There has no doubt that social media marketing has helped a huge number of companies market their brands to a larger audience. The benefits that can be enjoyed from an SEO, customer service and online reputation point of view speak for themselves. When social media strategies are done right, companies can boost their traffic and reach a far wider audience than ever before. When social strategies are done wrong however, the fall out can be massive.

As a good example of what not to do, Durex recently caused a major outcry on Twitter when their PR company posted a number of ‘jokes’ that could only be seen as inappropriate. While making a statement is one thing, making the wrong kind of statement is quite another thing altogether – especially when it comes to social media marketing. The tweets in question included jokes such as:

Unfortunately for Durex, this tweet was sent on the eve of the 16 Days of Activism event, which aims to speak out against violence against women and children. After following this tweet up with a number of equally off-colour jokes, Durex eventually made an official apology, stating that the tweet “was offensive and inappropriate and do not reflect the views of the Durex brand.”

What Can We Learn from Social Media Marketing Disasters?

Durex may have learned their lesson, but there are still many brands out there who do not fully understand how social media marketing is supposed to work. Many companies assume that flooding their Facebook and Twitter pages with promotions and links and getting as many follows as possible is the primary aim of social marketing. Without that understanding about engaging customers, providing meaningful content and organically growing followers, the platform loses a great deal of its power.

Some of the social media marketing lessons that we can take from the Durex disaster include the following:

• Realise that anything you say online is there forever – even if you delete a tweet or Facebook comment
• Understand that public perception forms a huge part of customer relationship marketing – offending your potential customers is never the way to go
• Trying to be ‘hip’ and with the times is great, but not if it means damaging your brand through controversial social media tactics
• Social media is about sharing useful information with your current and potential customer base, and providing a platform to discuss, get feedback and grow your brand
• If you wouldn’t write it on your mom’s Facebook page, you should probably not write it on your company Facebook page
• Online reputation management is about building effective relationships, not putting out fires once the damage has been done

Ultimately, the real message here is that you will not get the best results from your social platforms if you do not understand how to reach your followers. Social media is a full-time job, and one that requires a solid understanding of each platform, as well as the ways of the web. Hiring an expert to handle your social media marketing is the best investment you could make if you want to see results.

When Google recently announced the launch of Google+ business pages, many online marketers started to consider the huge benefits that this could have for social media campaigns. While Facebook pages have been around for a while, Google+ may just have an advantage or two over the social network giant.

The Google+ pages will be available to brands, companies and celebrities, and will work much in the same way as Facebook pages. Businesses will be able to share relevant content to their followers, with video linked from You-tube and images linked from Picasa to ensure instant media sharing. Even before Google+ Pages were launched however, Google has shown that it is serious about business, announcing recently that G+ would be integrated into Google Apps, which is its online application service for businesses.

What this Means for Social Media Campaigns

There are a number of interesting benefits that Google+ Pages will have for social media campaigns. One of these is Google’s strong search technology, which will make it easier for users to find your page online. When users type in a + sign in front of a company name or brand, they will be taken straight to the company’s G+ Page.

Another factor that some have seen in a negative light is the relatively small scope of Google+ compared to Facebook. Currently, Facebook is sitting at 800 million users, with Google taking a still decent 40 million. What this means however is that there is less clutter, and more focused conversations – a strong benefit in regards to social media campaigns.

But the thing that makes Google+ have so much potential for success is that Google understands social search better than anyone. With a wide range of services that include search, Gmail, Chrome and Android, Google has developed a major online service range that is all geared at helping users live their lives online simply and easily. It is this search focus that could be a huge boost for social media campaigns, with the ability to bring in large audiences through Google+ Pages and additional social search approaches.

Healthy Competition for Social Media Platforms?

Social media campaigns that use the power of Twitter are somewhat different to the more media rich platforms such as Facebook and Google+, but many believe that the new Google+ Pages may give Twitter a run for its money. One of the main reasons for this is the limitations in text, video and images compared to a rich media platform such as G+. Google’s services such as You-tube and Picasa make media sharing a lot simpler, without the shortened links and flooded timelines seen on Twitter.

Anyone will be able to comment on Google+ Pages, which ensures a wide audience. With Facebook’s privacy terms still under a lot of debate, and constant updates that often end up confusing users, Google+ Pages may offer an alternative for your social media campaigns, to engage with your audience, share information and grow your reputation online.

