Online marketing solutions

Keywords have become the foundation of any email or online internet marketing, including social media.  Without adding the right keywords and phrases in your website, you might as well set up shop in the desert. The whole goal is to be found.  Sounds simple, but it is not.

Understanding how keywords work, takes a bit of time and research.  The good news is, the Worldwide Web has all you need to know – and that information  is available, at the click of your mouse.  Here are a few simple strategies.

• Know How your Audience Thinks: Hey, I am  not advocating mind reading.  But you need to anticipate words that people might use when looking for your product or service.  It may not be the exact words you would have used for your product or service keywords, but if you don’t test your words, with the right tools, you could miss a sale.  At the end, it’s all about your target audience.  You need to understand how they search and think.  For example, a furniture company discovered the search word being used for sofa was the word couch.  They immediately updated their keywords and made an immediate sale.

• Relevance: When we search online, we have certain ideas and expectations of what our keywords will bring us.  If you are like me, and you start getting responses back that are not exactly what you had hoped for, you keep revising your search word and search phrase to get that perfect result. Your website content should match the keywords people are searching for.  If it doesn’t, they will leave your site and you will lose a possible prospect.

Here are some free tools related to keyword research and tracking:

• Social Media Keyword Research:   Social media is a great tool.  Find out what people are talking about and what words they are using that relate to your market.  You can create a list of those targeted words to use on your website.
  • TweetVolume: Enter keywords to see their frequency within Twitter
  • YouTubeKeyword Tool:  Find video related keywords and tags used – similar to the Google Keyword Search Tool.
• Google Trends: With Google Trends, you can compare the world’s interest in your niche market.
• Google Insights for Search: Compare search volume patterns across specific regions, categories, time frames and properties.

Keyword research is vital for your search engine and website optimization goals.  Your site must target the right keywords for a high ranking performance.  As important as it is to be found, you need to be found by the right people. This takes thoughtful planning and strategy.  Using the right tools can give your website a strong online presence.

Remember:  Don’t just spend your time and energy on the aesthetics of your site.   That would be like cooking a spectacular meal, with all the trimmings.  It may look and taste fabulous, but what good is it if no one shows up for dinner?

I watch Fox News every evening.  OK I am addicted, I admit it.  Unfortunately, the economic news has not been very uplifting lately.  Every economist seems to have a different take on what we are experiencing.  But what we can ALL agree on is this one simple statement – the economy is not good.  Kind of depressing?  For small businesses or email and internet marketers that advertise and sell online, there is a light at the end of the tunnel – the news is not so dark.

This will be a good time to take a look at what people are talking about on the Social Networks.  Surf around on Facebook and Twitter.  Google blog posts for subjects that deal with your market niche.  What are the problems and concerns that are being voiced?

Offer Solutions that Meet a Need

Can you offer solutions and help?  Start spreading your internet voice and solve some problems for your clients and prospects that the current economy has created.   Are you up to and ready for a challenge?

Everyone loves tips on how to save money and time.  In our years of  experience and just living, all of us are experts in something.  Sharing your expertise and experience, without an agenda to sell, just might bring in an unexpected return.

The Economy is not a Crutch or an Excuse for Failure

Bad news is everyone and is affecting everyone.  It is times like this that you must rally within yourself and start your creative juices flowing.  Your goal is to be a catalyst – continuing to create interest in your services and products.

People are under a great deal of stress these days.  They are worried about their futures and hoping for better days.  So, here are some helpful suggestions to get you on a positive path towards creating  more opportunities to be seen and get noticed in a difficult economy:

Existing Customers are Crucial for Sustainability

All B2B and B2C businesses know that turning prospects into clients take time, planning, and trust.  But once you have created that trust, it is priceless.  The reason we exist is not because of a one-time sale, closeout, or discounted item.  The reason we can pay our bills is totally dependent upon our existing and repeat customers.

