Uncover the Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Networking Sites – Surviving the Craziness of Google

SEO is truly crazy nowadays with recent updates of the Google algorithm. If you have observed the massive deindexing and the drop in the rankings of many websites, you need to pay attention. Today, social media is the flavor of Google and you need to know the advantages and disadvantages of social networking sites if you truly want to survive online.

Yes, I experienced the switch from heavy backlinking to the rise of social networking sites. Without a doubt, social media is truly important regardless of the size of your business. Particularly for the small business owners, social networking is so vital that it might be the answer to taking your online presence to the next level. Let us go through a few of the advantages and disadvantages of social networking sites.

Before anything else, what are these social networking sites? These are web technologies that are used for interactive communication, primarily employed to interact between individuals, groups, communities, and businesses. If you are familiar with Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, then you know what I am talking about.

People realize the need to connect with a celebrity, a business, or an important cause. In short, consumers wanted to have an interactive platform where they can voice out their sentiments and feelings. They might crave for this new dish from a restaurant or cheer for a celebrity. Social networking sites are the perfect venues to do anything interactive. As a business owner, there is a ton of benefits that you can take advantage with these technologies.

Building Traffic

It can be a headache to build traffic with the frequent updates in search engines right now. For online business owners, building traffic is the key to success and this is where social networking sites can be of great help. Through social networking sites, you can have your own site and let your customers see more about your products and services. You even allow them to comment or tell you their concerns. When you cater to your customers this way, the traffic will surely come through referrals and word-of-mouth marketing. In addition, as per the recent updates with Google, your site will be heavily favored by the search engines too.

Interaction with Customers

When you attempt to engage your customers online, you form this bond with them. In return, loyalty is fostered and you satisfy them at the same time. So, go on and try to post the updates with your latest promotions and videos about your business. Your customers will feel as if they are part of your business. Customer interaction, when properly handled, translates not only to more traffic but to increased sales too.

Cheap Form of Marketing

In this time of financial crisis, social networking sites offer a cheap way to advertise your business. The tools are mostly free. With a few minutes on these tools each day, you can reap the benefits with consistent effort. Moreover, you can do these online promotions yourself and you do not need to pay for professionals, unlike the other forms of traditional marketing.

The Disadvantages

Yes, there are a few disadvantages to the use of social networking sites. One of these problems is that it can be time consuming, especially for those entrepreneurs who are still learning these technologies. Nevertheless, this is compensated with its low price to execute an online marketing campaign.

Summary

These advantages and disadvantages of social networking sites are concepts you need to be familiar with. These concepts are important for your online business to survive down the road.

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Social Networking Sites for Adults

With the growing popularity of the internet more and more individuals are beginning to reap the benefits of social networking websites, primarily adults. With the implementation of these websites the options are relatively endless considering that they provide an ample amount of communication opportunities between friends, family, and even potential employers and employees. With social networking websites you are able to converse with a wide variety of different individuals from all over the world.


As previously mentioned, social networking sites provide adults with the opportunity to communicate with a vast audience of individuals. This provides an ample amount of business opportunities and personal opportunities that can be taken advantage of. With the ability to contact the hiring official of your desired career company you will undoubtably be able to provide a lasting impression that will enable you to apply for any positions within the company.


Alongside business opportunities, social networking sites also allow individuals to expand their networking knowledge with past and current friends. Generally after high school ends and after people move on from past jobs, keeping in touch with those that they conversed with while spending time in that institution can prove to be extremely difficult. Luckily, social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter enable the individual to keep up with past acquaintances.


One of the largest advantages of using a social media website is that they are convenient and free to use. Rather than having to worry about acquiring an acquaintance’s phone number you can easily search them on the social media website and add them as a friend.


This will allow you to continue your conversation within a more neutral area and to further your friendship/relationship with that individual. Many individuals are finding that they are expanding their friend base overseas or in different countries which can prove to bring forth a numerous amount of advantages to home and cell phone bills on a daily basis. With the use of these social media websites you will be able to communicate with individuals on the other side of the world for free and without having to worry about excess long distance charges.

Never Give Up! Your Dream is Within Your Reach.

How are you doing with your entrepreneurial pursuits? It’s not always easy to build a business on your own — out of thin air. But don’t give up if it’s something you really and truly want. Far too many people look back and regret giving up on their dreams. Despite how difficult it is to break through the barrier of making the kind of money you want so you can enjoy your life, perseverance can pay off!

Are You Willing to Work in a Normal Job for the Rest of Your Life?

As someone experienced in various businesses over the last ten years, I know what struggle is like.

• I feel the pain that those who are trying but not succeeding.
• I know what it’s like to feel like you need to give up and resolve yourself to the fact that maybe you’re just not meant to have a successful business.
• I also know what it’s like to have that nagging voice tell you that you don’t want to just be “like everyone else” and work for someone else in a “normal” job until you’re ready to retire. Who wants to wait until they’re old and grey to enjoy life on their own terms?