Along with so many elements of Search Engine Optimization, link building has changed a lot over the years. Even just five years ago, the primary channels for link building were limited to directories, link exchanges, link requests, paid links and even comment spam. Today, the world of social media and social search has opened up a vast approach to generating links.

What has changed, and how does this affect your SEO strategies and responsibilities as an SEO professional?

Social Search and Link Building

The short answer is that social search is what has changed link building the most. The somewhat longer answer is that just like people are changing the way that they find information, SEOs and online marketing professionals have to change the way that they link build and the way that they deliver information online.

Reputation management, authority and trust have all become very important ranking factors in Search Engine Optimization. As such, it is no longer enough to send out a couple of link requests or submit hundreds of links to directories. Linking to low quality websites in today’s age of improved Google algorithms can even signal the death knell for websites who continue to try the old tactics without evolving to the world of social search.

These days, link builders have to consider the following approaches as part of their campaigns:

• Quality content, including well-written content as well as slides, infographics, videos and other rich content

• Google search results such as Places, shopping, Maps, news, blogs and real time search

• Social media channels, with profiles, link sharing, retweets, likes, +1’s and other post ranking

What Does this Mean for SEO Strategies?

For SEO professionals and website owners, what this means is that just like SEO strategies in general are constantly evolving and improving as new algorithms and ranking factors come about, link building should also be seen as a constantly changing strategy. Having a one size fits all approach is no long enough to see results, and link building should rather be seen as a holistic approach that incorporates all the elements of social search as well as the basics.

In this way, SEOs can ensure that their Search Engine Optimization efforts will always deliver effect results, through comprehensive linking strategies that use the extended social search parameters to the optimal advantage.

A recent infographic produced by Mashable showed some very interesting facts on social media marketing that prove once and for all that the numbers truly speak for themselves. These figures may not silence the naysayers just yet, but they indicate the huge potential for online success through the use of various social platforms.

The social media experts have of course known this for some time – the huge internet boom, better bandwidth speeds and the vast accessibility of social platforms provide the ideal base for brands to promote their services, reach more customers and implement strategies that ultimately increase conversion.

Social Media Marketing by the Numbers

Some of the statistics showcased in the Mashable infographic indicate a huge growth across all social channels, while also indicating just how many users can be reached during social media marketing campaigns. The most important statistics presented include the following:

You-tube statistics:

• 22 million users viewed Old Spice’s ‘Mano a Mano en el Bano’ videos within one week alone

• 12 million users viewed the iPad ‘Will it Blend’ video over 4 months

• 7 million users viewed T-Mobile’s ‘Royal Wedding’ video

• 65.5 million users viewed Evian’s ‘Roller-skating Babies’ video over 2 years

• There are currently 10,000 You-tube partners

Twitter statistics:

• Coca-Cola’s Promoted Trend received 86.5 million impressions in June 2010

• Network Solution’s ‘GoGranny’ Super Bowl tweets received 20 million impressions

• American Airlines’ ‘Tweet to Win 30k Miles’ campaign received 18,000 clicks

• IBM’s ‘Lotusphere’ conference received 35,000 tweets with the #LS11 hashtag in January 2011

Facebook statistics:

• There are 750 million Facebook users as per late 2011

• The price of Facebook advertising increased by 70% during the first quarter of 2011

• 52% of Facebook users use the site every day

• 92% of all social network users use Facebook

• 70% of business owners use Facebook for social media marketing, compared to 60% who use Google

• There are 400 billion items shared on Facebook each day

What Does this Mean for Social Media Marketing Potential?

While these figures are impressive by any account, what do they really mean for social media marketing? The huge audience reach is one aspect that indicates the huge potential for brand promotion; however another factor to consider is that social media is also about reaching users through applications that they use on a regular basis. This allows a more targeted approach that allows brands to cross-promote services and products across major social channels.

Combined the reach and instant results that can be measured from social network marketing responses to promotions, competitions, tweets, videos and other content, brands are able to expand their marketing horizons to reach audiences in ways that were never possible before. Used as part of a complete online marketing plan, social media marketing therefore becomes an immensely powerful tool to grow your business online.

It’s hard to believe that a decade ago, few people had even heard of social media. Today, Twitter, Facebook and other platforms have become a standard way of life. Users all over the world are able to have a voice – whether they choose to use it for personal updates, brand promotion or for social change.