We all know how important building our customer base is.  But keeping your customers happy and satisfied is even more important.

Showing your appreciation to them, in tangible ways, will not only give them a lift, but keep you and your brand alive and in the front of their minds.

The Element of Surprise

Do you have a newsletter that you send out?  If you don’t, this would be an opportune time to do so.  How about offering a special deal or discount, just to your loyal repeat clients?  In a bad economy, any kind of valuable offer will be appreciated.

Reach out in a personal way.  Bring people in behind the scenes of your company.  An event, a promotion, or just some interesting comments from you on a personal note.  Let people know your voice.

Whenever I see a movie that I love, I always look for a special presentation called:  “Behind the Scenes” -  of that particular movie.  I find it fascinating to be able to find out what went on during the filming.  The stories are so interesting.  You start to feel that you know the actors and directors personally.

Be Generous in an Ungenerous Age

Donate some of your specials to a worthwhile charity.  People tend to have more respect for those organizations that give to worthwhile causes.  Don’t be surprised how wonderfully that will affect you and all those who work for you.

Create a Team Spirit

The most underutilized part of an organization is its employees.  Mangers and executives tend to forget that the “underlings”  are on the same ship, weathering the same storm and trust me, they don’t want to drown.

Call for a power meeting in your board or conference room.  Shock your entire staff  by sending out an internal email request, asking for some creative ideas for your marketing mix.  This is a win-win.  You will probably get some interesting responses but most of all, you have let them know that they are integral to your survival, and you have just created genuine loyalty and trust within your own organization.

Reality Check - Get out There
The same old just won’t work anymore.  Use this time to re-think, re-plan and  re-structure.  Dare to be different, and determine to be creative.  This is a good time to not only step out of the box, but to break the box open, completely.

Link Building is not cheap and can be pretty costly, particularly in competitive or popular markets. But there are ways to work around it, even if you are a small business with an even smaller budget, but are in need of expanding your online marketing.

It’s really all about exposure. Remember that saying, “all press is good press,” well it’s partially true. But it helps a lot more if the press is good.

Volunteer your areas of expertise

Within your company, you must have any area of expertise, some amazing service that you’re offering to your customers. So how can you market your skill to the world?

1)      Offer a service for free. Let the community know about your donation, by contacting community service groups and the local media.

2)      Contribute to a website. Write a weekly or monthly column in an area of your expertise.

3)      Don’t be scared to ask your loyal customers to link your business through their blogs, websites, or social media platforms. If they like you, they probably won’t be against expressing it on the Internet.

Let’s pretend you’re a veterinarian, but word of mouth is not really cutting it in terms of marketing. One way to help is by volunteering your services once a week to a local animal shelter.

Let the community know about your volunteering. This gets your name out there, your business out there, and people begin to trust you and your services. Maybe the local media will pick up on it or groups within the community will start publicizing your services. You’ll build up contacts. No matter what, you’ll be doing something good and you’ll get only good exposure from it. Basically this becomes your own marketing campaign.

Write for Blogs and Websites

Every time you read a magazine or newspapers, there are always columns out there, e.g. financial experts giving their expert opinion on the economy. You can become a guest writer for a blog or contributing columnist once a week. If you’re words are out there and the readers like your advice, chances are you can pick up some more clients right there and they’ll tell their friends.

Add Links

Find your business’s name online. There might be plenty of websites out there that mention your business, but they might not have links attached to the name. Email the host and try to get a link attached to your name.

Join Local, National, and International Business Groups

Become a member of various business groups that are related to your company’s interests. Link your website to their members’ directory. If they don’t have one, ask them if they can link your website on their site, wherever you are listed.

All of these ideas for marketing your small business take time and effort but it’s worth it. Most of these things are small and may be a bit tedious but they help. By having links attached to places where your name is mentioned is simple. By volunteering, you’ll feel good and you’ll get your name out there. By writing a column, people will begin to trust you as an expert in your field. Remember, it’s all about exposure.

