Social Marketing Strategies from Social Marketing Expert Peter Lenkefi

Seems like all the advice these days is about using blogs and social media to gain exposure for your website. Right now, this is probably one of the hottest techniques out there, and one that everyone is trying to master.

There really is an “art” to using blogging and social media, you really have to get it right in order for it to work properly. Here are a few tips that should help you get going and gain speed in the social media world—which will help you gain speed in the Internet marketing world in general!

1. Consider Your Content

You can’t throw just anything up on your blog site. Get some decent content there, or whenever someone goes there your site will not look very credible. Anybody that is directed to your site through search or link is actually clicking through to gain some information.

Give it to them.

2. Conversations Really Do Matter

If someone offers a comment to your blog, please respond. Whether positive or negative, they are truly looking for a response from you. Generating interesting discussion is extremely helpful for furthering your cause.

Make it intelligent and relevant. Don’t just “talk about talking,” listen carefully and respond. On the other hand, please delete immediately any obscene or totally spam comments—it only lessens your credibility to keep those comments.

3. Post Frequently!

Don’t let your site get stale. Post at least once a week, ideally a couple of times every week. Be consistent, because once you post something that someone finds interesting, you are likely to have them be a repeat visitor.

Repeat visitors will send other visitors, or even offer you links if they have a site. This is a great way to use your resources!

4. Link Your Different Social Media Sites to Each Other

If you have a space on Flickr and a space on Ning.com and a space on Twitter, go ahead and link them together!

5. Use Keywords and Tags Properly

Tagging your entries and posts mean that they are easier for any readers to sort through and find the information that they are looking for. Making the information easier to find means you become more interesting, get more repeat visitors, and gain Internet power.

6. Make it Personal

Get an easy-to-remember or catchy name for your blog. Post your picture and a little bit of biographical information.

Even in this technological era, people are still looking for some human contact, and attaching a face to a name makes you more memorable.

7. Monetize Your Blog

Place adsense ads, links to some affiliates, or ask for donations. Offer incentives, such as ebooks, to visitors and they will want to