Over the past year, the world has seen many shifts. Revolutions across the Middle East, as well as in Africa and even Europe have been aided immensely by social media. When internet communication lines were closed, people turned to their mobile phones to share videos of peaceful protests gone awry. Twitter updates spread across the online world like wildfire, with messages of hope, fear and change being retweeted across the globe. In many cases, traditional media sources failed to break the latest updates, and with the live, instant aspect of social networking, news sharing became possible within a short space of time.

Non-profits and other organisations have also begun to realise the potential for change that social media and mobile technology has to offer. Earlier this month, a private game reserve in Cape Town lost two of their six rhino in a poaching attempt that saw poachers walk off with three rhino horn. One rhino that was left alive, with its front horn removed, later succumbed to its severe injuries. The support that poured in as the game reserve posted updates on Facebook and Twitter was tremendous, and when an item of clothing was identified as possibly belonging to one of the poachers, it was posted on Facebook to enable followers to see if they recognised the clothing.

How Social Media Fuels Change

What makes social media such a good platform for change is the accessibility and reach. A large percentage of users access their social channels on their mobile devices, which means that there are no longer any restrictions that come from internet-based use. This means that social networks have evolved from our computers, into everyday part of life – on the go, wherever we are.

If a person in a car is seen to have thrown a lit cigarette out of their vehicle, or as in a case that occurred earlier this year, if a street vendor is ridiculed or attacked, passers-by now have the means to photograph the offender’s license plate with their mobile phone camera and post straight to Twitter or Facebook. This image can then be retweeted or shared by thousands of users, resulting in a proactive community involvement that in many cases leads to the perpetrator being apprehended.

On another note, the audience and reach of social media is another factor that influences the potential for change. Many social network users fall within the middle to upper income group, which makes them more able to support online charities via social network initiatives. Organisations such as Avaaz enable its 127,300 followers and their friends and family to complete petitions online, while sharing action alerts through social channels and also enabling an easy donation method through PayPal or credit card. The entire process is quick, simple and easily accessible, and is powered largely through social channels, which promote causes in a way that is available to target audiences.

What this Means for Social Media Marketing Strategies

With all of the positive change and community involvement that comes with social networks, social media marketing strategies have a primary advantage. Reaching audiences in a way that facilitates conversation rather than obvious promotion allows companies to utilise the emotional factor of social networking. Rather than simply spamming your followers with promotions, services and products, it is possible to grow a relationship by showing the more ‘human’ side to the brand. Social investment opportunities can now be grown with online channels, which not only increases trust with customers, but also encourages followers to continue connecting online.

If companies are able to understand how followers use social media, and realise the emotional impact and relationships that can be built, this provides the ultimate form of social media marketing.

There is no doubt that social media has become far more than a tool for brands and individuals to share information. In today’s age of mobile and web advancements, the social sphere has become a daily part of life for many internet users, both on a professional level and personal level.

Internet access is now readily available across homes, companies, libraries and internet cafes all over the world, creating a space where people can connect to fellow users in every corner of the globe. Earlier this year, when Canadian rioters took to the streets to loot and cause mayhem after an ice hockey game went awry, social media played a vital role in assisting police and other officials to identify suspects and mobilise the general public into assisting authorities. This week, riots in London were also captured on social networks across the web, from looters tweeting about stolen goods, to YouTube videos showcasing footage that many news stations were hesitant to broadcast.

With that undeniable power however, comes a fair amount of responsibility, especially when it comes to freedom of speech on the public domain. What many individuals and even companies often fail to realise is that every single post, tweet, video, Facebook status and comment is immortalised on the internet forever. Even after content has been deleted, it is possible for this content to be found on Search Engines. For the real power of social media to be enjoyed, users therefore need to understand that when it comes to the online world, what you say and how you say it are both extremely essential things to keep in mind when posting any information online.