Now raise your hands if you know the difference between SEO and SEM that is if you know what SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SEM (Search Engine Marketing) are to begin with. I’m sure many of you out there are looking a bit lost now, and really it isn’t your fault. We have been using these terms interchangeably for awhile now and it’s time to stop and end the confusion.
SEO is actually a smaller aspect of SEM (Search Engine Marketing). SEM includes everything that is all the methods to promote a website on search engines, a form of online marketing. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the technique of promoting a website in natural or organic search results using key words.

The one, two, threes of SEM

Organic/Natural SEO

This method naturally improves a website’s rankings on search engines. The trick is using specific key words or phrases that represent the services offered on a company. The words should be used pretty often on the website itself within articles, links, headlines, and more. Those who are experienced in SEO can really improve a website’s results. SEO brings more readers to the site, which will bring more clients.

Using Local search

A local search uses SEO strategies in conjunction with info on state, city, and zip codes. This particularly helps users searching for local businesses. This can also include local directories, Google’s directory, profiles, and more.

Pay Per Click (PPC)

PPC is advertisements on search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, MSN, Bing… The advertisements will appear under the sponsored results each time a user types in a key word that relates to the subject of the ad. Advertisers only have to pay for users that click on their websites, explaining the name “pay per click.”

Social Media Marketing (SMM)

Social Media Marketing is the use of Internet applications to communicate and market yourself. This includes blogging, Twitter (micro-blogging), using social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn, and YouTube to advertise yourself, your business, or your services. Set up a profile on one of the sites and begin to market yourself and your skills.

Article Marketing

This is a type of advertising in which businesses write articles about their industry, business, services, and more. The articles are then published in the marketplace or on their own websites. You can add links in your article to get users to your site.
Marketing works best when you use more than one method. Use SEO and try some other SEM techniques. Come up with a plan when you are creating your website. Discuss traffic to the website, plan SEO into the structure of the website instead of after your finished and see where it leads you.

BizReport: Mobile Marketing: March 17, 2009

A chain of fashion clothing stores in the U.S. used mobile coupons to bolster sales.

The coupon campaign was promoted online via the store’s website, blog and on various mall websites where the store was featured. Offline, the campaign was promoted via signage in all Planet Funk stores that displayed the shortcode and corresponding keyword.

The results were phenomenal. Planet Funk created over 20% of their total December revenue via the mobile campaign. Nearly 2,000 coupons were generated and 91% were redeemed. In addition, 15% of those that redeemed coupons opted-in to receive future mobile campaigns.

According to BrandWeek: A new study finds that 72% of consumers are using more coupons than they did six months ago.   While newspapers and magazines were the primary source of coupons for 51% of consumers, 39% said they wanted to receive their future coupons via direct mail, while 26% said e-mail, either direct or through newsletters, would work. Another 16% preferred Web sites.

We all love a bargain – and so do our prospects and clients!

Coupons are highly effective and should be added to your marketing mix and coupon strategies.

Why Use Coupons?

• Coupons can reactivate your old customers. Give them a good reason to start buying from you again, rather then going to your competitors.

• Coupons can be a catalyst to other sales.  Offering a bargin or discount on one product, gives you opportunities to sell something else.

• Customer Feedback.  Reach out to your customers and prospects.  Ask them for honest feedback.  See what they want and are looking for in a sale or discount.

Make your Coupon Campaign a Success

1. Customers want to know exactly how much money they will be savings.  Do not be ambiguous.  Specify the dollar amount.
2. If you are using a discount in percentages, use the higher percentages as in 25%.  Lower percentages give a cheap display.
3. You can offer the buy one, get one free or buy one get half off on your second purchase.
4. Make sure you are clear in your advertisement.  We all want to know exactly what are the discounted items.
5. Use graphics and pictures  of the item on sale – this will help support the text and leave no room for confusion.
6. A strong call to action.  Have an urgency with an expiration date.  You want them to act immediately.
7. Use coupons to obtain subscribers to your newsletter.  Give them a small discount for signing up.
8. Put your campaign on your company blog.
9. Use social media.  Advertisement on Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace.  You can assume your targets are already using these tools.  This will enhance your Web exposure.  Create a strong buzz.

