This year’s soccer World Cup has become the first major tournament where Social Media has changed the way fans experience a global sporting event. Traffic on Twitter and Facebook has literally exploded since the tournament began and has continued to grow as supporters use these platforms to voice their support (and their disappointment) in real time. Conversations on Social Media have meant that the distinction between the fans who are at the match and those that are watching it on TV has become less important.

So these games suddenly have many more direct spectators than just those in the stadium.

Social Media can make fans feel like they are part of the event even when they can’t be at the game, and the level of tweets and status updates during the current tournament have been greater than just about any other event on the planet – a new record of 3,283 tweets per second was set as Japan knocked Denmark out. On June 12th, 30% of all status updates on Facebook were related to the USA’s game against England, and after the USA got through to the knock-out stages, their qualification was responsible for over 80% of the hot topics on Twitter.

When the last World Cup took place, Twitter was just a fledgling with nowhere near the 105 million users they have now. And with the activity that these and the 500 million Facebook users are generating, advertisers are looking to make hay while the sun shines. Major sponsors of the tournament and other big brands are focusing more of their marketing efforts on these Social Media platforms during the World Cup, with brands like Nike and Adidas getting millions of views for their tournament related campaigns.

It seems part of the reason for this huge increase in Social Media activity during the World Cup has a lot to do with the global TV coverage. Despite previous worries that Social Media could actually be a threat to television, it seems that millions of fans are combining the two, watching the events as they happen and then immediately voicing their opinions on their favorite networking sites.

Figures show site traffic for some of main news websites on the first day of the World Cup peaked at nearly 50% more visitors per minute than when President Obama was elected, showing the link between the internet and TV might be a lot stronger than expected, particularly when it comes to major sporting events.

Fans can even integrate their viewing and networking with a variety of plugins that let them watch the game and see real time updates as they come in. And many of the major TV networks have integrated Facebook, Twitter, and other feeds into their sports programming as it becomes adopted by more and more fans.

It looks certain that whoever wins this year’s World Cup, the real winner is going to be Social Media and the goalposts will have moved forever. As more and more people are using Social Media to hold their conversations in real time, sites like Facebook and Twitter have changed the way fans will watch this tournament, and just about any major sporting event, in the future.

The Winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup is Social Media is a post from: SEO Blog | SEO Marketing World

Facebook has nearly half a billion users. According to Alexa rankings, it’s the #1 site in the world, after Google. Twitter follows at #11, after hitting the 100 million users mark. With practically the entire world participating in online communities, it’s obvious why businesses are using these websites for marketing and networking.

According to eMarketer studies, 70% of internet users in the US will be visiting social media websites by 2014. Consumers of all demographics visit sites such as Facebook and Twitter on a daily basis. No matter what type of company you run or products you sell, you can reach out to potentially thousands of consumers thanks to social media opportunities.

One example of social media marketing (SMM) effectiveness includes Nature Valley. This granola bar maker ran a campaign in which it offered money to charitable organizations for every new follower on Facebook.

Within 24 hours, the company gained 75,000 followers.

While Nature Valley didn’t receive any direct sales through this campaign, it still acquired an extensive network of potential consumers to whom it could market future products.

At social networking sites, users can share their interests with one another. This gives businesses a way to study demographics and do market research without spending a lot of money. You can connect with other people and let them know what your company is all about. In short: social media marketing gives you a chance to build a positive relationship with consumers.

What makes SMM so wonderful is that it involves creating awareness about a brand without resorting to spam. You can present information about your company subtly rather than forcefully. The trick, of course, is getting people to actually follow you. You don’t have to go the same route as Nature Valley, but you still need to find a way to gain the trust and interest of online communities.

You can do this by participating in conversations. There are thousands of conversations on any topic imaginable. And they’re not just at Facebook and Twitter, either – you can visit a number of online communities and forums and participate in Q&A sessions, conversations, and debates.

Interaction is the key to social media marketing.

If somebody asks a question about your niche, step in and give them an answer. If another member of the community gives them information that you feel is misleading, let them know. Don’t be afraid to participate in online discussions. Sometimes all it takes is one good video, post, or article for a company to go viral. Other times it takes a lot of hard work and effort for a company to create awareness.

In regards to Twitter, don’t spam the system with Tweet after Tweet. Make each Tweet as informative as possible. If you want to share an article, create an intriguing introduction to it in order to get people to click on the link. Prove to others that you are the source of whatever it is that they need. Let them know that they can count on you to provide them with the answers and information they seek.