Why Social Media Etiquette is Something that Every User Needs to Know

Whether you are updating your Twitter account, or adding new content to your Facebook page, a certain amount of etiquette applies when it comes to social media. This includes the following dos and don’ts:

• Do post relevant, helpful content that readers will want to read and share
• Do update your social media accounts on a regular basis to grow your followers and engage them in meaningful discussion
• Do realise that once you have posted something to the internet, it will be there forever – even if it is deleted right after posting
• Do use your social networks to grow your customer base and enable a platform where customers can learn more about your company and promotions
• Do treat each social network as a separate channel, and post content accordingly
• Don’t abuse your social channels in order to spam readers, flood timelines with links, retweets or promotions
• Don’t think that contacting users without permission, via private message or mentions, is a good way to reach out to potential new customers
• Don’t assume that content for one social network will also be relevant to every other social network
• Don’t forget that on many companies and stakeholders view social network channels to learn more about individuals in the case of job interviews and other business opportunities
• Don’t use your company profile to post personal updates that may not be appropriate for your target audience

How to Make Social Media Work for You

If you are managing your own social media channels, it is essential to understand how each channel works. Twitter updates are short and to the point, making this ideal to promote new services or company news and also start conversations with your followers. Facebook allows longer updates, image sharing, forums and other features, which is ideal to share company updates and allow comments and discussion from fans. Google+ is ideal for targeted audience reach, with content shared to various circles. LinkedIn is a professional network, which means that content should be strictly work-related, and in many cases, peer-to-peer as well as promotional.

The best way to use your social channels therefore is to ensure that your content is relevant to each channel, which will ensure that you reach the right audience, in the right way. Posting content that will be of value to followers is also vital, to help you reach a far broader audience. In this way, you can ensure that your social media marketing strategies are positive, rewarding and beneficial, to boost your online reputation.

With Google+ finally rolling out, many social media users all over the world are testing out the various perks of this new social network on the block. Operating on an invitation basis for now, many users have been able to join, while the service is not yet open to everyone. For those who are starting to explore Google+, the reactions have been very interesting indeed. Features such as customised privacy setting for different social groups (called circles), a streamlined interface as well as plenty of ways to share updates, photos, video and other information are bringing in much excitement to users, while others are still milling around, a bit confused as what to do.

While there is no doubt that any new social media network can be confusing until it grows, what is exciting about Google+ is that it has delivered a worthy competitor to social network giants such as Facebook. As users start to learn their way around the platform, and as circles begin to grow, the true success of Google+ will soon be apparent.

In the meantime, here are a few useful Google+ tips and tricks to get you started:

1. Create a custom Google+ vanity URL

Gplus.to offers a quick and easy way to customise your G+ URL with your nickname, as an alternative to the very long and cumbersome profile URL you are given when you join. This allows you to easily share your G+ social media profile with friends and family, without having to remember the long string of numbers in your current URL. Simply visit the site, add your choice of nickname along with your G+ URL and you will have your shortened vanity URL.

2. Change your Google+ notifications

After a while it can get annoying to receive notifications on every event on G+, but these can be changed easily. Update Google Account options to uncheck all of the notifications that you don’t want to receive.

3. Change your sharing settings

One of the biggest advantages of Google+ is the ability to share information publically or within specified circles. You can change your visibility by going to your Google Account Profile and privacy settings and clicking ‘Edit visibility on profile’. From there you can check individual profile fields to determine how public you want to share your updates. You can also disable resharing of posts by simply clicking the arrow in the upper right corner of the post.

4. Text formatting

As is the case with other Google services, you can add basic text styles to your Google+ posts. Use shortcuts such as asterisks (*text*) to bold text, paired underscores (_text_) make italics, and dashes (-text-) make strikethroughs.

5. Block users on Google+

Because at some point, you may need to block someone from your social media circles, it is important to know how to do so. Simply go to the user’s profile, click ‘block’ on the side of the page and confirm that you wish to block this person. Once you have blocked someone, you won’t be able to see their content in the feeds, even though you will remain in their circles. They won’t be able to view or comment on any content you share with your circles.

As Google+ expands, the opportunity for growth and social media domination also expand. Only time will tell whether Google+ will go the way of Buzz or if it will prove to be a worthy competitor to Facebook (whose creator, interestingly enough, was listed as the most followed person on Google+!). In the meantime, as Google+ opens up to the public, it will offer a brand new social media platform with plenty of new and improved features to enjoy.

In the game of online marketing, which is more powerful: SEO or Social Media? This debate has changed the way that many online marketers plan their goals, and ultimately this also affects how customers are searching for your website right this very second. While some marketers claim that SEO is all that you need, others are firmly in favour of social media marketing – in the long run, both are right… but not in the way that they may think. The ultimate winning formula is a healthy mix of both strategies, as studies show that customers use BOTH of these channels to find information online.