Demographics

When designing your coupon campaign, you need to know:

• Who your target audience is?  Prospects, clients, or wanting to reconnect with old and inactive clients.
• What is the focus and goal of your campaign?  A clearing house special, a new product, an upgrade?

Don’t forget to track your campaign results. Tracking campaigns results is the only way to measure success.

Social Media has become a fantastic way to market yourself or your business. With easy accessibility to the Internet these days, it makes sense that we would learn to take advantage of it. We can share our whole world with people with one simple click of the mouse. We can meet new friends, connect with old ones, blog about our lives, share our inner most thoughts, and sell our skills and businesses. All this is possible through Social Media. This all sounds amazing, so how could there possibly be a downside to it?

The Bad

With the ability to share our whole world with the whole world that means everyone can know everything about you. People used to be able to have a public life and private life. Our private life, that time that we spend with friends and family, when we are at home enjoying meals with our significant other has become part of social media. Who only knew that their friend was single because his Facebook status was changed from being in a relationship with (insert any girl’s name, I’m sure she’ll be on Facebook) to single? And who hasn’t seen hundreds of wedding pictures and babies’ births on Facebook of MySpace? Some people may like the idea of showing their friends these special intimate moments in their lives, but they are forgetting that once it appears on the Internet it can travel anywhere and to anyone.

The Ugly

Some people out there might be wondering why they’re having such a hard time finding a job these days and maybe it’s not just about the economic recession. Maybe it’s because you sent your resume to a company who has interns that look up potential employees through Facebook. And maybe, just maybe, you forgot to take down those pictures of yourself wasted at a bar during your Spring Break when you were 20. It doesn’t matter if the pictures are 5 years old or 10 years old, if they are linked to your name, chances are you just lost a job opportunity because your potential employer chose someone who didn’t have evidence of them being a drunken mess. This may seem hard to believe but some businesses actually do look at your facebook profile and your MySpace profile when they’re looking to hire.

Do the benefits outweigh the risks?

This doesn’t mean that you should automatically become paranoid and delete your Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and Blogger accounts in the next 30 seconds. It just means that you should be careful what you publish about yourself. Don’t tell the whole world about your fetishes, don’t add your personal videos if you don’t want people that aren’t your friends to see them. And even though all of these sights have Privacy Policies, there are still ways around it. Sure you think only your friends and subscribers can see what you post, but their friends can see it which leads to their friends’ friends seeing it and so on.

The whole idea of Social Media is to effectively branch out and communicate with others around the world by introducing yourself and your business. People have never been so connected before. Companies can market themselves in Israel even when they are based in the U.S. or India. The key is to market your skills, the positive points of yourself that will make others interested in you and the services you can offer them.

You can now determine whether or not you can open your products up to a new market just by using SEM techniques for research on the web, by typing in the right keywords and within a few minutes you can already begin to understand a different culture and how to become a part of it.

So take part in social media, the benefits certainly outweigh the risks. Just be careful and stick to advertising your skills, and don’t share information that you would regret if it got out to the world.

According to marketingterms.com,  “viral marketing is a marketing phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message.”

This type of marketing depends upon  passionate  individuals – passing on your marketing message,  increasing its potential of exposure and influence within seconds.  Like a virus, its ripple effect is passed on quickly, infecting hundreds and possibly thousands, in a relatively short space of time.

Of course, there was a time the expression “word of mouth” was sort of the same thing.  In a way, viral marketing is the Internet parallel, since most of us will be blogging, emailing, using SMS and Skype, to share and announce our latest and most exciting discoveries of products, resources, and specials.  With just the multiplicity of email, a company’s ROI can skyrocket within a matter of weeks.  With all this potential and power at our fingertips, we need to make our campaigns as effective as possible.

