What is Social Listening? It has come to be known as one of the most powerful marketing tools for the internet. More people are using social networking sites as a way to market their products and services. If you are looking to market your business online then Social Listening is something you should definitely know about. And what tools we do need to use.
When I first heard about Social Networking, I was intrigued. How did people get more friends on MySpace? How did they make money? Who was doing it? All of these questions kept me very interested in learning more.
Once I had a better understanding of how it all worked, I set out to find the best way possible to use this technology for my own business. This led me to the creation of social networking tools. These are software programs that help to automate some of the more tedious tasks involved in social networking. Some examples are:
* Blogging.
If you have your own blog or website, then you can easily create blogs using your CMS. There are numerous blogging platforms available. WordPress is probably the most popular. Then there are TypePad and Xanga. You don’t need any experience, just make sure you have a web host and you’re set to go.
* Build a network of like-minded customers and followers.
This is actually the backbone of Social Listening. Once you have a large list of friends, family, and acquaintances, you can easily send them promotional information about your products and services. If the information interests them, then they will likely follow the link and even buy your products.
* Send direct messages.
Similar to blogging, it is easy to build a network of followers through direct messages. However, since social networking is done by posting messages to your wall, people tend to notice one another more quickly. That said, it is also good to stick to relatively small networks to start out with. As you get more comfortable, expand your network.
* Build a forum.
This is an excellent tool for getting into contact with others on your list. You can use a forum to exchange ideas, open lines of communication, and more. Just make sure you avoid annoying others when using this. Don’t use profanities or call others names.
Building your list is only the beginning. You must learn how to maximize each person’s usefulness to you. Remember that what is social networking is all about gaining business connections that you can use for sales. That said, if you want to learn what is social networking? then you need to learn these basic social networking principles.
* Make your profile interesting.
Your profile should include information that others will find useful to them. If you are running a service that caters to your niche, then you will want to focus on that in your profile. If you have a blog, then you will want to put that information at the top of the page so that people see it and read it regularly.
* Keep your URL short and sweet.
Your Twitter or Facebook URL needs to be short and sweet so that people can remember you easily. It doesn’t have to be long, but it needs to be brief. People will get turned off if they have to go through all of the introductions just to get to yours. Make your URL easy for people to spell.
* Keep your profile updated and up to date.
This will keep your profile looking fresh. It’s a big investment to buy a domain name, and you don’t want to end up getting slapped with a complaint from the registrar because you haven’t kept your site updated. update your sites on a regular basis.
What is social networking? It is an excellent way to market your website and create an online presence for your business. If you want to use it to your advantage, you will have to keep your profile updated, you will have to keep your URL short and sweet, and you will have to keep promoting yourself and your website. It is not difficult to do. All you have to do is get started. Good luck!