(I applaud those who are old and grey who are STILL living it up, though! It’s never too late to change your life for the better!)

My point is that I’ve never given up and so I’ve probably gone a lot further than most in terms of trying various businesses. I believe that puts me in a unique position of experience and I’m more than happy to help others towards success. I hope to help others take short cuts that could save time, money, and frustration.

The Six Figures Community

I have found many opportunities over the years and have spent thousands on my internet marketing education. Whilst I’ve spent large sums of money on expensive programs, a newer opportunity that I’m very excited about is the six figures community. This is what I believe will be the last opportunity I’ll ever need. I’m very thankful to have found it and would love for you to have an opportunity to learn more about it. Interested? Check out here to learn about a low cost but high yield opportunity that could make a dramatic difference for you. What sets this apart from all the other programs is the magnificent support you will receive 24/7. So you will be literally hand held through the process if this what you need. See what sets apart the six figures community, click here now.

If You're Selling Online, You’ll Want to Become a Member of the Hot New Startup Pinterest

With its traffic in the U.S. skyrocketing Pinterest, the new online scrapbook site, is now one of the top 10 social networking and forum sites. According to comScore, the website had over 11 million unique visitors in December, 2011. Time magazine included Pinterest in its "50 Best Websites of 2011" column. On Pinterest, users create online scrapbooks consisting of images and videos to share projects and coveted products. The images placed on a user's page or board, produce an inspiration or collection of ideas. Pinterest is very popular with women, especially those in their twenties and thirties.

This new site is an elegant easy-to-use way to power social shopping. Businesses are using this new social photo website to promote their products and services, build a community, bring web traffic and drive sales. For now membership to the site is available to only by invitation. Businesses can request an invitation at Printerest.com.

Pinterest Traffic is Strong

According to statistics provide by Shareaholic, a social sharing tools firm, Pinterest is driving almost as much referral traffic as Google and Twitter. In fact, Pinterest is driving more referral traffic than YouTube, Google+, or Reddit at this time. It's one of the most popular social media portals for consumers to visit before they go to a retailer's website.

Hitwise, a tracking firm, stated Pinterest is one of the Web's top 10 social networks. People who visited the site in January, 2012 spent close to 100 minutes at the site, compared to 19 minutes on the professional social networking site LinkedIn.

It's Easy and Fun to Create Boards

At Pinterest, companies have the opportunity to grab a visitor's attention with images instead of words. The website and apps allow businesses to create image boards showcasing products and/or services. Businesses can upload an image or link to a board, pin links to videos they have at YouTube as well as add images related to the products or services they provide. Many companies are creating unique and interesting photo galleries just for use on Pinterest.

The most important thing on Pinterest is the pin. A pin is simply an image. Once an image is pinned it can be repined by other Pinterest users. Repining is how content spreads virally on this new social platform. Users can even follow other user's boards and repin, comment or place a "like" on a pin. Companies can add a "Pin It" button to their product pages to lets users know they can pin items they find in their online store onto their own Pinterest board.

Businesses shouldn't just place images of items they sell; the interaction on this hot new site about sharing the lifestyle associated with the brand. Pinterest wants businesses to engage in their community. Using pins from other sites on your own company's boards show followers that you are not just using Pinterest to promote your own merchandise and/or service; you are promoting a lifestyle which builds trust and gains more followers.

Companies can also use Pinterest's price display feature. When a Pinterest user pin an item on a board for their followers to see, the image of that item automatically includes the item's title and a banner showing the price.

Pinterest is Driving Targeted Traffic That Is Buying Merchandise

Traffic to a company's website coming form Pinterest has been highly targeted from the onset and is more likely to produce a purchase. Many businesses have found the traffic more targeted than Facebook or Twitter. Typically traffic from a person's Facebook and Twitter pages consist of people who are interested in that particular person, what she did last night what she had for dinner and whether or not she is in a relationship but traffic from that same person's Favorite Dress board at Pinterest consists of people who are interested in dresses. For example, a user finds a fabulous dress on a retailer's board, using the "Pin It" bookmark in her web browser, provided by Pinterest, she pins the dress to her Favorite Dress board. This visual pin also serves as a direct link to the product page where other consumers can purchase the same dress from the originator's online store.

Google Analytics Tie-in

Google Analytics keep tracks of all pins on an individual basis. The information lets businesses keep track of popular items being shared by users and conversions which may result from the pin. Business can see every pin which has been pinned from their domain. This information helps a marketing team to identify sales and viewing trends on the most pinned items.