Viral Market Strategies:  Here are some effective components to include in your next Viral Marketing Campaign:

1.    Free is good: Free has a powerful pull, but free should never represent poor quality.  The free approach draws people in, after that; there are more opportunities for a sale, according to Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, E-commerce Consultant.

2.   Easily transmitted:   As a virus spreads quickly and rapidly from person to person in the right conditions, you need create and use the fastest and most seamless vehicle that will spread your message without delay.  Using email marketing campaigns to your targeted lists will help expedite that process.

3.   Backlinks and Affiliates: Network with different affiliates.  Get your links, ads and logos out there.  The more back links pointing to your site, the greater importance your site is deemed by the search engines, thus, giving you a higher standing in the Search Engine Results Pages known as the SERPs.

4.  Evoke Reactions: Your message needs to be a catalyst of emotions and opinions from your audience, piquing their interest and curiosity to read further, and know more.  Why not do something unexpected or different.  Catching people off guard with the unexpected is great marketing.

5.  Market the Social Internet Communities: The more accessible information can be shared, the more rapidly it will be spread.  submit your news on the social networking and bookmarking sites such as StumbleUpon and Digg.  They have established niche communities.  Find yours.  Submit articles, make comments on other stories, be seen, be heard, and be out there!

Have you signed up with Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, or LinkedIn?  What are you waiting for?  With thousands of people registering per day, it would be foolish to pass up such a lucrative marketplace.

The tables have turned with the evolution of the Internet.  The power has shifted from the marketer to the consumer.  Within a matter of seconds, their opinions and voice are spread rapidly throughout the world by one single email.

So don’t be a viral marketing casualty as Laura Lake reminds us to:

1.    Mean what you say and say what you mean.
2.    Stand behind your product or service.
3.    Under promise and over deliver … always!

How Restaurants Can Use Social Media

Every kind of business and service is getting on the bandwagon of Social Media.  Whether you are using email bulk campaigns or e-newsletters, Social media has given the Internet a new intimacy of virtual relationships. Reaching out to your customers and prospects has never been easier. This indeed is another great marketing channel for every restaurant looking to grow their brand awareness.

If your restaurant has been in business for years, and is known in the neighborhood, trust me, people are talking about you online. Make no mistake that there is chatter happening. The question remains, what are they saying? Most restaurants know that having a spectacular dish or menu is not the end of it all. Your customers want to be appreciated and connect personally with you in some way.

I don’t know about you, but when I enjoy a meal, and feel very satisfied and happy with the service, I start talking about that restaurant almost immediately.  Don’t you?  We tell our friends, you need to check this place out, great food, fabulous service. You want to share a good thing when you find it. How much better it would be if we could actually connect with our favorite restaurants online, or see what they are talking about. It sort of completes the experience.

Here is a list of tools that any restaurant owner could use to connect with their customer that in return could produce a type of brand evangelist.

Social Media Tools for Restaurants

• SEO: – your website must be optimized with your key words. That is a must. Being found on a search and ranking high in the SERPs is the first step for brand awareness.

• Sign up with the local restaurant search engines: Yelp.com, Urbanspoon.com, and TripAdvisor.com – Request that any  positive feedback be shared on the site publicly.

• Twitter: – Create a Twitter Account – publish you profile and use it to announce special family deals and discounts on meals.

• Create an E-Newsletter: – Ask your repeat customers for their email addresses and send a double opt in to subscribe to your e-newsletter.  Send a new recipe once a month, include some food preparation tips.  Ask for feedback for your next newsletter.  This is a great way to start your database list for future use along with acquiring a solid lead of customers.

•  Blog on your Website: – Bring your customers into the kitchen, behind the scenes.  Let them feel they are part of the action -  as if they are participating.  We all want to feel a little more than just being filled with good food.  We all want to belong.