Social media networking is here to stay, and is going to grow even more in the years to come. Make sure your company is a part of it.

Social Media is an Unstoppable Force – Learn How to Use it to Your Advantage is a post from: SEO Blog | SEO Marketing World

Consumers always want to hear good news – especially during difficult times. In a tough economy, many businesses go under and consumers begin to lose faith in the markets. It can be very disheartening to hear nothing but negativity on the news about the state of the economy and financial markets.

You can give consumers some hope by sharing good news about your company.

You can use social media networking to your advantage by letting everyone know about how stable your company is. Image is everything, after all, so it’s your job to present the best things about your business to the world. Don’t lie or make things up. Instead, boast about the positives to boost your image.

Some businesses underestimate the effectiveness of social media marketing. Sure, there is always article marketing, link exchanges, PPC, and so forth, but socializing is a natural way to get in touch with potential customers and clients. Your website is exposed to many people and you don’t have to pay a dime for advertising.

Another reason why this type of marketing is beneficial is because it allows you to connect with consumers in a friendly, honest manner. You can market your business subtly as you offer advice and tips to others. Give them chances to learn more about you and your company without forcing them to look at advertisements.

Once they trust you, you can begin sharing information about your products or services. They will share that good news with their friends, and before you know it, word will get out about how great your company is. Social networking won’t bring you money directly, but it will create a buzz about your website, which results in more potential sales.

With so many scams on the Internet, people are reluctant to put their trust into online businesses. And since the economy is in such a poor state, people really don’t have much money to spend. By giving them hope and gaining their trust, you can have an advantage over competitors.

The great thing about social media marketing is that you can actually interact with consumers. You can get to know them, and in doing so, you’ll get an idea of what they want. This makes it easier to determine which products to promote. This is a great way to do market research without spending a lot of money.

Even if you suspect that your company might suffer soon, you still need to place an emphasis on the good things happening NOW and in the past. Branding your product(s) is the key here. Generate a positive buzz now while you can in order to counterbalance any negative publicity you might receive in the future.

If there’s one thing we can all say about marketing is that consistency pays off. This is particularly true when it comes to the Internet where most businesses and affiliates fail. You can be one of the few who profits if you put effort into your marketing plan.

Don’t sign up for a Facebook or Twitter account and forget about it. You must participate in discussions, actively engage others, offer advice and tips, and be involved in online communities. As you acquire followers, keep them updated on all the latest good news.

Give them hope about the industry.

PS: This article was based in an article of SocialMediaJam

Social Media Marketing Can Improve Your Company’s Image and Give Consumers Hope is a post from: SEO Blog | SEO Marketing World

A recent release of findings from a study by a social media company called Virtrue is making some bold claims about the importance of Facebook fans for the modern business. According to the findings, a Facebook Fan is worth $3.60, adding up to $3.6 million for dedicated fan pages that manage to recruit up to 1 million fans. According to Virtrue, this is the surface of what is possible.

While an interesting foray into the value of social media contacts, many are pointing out that these figures are highly optimistic at best and severely misleading at the worst. It’s important to note that this “study” was enacted by a company that is in the business of managing Facebook accounts for companies in a variety of different industries, and that they manage a staggering 45 million fans for their clients. Can anyone say conflict of interest?

That said, it does seem the data was pulled from samples in their client database, so that provides some encouragement in the fact that it was hands-on info and not abstract calculation. But how were samples chosen? And most importantly, how does Virtrue customer data differ from the typical Facebook campaign?

It seems Virtrue has an average of 1 impression on a wall post per each fan. So if they have 1 million fans, a wall post will get 1 million impressions. Here is the calculation used.

The most illuminating thing about this data, however, is that these are based on averages. While that makes perfect sense, and a study should be based on averages, it is also an indicator of the most important thing to keep in mind.

A poor Facebook campaign will focus just on numbers like these, while a solid one will focus on providing value. Those value producers are likely getting much more than 1 impression per fan on their wall posts because their message is being spread, and that’s the exponential value of social media marketing. But the people who get the wrong idea and think they just need a presence are going to have hideous results, and they are the ones dragging the number down.

As Josh Millrod points out in his article about this study on Search Engine Journal, “When working in social spaces, engagement is key.” He goes on to explain that even with a 100% impression rate your wall posts are lost in a newsfeed and these impressions are simply the result of them being stumbled upon in a chaos of other wall posts. In other words, if you don’t engage these people and they don’t spread your message, your impressions are all but meaningless.  