Some Ways You Can Use Pinterest

You may want to consider creating a contest on Pinterest where customers create boards and pin their favorite merchandise from your online store. The additional sales and brand awareness that is generated can easily outweigh the cost of providing a prize to the winner of the contest.

Companies are also using their Facebook pages to advertise their Pinterest boards. You can also encourage your Facebook and Twitter followers to pin your products on their Facebook and Twitter page. Innovative companies are also sending emails inviting people to see what they're doing at Pinterest or have recently pinned.

Pinterest provides a new way for companies to build a valuable connection between their ecommerce platforms and consumers that are collecting and sharing content. It's a great tool for small, medium and large businesses.

Social Media Marketing in 2012

Social media marketing is such a broad term that many people who are looking to boost the image of their company ask "What is social media marketing?
Social media marketing defined as the process of gaining website traffic or attention through social media sites such as facebook, Twitter, youtube, etc.

Doing business today is very different & challenging from the days of old, What worked earlier that doesn't necessarily ensure success today, nor can you get by just with extensive knowledge in one particular arena. Today is about keeping your eyes and ears open and bringing value to others in new ways.

Today is about re-inventing and expanding and building relationships across a wide open sea of Social Media. It requires a passion for learning new technologies, a willingness to immerse yourself in uncharted waters and a genuine capacity for generosity.

People are engaging in conversations. Conversation is the new marketing. Tapping into these conversations shows where your audience is spending time online, and what subjects and issues are of interest to them. To reach your consumers successfully, you need to move your marketing activity from the traditional "push" method, where you broadcast your messages to thousands via the media, to a "pull" strategy, where you make it easy for people to find your information, whenever and wherever they want it.

"If searching for the news was the most important development of the last decade, sharing the news may be among the most important developments of the next."

Therefore it is very important to have a presence on social networking sites. Social networks not only give the marketer a place to express themselves but it also provides with a unique platform to interact with their customers and help them serve better. And ultimately fulfilling the sole cause of the business i.e. Customer Satisfaction.
This can also be a great starting point for the marketing to go viral and pick up a grassroots effort.
Marketing of social media through various social media platform

Twitter
Twitter allows companies to promote products on an individual level. The use of a product can be explained in short messages that followers are more likely to read. These messages appear on followers home page. Messages can link to the product's website, Facebook profile, photos, videos, etc. This link provides followers the opportunity to spend more time interacting with the product online. This interaction can create a loyal connection between product and individual and can also lead to larger advertising opportunities. Twitter promotes a product in real-time and brings customers in.

Facebook
Facebook profiles are more detailed than Twitter. They allow a product to provide videos, photos, and longer descriptions. Videos can show when a product can be used as well as how to use it. These also can include testimonials as other followers can comment on the product pages for others to see. Facebook can link back to the product's Twitter page as well as send out event reminders. Facebook promotes a product in real-time and brings customers in.

As marketers see more value in social media marketing, advertisers continue to increase sequential ad spend in social by 25%. Strategies to extend the reach with Sponsored Stories and acquire new fans with Facebook ads continue to an uptick in spend across the site. The study attributes 84% of "engagement" or clicks to Likes that link back to Facebook advertising. Today, brands increase fan counts on average of 9% monthly, increasing their fan base by two-times the amount annually.

These platforms are not only used for marketing social media but also help in social media monitoring.

for more information visit our website-: http://www.socialmedia18.com

About the Author

Social Media 18 is a Social Media & Search Marketing agency, we are group of young, talented & passionate people and we love "Socializing", we help brands in developing better strategy for Social Media & Search Marketing.

We strongly believe that from earlier days of one way communication, now it's time to understand that relationships are more powerful than marketing. If marketers look at Social Media as another channel for advertisement, it won't help. Social Media is not about one more bill board it's about conversation & engagement with your consumers.

-: http://www.socialmedia18.com

What Do ALL Internet Marketing Success Stories Have In Common?

Some people are destined for success as an entrepreneur. They’re born leaders and they have the drive and ambition to succeed. Some people dream of wealth and success but don’t have the initiative to make it happen. Do you fall under one of these categories? Which one?

Success in an area such as internet marketing is possible for anyone. There’s enough room and growth opportunities for everyone with the ever-expanding online land of plenty But most people don’t just stumble into instant success. They work for it. Unless you have a rich relative who’s bequeathing you a vast fortune, you’ll have to work hard to be successful. (And even if you have that rich Uncle, you’ll have to work hard not to just squander it all away on bad decisions and as a result of laziness!)

Hard work doesn’t have to be painful. You can put your entrepreneurial dreams to good use and get successful without a treacherous and long hard road of failures and lessons.

How? Find a mentor and learn from them.

Benefits of Getting Coached:

-Your coach will give you a success roadmap. This will help you avoid the pitfalls and help you find the detours that can make the journey a little bit shorter and as enlightening as possible!