•  YouTube – sign up for a free account.  Make a YouTube video of one of your most popular dishes.  Send out the URL on your newsletter and announce it in your blog.  As for feedback from those who have tried the recipe.  What a great way to engage people.

• GoMobile – Collect your client’s cell numbers and send SMS messages about specials and coupon deals.

If you need some guidance with marketing ideas, see this free online source: Virtual Restaurant

BEFORE you Jump into Social Media Marketing:

• Create a plan: First, know your audience, says L. Michelle Smith, president and CEO of Dallas-based media-strategy firm M Strategies Inc., whose clients include Atlanta-based Church’s Chicken.  Are your customers on social networks, and if so, which ones? Next, know what you want to accomplish: Is your goal to build a relationship through dialogue with an audience? To tell people about the brand, or about news and events? “It’s not a strategy just to be there,” Smith says.

• Listen to what customers are saying: Search social-media sites and read what already has been posted—not just in reviews but in comments and conversations. “You’ll learn a phenomenal amount,” says Van Vandegrift, president and emerging-media consultant with Matrixx Pictures, a Santa Monica, Calif., production company whose clients include Austin, Texas-based Schlotzsky’s Deli. “They’ll say all the things they love and all the things they hate, and that’s incredible business knowledge.

• Know your Voice: Decide whether you want to speak to consumers in your personal voice (i.e., as the owner, chef or general manager), or as the overall brand, says Christina Wong, restaurant and chef publicist at JS² Communications in Los Angeles.

• Create brand ambassadors: Find the people who really love your restaurant.  Share your vital info with them, let them spread the good word.

• Make  your conversations interesting: Just listing menu items, unless they’re particularly unusual, makes for a boring post. “Say something that shares part of who you are, like, ‘Chocolate ice cream is the only worthy ice cream’ or ‘Just finished making my grandmother’s bread-pudding recipe and it rocks,’ or ‘Completely slammed in the kitchen, no end in sight,’” says publicist Ellen Malloy.

Remember, social media is just a tool, but you are the one to make it happen.  Listen, answer questions, and connect with people online.  Take these opportunities to reach out to your customers.  When you do, they will be telling others about you, building your brand, and making you visible.

It used to be that whoever had the largest marketing campaign was able to establish the most brand-name recognition, which meant a guaranteed greater profit for the larger businesses and small businesses were left by the wayside. And yes, big businesses like Wal-Mart, Target, and Best Buy still have name recognition and their current customers will return to them, but the face of advertising has changed and there is a new generation of potential customers that just need a little push in the right direction to choose your Local Small Business instead of one of the big guys.

Advertising has moved to the Internet. People still watch plenty of television, but they flip the channel when a commercial comes on and they have TiVo, which lets them fast forward, straight through commercials. So all those millions of dollars that big businesses are spending on their Television Marketing Campaigns are starting to go to waste. What’s important now is a business’s online marketing campaign and their search results on the search engines. This can also cost a lot of money, but it doesn’t have to.

Already Google, Yahoo, and Bing have created local sections as part of their search engine results. First the results were simple. A user would type in a certain keyword/s into search, such as “Pizza New York” and around seven pizza places would pop up under the Local Business Results under Google. The results included a basic map, and a link to their website. Now the results include user reviews, the menu, more pictures, more detailed maps (including directions), coupons from the place, additional details (on payment methods, dining style, cuisine, price range, parking, and attire) and the phone number so people can call the place directly.

Microsoft’s Bing shows pretty much the same details, although Google is much more detailed in their information and the list of businesses are completely different. One thing that Bing has over Google is that they include nearby places of interests to the location you’re looking at, such as movie theaters, cafes, dessert restaurants, and bars.

And now that Microsoft and Yahoo are merging there will be some nice new additions to these results. Expect pictures from Flickr, articles from Wikipedia, travel info, weather updates, and YouTube videos under the local business listings.

