Here again, see the above mentioned SM rules. One of your questions is how do you promote such run of the mill items such as paper clips or tarps.
Well, I would say that if you were to use SM sites like Digg, or Reddit, then, right off the top of my small mind, I could think about some provactive headlines concerning both of the items of which you speak..
"Fast Thinking Man Uses Paper Clip To Disarm Gun Wielding Robber"
"Trucker Uses Paper Clips To Tow 50,000 Pounds Of Frozen Food"
"Forget The Largest Rubber Band Ball - Inventor Builds Automobile Out Of Paperclips"
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"Fireman Amazed At Thin Plastic Tarp - Saved Two People That Fell 20 Stories"
"One Hundred Skiers Set New Record On A Plastic Tarp"
"A Plastic Tarp Saved My Family"
"Using The Right Plastic Tarp Can Save Lives"
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Yes, the above headlines are somewhat exaggerated, and, well, maybe even a bit ridiculious. But, that is the point. You want to create a sense of wonder, interest, and if you can, controversy.
- Point Of Information About Tarps -
TarpsPlus has been around since 2001
http://www.tarpsplus.com/
Just goes to show that just about anything sells on the Internet..
Well crafted lenses and social media driven articles can give you the traffic spike you need and the long term "gifts that keep on giving" type of traffic that can sustain you over the long haul.
As mentioned, you can supply all the necessary contact and website information about where they can purchase their "towing capacity" paper clips, or life saving tarps (LOL!)
SMM can work for anything that you are promoting - online or off..
SM can be used in conjunction with other Internet Marketing strategies and some people are currently using it as their only strategy, because it can provide fast indexing for new sites and rank for keyword phrases with established sites..
How do you find ideas for story lines? Well, you could sign up for Google alerts. Type in just about any keyword or industry you want to keep track of and Google will alert you via e-mail when anything is written or posted about it.
Be the first one, or at least "one of the many" that gets to the story so you can rewrite your own "exciting and revamped" version of it.
Look for new and different products in trade publications of your particular interest, or websites such as Trendwatching.com. If you can't write very well, there are websites like..
AllCustomContent.com
http://www.allcustomcontent.com
They are expensive, but for one article, or page that is well written and researched, the price can be recouped in thousands if you hit it right.
I could go on, but I am getting too long in this post already. I will end by leaving you with this..
The Chinese have a saying..
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."
While this is by no means the end of the journey, I hope the information in this post can at least help you with the first step..
With Regards..
I am,
Robert C - The Wholesale Products Guy
There is not much difference between branding and a persona if the persona is to become your "hook" into the social space then you will use it often to move people to your message. The people that like you (or your persona) will follow you away from your areas of promotion to arrive at your website or blog.
Once they get there then you promote your products but you have to be "forever aware" of why that visitor came to your space or they will run. You can't come across as a bait and switch operation... Your integrity must carry through all the way through to the sale and after the sale.
Always remember you visitors arrived because they like you. Much like a guest arriving at your home, you wouldn't bombard them with advertising... instead you would make them feel welcome and then offer them more of you.
Once people trust you then they will buy from you by simply suggesting things.
I know this goes beyond what you asked but I just had to get this out.
If you are looking to build your keywords up, and benchmark your keywords vs industry leaders for your category of interest I implore you to use a site like www.hitwise.com.
It's and expensive resource, but worth it's weight in gold if you use it correctly. Charles do you have any other sites that might be free that are like www.hitwise.com?
@the wholesale products guy great ideas for paper clip and tarp headlines!
You Rock!!!!
By following your teachings, I was able to create a website, purchase the correct domain name at end of Nov 2007 and by the middle of January 2008 I had achieved a PR 2 on my home page. I was amazed that in less than 60 days, I had reached that.
I am still a beginner as far as the internet marketing goes, but my faith has been restored.
My light at the end of the tunnel finally came on!
Highest regards to you,
Julia
I was on of the first member of your forum, and I learned a lot from you mate.
I do agree with what you said about forum because I've had the same sort of (not 500K) success with forum.
If you know how to play within the top forum in your niche, you are ahead of the game.
I will keep this post and add it in a case study for my affiliate profit mentor club members if you don't mind.
Franck the body guard.
What you say is VERY true. Most marketers don't understand the value of a high traffic forum if you step in and contribute.
as usual your information is top notch. And while I haven't been a big fan of forums I'll certainly be checking them out from now on.
Thanks again
Have been absent for a while ... doing catchup tonight ... thank you for the additional
info. I find it most helpful. I am working on developing BooBoo Barkley who of course will be the "go to" for all info etc. on dogs. I am having fun and spending a good deal of time on further educating myself on IM.
Thank you for all that you do...................
best...........valentina
THANK YOU!
Terri Stallcop
BTW, I love this article and all the great comments your getting. WOW!
Now it sounds very time-saving and enticing (okay, pricey) but what I am mainly wondering is - is it spam? Or valid promotion? If it's not spam it sounds really good.
Thank you - the software works with bookmarking sites, Scuttle sites. Which is not really Social Media (is it?) just Bookmarking (del.icio.us, furl, ma.ganolia, simpy, etc). It makes RSS Feeds for your site and will then bookmark any site, blog, or page which has an RSS Feed (which might include Hub Pages etc.?).
But I assume you knew that was what I meant and if you say to drop it I should probably drop it.
I just downloaded your 25 page formula.pdf. I had no idea - where have you been hiding this? I have looked through your site more than once and never found it.
I just wanted to tell you that there is an E-Book offered for sale on your site for about $10.00 which teaches how to use Google Adwords to find the right keywords to Theme your site. I tried to buy it but I got error messages.
I use Keyword Elite (I got it for free with Traffic Kahuna). Could I use Keyword Elite (which uses the Google Adwords tool) to find good keywords for structuring and siloing a site? I have and use the Master Plan, and I have been overhauling and creating my sites based on this. (It has created a definite increase of traffic.)