All that said, there is some relevance to this data. I wouldn’t go as far as to immediately assume a fan is worth $3.60 and thus 1 million fans worth $3.6 million (wow, that’d be nice) but what it does symbolize is the vast POTENTIAL found in social media marketing. There is certainly room to make some big money here, but the trick is to figure out how to engage and interact with fans in such a way that inspires them to spread your message to their own giant lists of friends and create something viral.

Facebook Fans Worth $3.60? It Depends How You Engage Them is a post from: SEO Blog | SEO Marketing World

Facebook announced some new changes recently that will include sharing your personal information with other websites without getting your consent beforehand, so that these “pre-approved” businesses can give you a more “personalized” experience when you show up, not even realizing they already know who you are. For Facebook, it is a dream of more profits, but for privacy experts its yet another step towards a future that is nothing less than their worst dreams come true.

The most dangerous aspect of this change, as pointed out by many fuming opponents is that applications like this have become opt-out instead of opt-in. Data portability is a big trend on social networking sites at the moment, but when you jump from opt-in data portability to opt-out, you’re traversing some pretty dangerous territory.

What this means is that users must navigate the Facebook site, find the right settings, and uncheck them in order to take be left out, this is the exact opposite of how it is usually set up. The real concern is most Facebook users don’t have any clue this is even going on. People have enough going on in their lives, and most don’t know enough about the Internet to even try keeping up with it all.

But do Facebook users really care? According to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, the answer is no. He claims that privacy is a thing of the past and that Facebook is merely the first respond to big social changes in order to satisfy their customers.

Proponents argue, however, that Zuckerberg’s explanations are merely a part of his effort to continue the destruction of privacy and rake in more profits. As Facebook is chastised by over 900 users threatening to delete their accounts in response to this move, it seems there certainly is a percentage of the public that does still take privacy extremely seriously.

Further concerns over this privacy, a privacy that Facebook continues to advocate is no longer a concern for the modern world, are raised by recent reports that criminal gangs target people on Facebook and other sites for burglaries by mining data obtained online, like addresses and announcements about leaving for vacation. In my own experience, it’s safe to say that these two bits of information are nothing compared to what many people post on Facebook, but it is certainly enough to put them in harm’s way.

There is enough flame going on in this debate without me throwing in my two cents, and trust me I’ve got a lot more than two cents to throw in, but from a marketing standpoint it raises the question of what direction Facebook’s recent actions will mean for the future of the company. Many current users are preparing to delete their accounts, and we are seeing an increasing market share go over to other providers, such as Yahoo.

I’m still a little unconvinced of the public concern for privacy, regardless of how I feel the public “should” feel about their privacy. I’m not so sure that Zuckerberg isn’t right. For Facebook, it is a business move, and they are obviously playing this out on the hunch that some people will leave but the profits gained by those who don’t are well worth walking the line. Only time will tell, I suppose. And so the world evolves.

Facebook Plans to Give Your Info to Third-Party Sites—Without User Consent? is a post from: SEO Blog | SEO Marketing World

Internet video continues to grow in popularity, and as we all know, it is unrivaled as a way to communicate with prospects and hold attention. It’s no big secret that the modern man is no big reader, and in fact, it has always surprised me that blogging ever got popular in the first place with the lack of avid readers in society. We soon saw with social media, and of course video, that being a big reader wouldn’t be a prerequisite for surfing the web for long, and now any marketer worth their salt knows its time to start harnessing the engaging power of video to get their message out there.

Well, here’s 5 simple tips for making the most of your video if your just starting to dabble with this platform.

1. Tell Them Who You Are and What You want

In most cases, you should have a clear purpose for making your videos. You might be doing them for SEO, but there’s no reason to sacrifice the possibility of each video being something more.

Make it clear who you are and what the purpose of your presentation is all about. Include a call to action at the end and give a link. One of the biggest mistakes newbie IM’ers make is not telling the customer what they want them to do next and what the benefit of doing that is.

2. Use Good Keyword Strings for File Names

File names play a big role in search engine optimization for videos, and they should, but it also opens up an easy opportunity for easy SEO. Just do some good keyword research write keyword-rich descriptions as well. There’s a lot more coming in the world of video search, but a few simple basics can go a long way right now.

3. Brand It

You should always use video as a platform to build your brand. You won’t find a better chance; when else do prospects give you such undivided attention?

There are plenty of ways to incorporate your brand into the package. You can put it in the pre-roll or the end credits. You can use software to edit the video and put your brand in the corner. Or, if your tech skills are limited, you can even stand in front of a simple backdrop showcasing your brand beside you.