Become part of the Local Business Results

If you’re a small business and don’t have a large marketing budget, add your business’s listing to the Local Business section on Google, Bing, and Yahoo. It’s free and the local business results appear first on the search results. So let me say that again: Free Amazing Advertising and Exposure for your Local Business!

You can also continue to update your listing over time with your address, phone number, pictures, and menu. Also try to get your customers to write a quick review on your business, even offer incentives, like a special coupon for 5 or 10% off their next purchase at your store.

Advertise with Facebook

In addition to the local business section, start doing some extra social media marketing (also free!). Create a Facebook account and a fan page for your business and your products. Use the page/s to update your followers about special promotions or deals you’re having. Post pictures on facebook, add a link to your website, a map, videos from YouTube (also easy and free to sign up), and let your followers write comments (which of course as an administrator you can delete them if you don’t like them).

The important thing you need to remember is why a customer will go to your store instead of a larger chain. You offer a personal connection and personal treatment as well. Remember to emphasize your commitment to your customers. If you care about them, they’ll care about you and spread the word about your business through their personal networks.

Claim code:WJPFPXYMV5KJ

According to Nielsen Online, Twitter alone grew 1,382% year-over-year in February, 2009, registering a total of just more than 7 million unique visitors in the US for the month. With statistics like this, Social Media is proving to be the largest channel for marketing and communication ever.

What is Social News?

Social News websites allow its users to submit news stories, articles and media (videos/pictures) and share them with other users or the general public. An article’s importance is determined by the value or importance placed upon it by the voting community. Users have the power to influence the visibility of content. Whether the voting process is fair or not, the people rule.

As any business email marketer knows, getting your company and website noticed means putting it in front of as many people as you can. Social Media marketing has become a hot new avenue of marketing, and an absolute must to incorporate into your marketing mix. With thousands of people hitting these sites daily, you cannot afford to walk away from such a large audience.

Which sites to join? Each site attracts a different community. Be aware that there are many sites where marketing type articles are not permitted and will be deleted.  However, there are some Social News sites that marketers can use:

• http://www.reddit.com/
• http://digg.com/
• http://www.propeller.com/
• http://slashdot.org/
• http://www.mixx.com/
• http://shoutwire.com/
• http://tweako.com/
• http://www.smallbusinessbrief.com/index.php
• http://www.iliketotallyloveit.com/

Here are some helpful guidelines when creating and posting your articles:

1) Create a catchy headline. Make your headline short, engaging and maybe a bit mysterious.

2) Ask your friends to Vote for You! Email your friends and ask them to submit a vote, if they really like it. Hmmmm…..this will give you a head start. Don’t be shy, get some honest feedback

3) Make it easy to vote. Have a simple, clickable call to action. Don’t make people click through to sub links in which to cast their votes. They just might get a bit frustrated and not vote.

4) Timing is everything. As soon as you publish your article, try to have your friends vote for it right away. The more votes in the shortest amount of time will put your article on top.  Top articles receive a higher search engine ranking. Bottom line, you want quick, and relevant traffic.

5) Become an active community member. Don’t just submit your articles to the social news sites, take the time to vote for articles that you might find interesting, as well. See which articles are getting the most votes. This will give you a better understanding of what type of communities each site is attracting and what they are writing about. This gives you a “heads up” on what these communities like to read.   Customize your article to fit into the community.

6) Success is never guaranteed. No can predict which articles will be successful and which ones will not. Just keep writing good copy about relevant subjects. Social Media News is just a part of your marketing mix. Keep working on all the channels of marketing towards building your ROI.

Know your target sites. With over 50 social news sites and growing, it can be a bit overwhelming. Joining and posting your articles to just any site, is a waste of your time and talent. Focus on what sites and communities will give you the most success.

Social news is getting more mainstream everyday. Within 5 years, we might see a social news site for every conceivable topical or business niche.