How the average online user finds information

The way that it works is simple – a customer is trying to find a company that sells roofing equipment. Typically, he will try searching online for a term such as ‘roofing equipment Cape Town’ for instance. This search will bring up some results for various companies offering roofing supplies, which the potential customer will make a note of, and take a look at the business websites to find more information. At the same time, this customer may also update his Facebook status with something like: ‘Can anyone recommend a good roofing supply company in Cape Town?’, and may also put this question on Twitter. He may also check out review sites to see if anyone has written anything about the companies he has found online. The reason for this is that we all like to get personal recommendations, and are much more likely to try a company that a friend or acquaintance has suggested rather than try our luck with a relative unknown company. Social media marketing relies on this ‘personal recommendation’ factor to make it easier for potential customers to learn more about your product from the people they know.

How does SEO work with social media?

If you aim for a holistic online marketing strategy that includes plenty of social marketing such as blog posts, Facebook page updates, helpful Twitter resources, YouTube videos and other content that users will want to view and share, then your job is already halfway done – you will be getting plenty of backlinks, exposure and recognition, not to mention traffic. Combine this with all your SEO strategies such as on-site work, link building and keyword rich website content, and you have a winning strategy that targets both channels effectively.

If you do not put any SEO elements into your online marketing strategies, you will not be able to bolster the exposure that you get through your social marketing campaigns however, so do not make the mistake of thinking that social media can replace SEO. The same goes for strategies that rely solely on SEO marketing – without the added benefits of social media, which draw millions of web users to content found all over the web, you will not be able to enjoy the rewards that these channels offer, such as brand recognition, online visibility, recommendations, traffic and user-based information sharing.

Include social media marketing along with your SEO campaigns however, and you have a win-win formula that will help get you the results that you want online.

Proving yet again that they have the ability to stay ahead of the online marketing pack, Google recently unveiled their answer to Facebook’s Like button – Google +1. Working much like the Facebook Like button, +1 allows users with Google accounts the ability to rank web content that appears within the SERPs on organic URLs and even AdWords ads. This feature will be rolling out across the board over the next few days, and can be activated in Google experimental.

The question that many are asking however, is whether this feature will add value, or is it yet another attempt to jump onto the huge success of Facebook’s Like feature?

Why Google +1 Might Just Work

From Google itself, the point of this feature is as follows: ‘The +1 button is shorthand for “this is pretty cool” or “you should check this out.” Click +1 to publicly give something your stamp of approval. Your +1′s can help friends, contacts, and others on the web find the best stuff when they search.’

What does this mean for Search Engine Optimization however, and can this feature do much for your SEO campaigns or is it more just for users to share results that they come across online?

Google claims that this feature is going to influence search results, and that when users +1 your content, this will play a role in the overall ranking process that generates results in the SERPs.

From the Google blog: ‘Say, for example, you’re planning a winter trip to Tahoe, Calif. When you do a search, you may now see a +1 from your slalom-skiing aunt next to the result for a lodge in the area. Or if you’re looking for a new pasta recipe, we’ll show you +1’s from your culinary genius college roommate. And even if none of your friends are baristas or caffeine addicts, we may still show you how many people across the web have +1’d your local coffee shop.’

Social SEO – Myth or Reality?

Another big question that is once again dredged up with the launch of +1 is to do with social SEO – does social media and features such as these really play such a big role in your SEO strategies? Or is it simply a lot of hype?

Simply put, social SEO deals with results that are generated via your social circle. So for instance, this could include the pages your friends like on Facebook, or the pages that they +1 in Google. Social recommendations add a lot of value. Now that Google will be implementing a way to bring this into your search experience, the experience is improved even further.

It gets better still – studies done over at Seomoz have indicated the huge relationship between social metrics and ranking, to show just how intertwined these two aspects are when it comes to overall web presence. These findings can easily be compared in the graph below:

The weight that Facebook has in terms of rankings is a good indicator that Google +1 will be able to harness the power of social media in the same way – using social channels to share, connect and rank content.

What Else Do I Need to Know About +1?

Much like only Facebook users can enjoy all the benefits of the Facebook Like button, Google +1 works in the same way. You will need a Google account, which you must be logged into in order to use the feature. All of your +1’s are stored in a new tab on your Google profile, and you can choose to make these public or keep them private. It really is as simple as that!

Have Your Say

Do you think that the Google’s version of the Facebook Like button will have much impact on online marketing, or is this just another fun feature that is more targeted to users rather than online marketers?