-Your coach will help you with step by step instructions. No guesswork involved. You’ll still work but you’ll work with purpose.

-If you make mistakes or need help, a coach can assist with this. No need to wallow in your misery if you’re frustrated or confused. A coach or mentor means you’re not alone.

How do you find an entrepreneurism / internet marketing mentor? There are opportunities for coaching and mentoring programs for entrepreneurs who want to develop online businesses. You can learn from experts what to do and what not to do. Yes, you’ll have to work hard but if you’re a true entrepreneur, you’ll enjoy the learning process because it’s all part of the process of building your own empire. Check out the sidebar for information on how to get started with the 4 FREE ebooks.

How To Stay Ahead With Internet Marketing

The world of internet marketing moves at the speed of light. Things going on could impact your success in a major way. Not staying abreast of  you could find:

-Plummeting traffic levels

-Growing  bounce rates

-Decreasing market share

-Loss of revenue

And, all the above things could lead to loss of passion for your entrepreneurial pursuits!  Staying in the “know” helps you maximise the potential for traffic, lead generation, and conversion.

Because the world of internet marketing is ever changing, it’s vital for an entrepreneur to stay on top of things.  Here are some ways that you can do that:

-Join an internet mentoring group. Learn the latest techniques and network with others who share knowledge.

-Subscribe to newsletters. (Get tips from my sidebar) You’ll find many successful internet marketing coaches that are more than willing to share information and resources that can help you stay abreast of the latest Google algorithm changes and how they could impact you. They’ll also share internet marketing techniques that are helping them increase their online success. You’ll also find newsletters from search engine optimisation experts. Browse through Google News and /or Google Blog Search and you’ll find plenty of information.

-Join discussion forums and subscribe to industry blogs. You’ll find many online marketing forums and blogs that share information with one another as well as get great strategy discussions going.

Not everything you find online will be true fact so it’s important to look for reliable sources, which can help fuel your success. Sure there's a lot of free info out there but not all of it is current so it could be a good idea to invest in your online success.  Continually upgrading your knowledge will help you grow a successful business. 

Got any resources that help you stay on top of changes in SEO and in marketing techniques? Feel free to share in the comments.

How to Make 2012 Your Best Year Ever!

Do you have big dreams for the next year for your business and your finances? Every day can be a new day if you have a great attitude but a new year presents great opportunities for improved mindset. A new year feels like a fresh start with things like: health goals, money goals, and business plans. What's your plan for the next year in terms of growth for your internet marketing business? Here are some suggestions and internet marketing resources.

Analyse

Analyse what you've done this past year. Analyse what you've done well and what hasn't gone so well and learn from all of it. Ask yourself questions and carefully weigh the answers. What have you done right? What might you do differently? Every failure you endure can be a learning experience so look back and reflect and this can help you move forward. Don't forget to analyse your website statistics and analyse your competition. These things can give you a good idea of where you might want to focus some energy in the coming year. Resources: Use free website analytic programs, such as Google Analytics. And, get a journal for writing and tracking your goals.

Improve

Self improvement is important. What should you do more of? Maybe it's blogging, maybe it's organisation. Maybe you need to make a financial investment to take your business to the next level. Maybe you want to overcome self-confidence issues and REALLY take the plunge with your business. Improving on your shortcomings is something you should continually work at. It won't always bring results overnight but can start you on the right road toward success. Improve your knowledge and your skills, especially in SEO, copywriting, and marketing knowledge areas. Resources: Check out my free internet marketing bootcamp, for instance.

Learn

Learning is power. It's a cliché but it's true! The web provides endless education opportunities. Don't believe everything you read but find mentors whom you trust and learn from them. Learn from your mistakes as well as your triumphs. Don't hesitate to invest in an internet marketing education. You can even obtain a degree in internet marketing from accredited online schools if you wish. Or, join a mentoring group and learn all you can from those who have become successful and learned from their mistakes.

Lather, Rinse and Repeat

When you find great internet marketing resources and tools, use them to the max! Too often, people find a bit of success and become complacent. In terms of the world of internet marketing, it's ever-evolving so something that works today might only work for a short amount of time. If you find a winning strategy, use it to the full potential!

Do Unto Others
Treat others how you want to be treated. It's a simple philosophy in life and works great in terms of customer service. One thing many internet marketers are lacking is customer service skills. If you can give your customers a great experience in doing business with you, they'll tell their friends and they'll buy from you again in the future.

Pay it Forward

Has someone helped you learn internet marketing? Why not be an internet marketing resource to others as well? Do you believe in the laws of attraction? If you do, you'll know that great things happen in the presence of kindness and generosity.

Go!

Don't just sit there dreaming about success; make it happen! Only you have the power be successful and happy today, tomorrow, next year, and the year after.