Don’t make it harder than it needs to be, but make sure you leverage this opportunity to build some brand recognition.

4. Split Content Into a Series of Small Videos

Try not to make your videos too long or you can easily lost viewer attention. Instead of using the fully allotted time video sharing sites allow, make a series of smaller videos presenting your message in doses. Try to put some kind of hook at the end of each segment or leave people hanging so they want to move on to the next.

This gives people control over what they want to see and when, but it also makes them more likely to listen to your call to action because when people have already listened to your directions a few times (i.e. clicking over to the next video), they are more likely to do so again.

So the further they follow you through your chain of videos, the more you build a relationship with them. It is a matter of perception, even if it is a subconscious perception.

5. Be Clear About Audio

Finally, the need for intelligible, clear speaking in order to communicate your message is obvious, but there are other reasons to put some real time into audio as well. How many times have you turned off a video just because the speaker didn’t sound confident enough? Or because their voice was even just a little too annoying?

In other cases, a low background hum can be enough to get on a viewer’s nerves. Or when the volume is too low and you have to straining to hear it over whatever else is going on around you. To go even further, future video searches will make use of automatic video transcripts in the future, which means the clarity of your voice will someday play a role in rankings.

Video marketing is a very substantial part of the Internet experience, and the best thing about videos, in my opinion, is they cut to the chase and give the marketer more of an obligation to produce value. Let’s face it, a lot of online articles are just made for SEO purposes and many of you are not expecting people to read them. I discourage that approach, but it is the route many take.

Video, however, keeps you honest. Regardless of the SEO value, videos are made for the end user, and you will be judged by what is given. Keep that in mind, and produce something of merit.

Video Marketing for Beginners: 5 Simple Tips to Keep in Mind Before You Post is a post from: SEO Blog | SEO Marketing World

While SEO is a very important strategy that must be utilized to drive quality traffic to your site, social media marketing has become the newest form of Internet marketing that businesses are quickly jumping on board to use.

While social media marketing is definitely a highly effective tool for Internet marketing, it is critical that you do not abandon your SEO marketing campaign. SEO and social media marketing are a powerful combination that must go hand in hand in order to truly benefit your Internet marketing needs. Why is this?

The answer is simple. What happens when you create a social media marketing profile and you start connecting with people? In order to maintain their attention, you must be able to offer some form of valuable information that people can use. Social media marketing is just the beginning, a way to jumpstart your potential prospects. However, you must be able to provide pertinent information, such as blogs, articles, newsletters, etc. through your SEO techniques that will attract and keep the attention of those you meet in the social networking world.

How can they work together to grow your business? SEO can improve your social media campaigns, and vice versa. Keywords are an essential tool for SEO and can be integrated into your social media campaign. Use keywords in your LinkedIn profile, on your tweets, and in the titles of your descriptions on YouTube videos and Flickr photos. Tools like Google Insights can help you track trending topics associated with your website.

Social media can improve your search engine visibility. Have you noticed YouTube videos showing up on the front pages of Google? If you have a blog that shows up in the search results, your LinkedIn profiles, Facebook Fan Page, and tweets can show up on the front page of Google, too! Target keyword phrases on social media publishing platforms, such as: Hubpages, Squidoo, or Wiki. This will not jeopardize your current rankings.

SEO and social media are essential techniques that must be utilized together to ensure success. One does not work well without the other. Combining social media and SEO insights can be done by developing a plan that outlines your goals, your target market, and your SEO and social media marketing plans.

Take advantage of what social media marketing can do for your business, but do not let your guard down on your SEO strategy. These two are a powerful combination that can be the secret to your company’s success.

SEO and Social Media are a Powerful Combination to Achieve Success is a post from: SEO Blog | SEO Marketing World

Twitter is one of the best ways to market your brand, and it is also one of the most misused tools available. People rarely know how to use Twitter to market effectively, and thus they do not get as much leverage from it as they could. If you would like to use Twitter for social media marketing, you must avoid the four deadly sins of Twitter users.

Failing to Fill out the Bio

People tend to want to dive into Twitter without taking the time to set it up. They are so enthusiastic they leave the bio section blank. This is a big mistake. Filling out a bio takes five minutes and it can help with your brand. Take the time and fill out a descriptive bio so people can find out more about you. They are much more likely to become interested in your company if you have a bio up.

