So, you’ve got your SEO website. Gotchyer blog. You’re posting there regularly. And you’ve got TONS of customers and…..no?? That’s not what’s happening? You mean…you need to do even more Inbound Marketing?

Yes, folks, that is correct! Social Media Marketing is a super important, but easy and free way to bring traffic to your site/blog.

“OK OK what is it, Girl Friday? you may ask. “And is it also truly easy and FREE?”

Today is your lucky day! Social media is cheap AND easy! Now, how often does that happy to you? (I mean that in a good way, of course. This is a family newsletter!)

  1. What it is: Social Media Marketing is using on-line communities to create conversation, build credibility, and increase your brand presence to an audience that is interested in your products and services, and to new customers who would not have heard of you otherwise.
  2. It IS easy. Here is a simple example: Let’s say you own a small restaurant in Santa Rosa – a routine Social Media Marketing plan might work like this…
    1. Your website contains menus, information about you as a chef, location, etc. And you have an on-line to go menu (a very cool tool, so SEO!).
    2. On your blog, every day, you post the evening’s new menu, or the day’s specials. Or the soup. Whatever. What is important is that since you have to create and print a new menu daily anyway, you simply copy and paste that menu text onto the blog. It takes 2 minutes of your time but builds enormous internet presence, because you are now publishing content on your blog every day. As a result, more customers learn about you, start to check your menu on a regular basis, come in to the restaurant, or click on the on-line to-go menu to order.
    3. You have joined a Sonoma county Facebook group (because that’s where your customers are), where you invite people to your blog to check the day’s menu. You mention your on-line order system for take-out. You toot your horn, baby!
    4. You have a Twitter account under your restaurant name, where you post your blog URL and direct people to your blog and site. Or you mention (in one sentence) the debut of a new, incredible dessert. Short, sweet tweets on Twitter are quick and easy.
    5. You have a profile on Yelp! (the local business site that allows users to recommend businesses they like to the site’s visitors). Your customers rave about your menu, the service, the easy on-line order system, etc. Visitors to Yelp! read those rave reviews, visit your site, order take-out, make a reservation for dinner….you get the picture!
    6. When you get a great review, mention it on Twitter. Post it on Facebook. See how it works? I TOLD you it was easy!
  3. What about the FREE part?? Well, it’s free. No money required. What is required is a plan,  your time, consistency.
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  4. Do I have to do this?? I really don’t want to!! (No, but it’s good for you. Just try it, and if you don’t like it, you don’t have to do it. But have I ever given you anything that wasn’t good for you??)
  5. How to start?:
    1. Identify your audience by researching blogs and social sites by industry, location, etc. THIS is most important! You can use search tools like Google, Technorati, Google Blog Search, Ice Rocket, Bloglines, Twitter Search, AideRSS.
    2. Sign on to at least one industry-specific group or site, and one social, casual site Better to participate regularly in two or three groups rather than sporadically in eight groups.
    3. Don’t just advertise!! GIVE information: answer questions, respond to another’s post with expert advice, post info about OTHER businesses you like. You’ll gain credibility this way for when you DO post an event, a sale, a product launch.Now…get started!!! Here is a partial list of the most popular Social Media Sites: Digg, Reddit, Stumbleupon, YouTube, Del.icio.us, Propeller, Facebook, Twitter