Having a Bland Page

If you do not use an avatar or a background, you will look as though you simply put your profile up without giving it any thought. Take the time to create a real page. Twitter should be seen as a way to express yourself and sell your brand. Use every tool Twitter offers. Look at every tool as a way to brand your company and use them to your advantage.

Avoiding Conversations

Twitter is known for its one way messages, but if that is all you are using, you will not get the following you want. When there is an event or when a certain hashtag is popular, look for conversation and join in. Whenever you log into Twitter, look at the right of your screen and see the hashtags that are the most popular for the day. Join in and gain more followers.

Link Spamming

If you don’t have anything useful to say, it is best left unsaid. If you are promoting your site by spamming links, you will lose your followers on Twitter. You can occasionally put your link up there, but do not blast people with links.

Most people make deadly Twitter mistakes because they do not completely understand how to use the service. Take Twitter seriously and work to avoid mistakes and gain followers. You will then be able to cultivate relationships and sell your brand.

4 Deadly Sins of Twitter Users is a post from: SEO Blog | SEO Marketing World

For many people, Twitter is confusing. While on the outside it looks like the simplest of applications, it can be overwhelming. Twitter asks one question, and it is not an easy one. What are you doing? That leaves many people questioning what to say. Still, some people have thousands of followers. How do they do it? How do they reply to the one question in a way that makes others follow them?

Be Clever

If you are boring, no one will want to follow you. Clever tweets get the followers. Don’t just write something down and hit send. Think about what you are saying. Add a little spice to your tweets and watch your followers grow.

Treat Everyone Equally

You should make friends on Twitter, and you need to treat those friends well. Have you ever noticed your followers dropping off? That is likely because you are not doing any friend maintenance. Make sure to spend time talking to each friend. If a friend is isolated, they wall leave. Use Twitter as a social networking tool and take the time to connect with each and every person on your list. This will improve your relationship with your followers and give you leverage with the Twitter community.

Retweet Valuable Tweets

Nothing is as flattering on Twitter as having a tweet retweeted. Share the love by retweeting posts, but only do it if the tweet has some value. Retweet often, and then notice your followers go up. People appreciate being noticed.

Do not make the mistake of retweeting everything, though. If you retweet everything that is said, your retweets will lose their power.

Show Your Identity

Your identity should shine through on Twitter. You might only get a few characters to speak your mind, but you still need to shine through. Your identity is important in the Twitter universe, and you need to let others know how you are.

Stay up to Date

If you take a Twitter break, your friends will take a break from you. People want someone who tweets often enough to remain relevant and interesting.

With that in mind, do not make the mistake of over tweeting. If you go crazy on Twitter, people will not want to follow you. They will not want to have to deal with the constant information flowing onto their page.

Twitter is the current social media trend and you can gain a solid following. Become savvy with Twitter and watch your followers grow.

Gaining Twitter Success is a post from: SEO Blog | SEO Marketing World

There has been a transition for businesses, and that transition has taken the form of social networking. Now, businesses that were considered out of touch can actually relate with people in the online community. Still, though, it hasn’t been as smooth a transition as some would have liked. Why is that? People don’t know how to act. They are not sure how to present themselves in the social networking community, and that has made the transition difficult for some businesses.

In life, most people experience normal social interactions. They know what is expected of them, and thus they perform accordingly. The majority of people have these interactions without putting a great deal of thought into it, as it is second nature.

It’s a little different when it comes to social networking. They freeze up and they are afraid to take part in this important aspect of search engine marketing. They are not sure what to say, and thus they either say the wrong thing or they don’t say anything at all.

Before you throw in the towel, listen to the best advice you will get when it comes to social networking. It is advice you probably heard from your mother years ago, and it still rings true today. You need to be yourself.

What exactly does that mean? First, you need to talk about what you know about. This is the best way to form real connections in the social networking circuit. Stick with what you know so you can make an impression with the people that are involved in social networking sites.

Also, let people get to know you by using quotes, pictures, and even videos. You want to give people a real look at you. You have to humanize yourself when you are online. That is an essential part of search engine marketing.

You really need to focus on personal interactions to make your campaign go over as well as possible. Even though you are taking part in a game that involves millions of people, one on one contact is still very important. Respond to people and get involved in one on one conversation. You will be better off for it.

Social networking is an important part of search engine marketing. You have to market yourself, and in order to do that, you have to know how to present yourself. It might sound cliché, but you need to be yourself. If you are yourself, you will be able to gain followers and get more customers.

Selling Yourself With Social Networking is a post from: SEO Blog | SEO Marketing World