Social Media Optimization – Another Means of Optimizing the Website
Social Media Optimization (SMO) must not be confused with search engine optimization; however, both generally tackle online marketing strategy. Search engine optimization involves activities such as generating links and traffic to your website, and social media optimization does the same. SMO is just a part of the processes that search engine optimizers have to perform. In other words, SMO is synonymous with social bookmarking in a way. The difference is that, in SMO, one advertises himself as an expert rather than advertising the business itself.
SMO is done by submitting the main (business) website to several social networking sites. Even if SMO is just a part of SEO umbrella, it also requires the same intensity of effort that SEO has to go through. Achieving the goal of web presence requires patience. Social networking sites can offer unlimited web presence to web optimizers. Search media optimizer uses his name, reputation as the vehicle for the business visibility. There is the freedom for SM optimizer to use fictional name/person. One can craft a nonexistent person by building its character. Yet, it would be easy if character bluffing is avoided. This should be considered that whether the character used in search media optimization is fictional person or not, the background has to be built with enough skills and experiences about the chosen field of business.
Often, the primary cause of marketing failure is the less exposure of the business being marketed that usually ends in brand anonymity. The only way to make the business survive is through appropriate and continuous promotion. Promoting the business, especially if it is quite new, is the hardest part of business operation. Even much more difficult if the business has to operate online. Since it has to operate in the vast world of the internet, website visibility is undeniably a tedious job to do. However, the outcome as experts say “will be worth the effort.” Nothing is more fulfilling than seeing your business grow.
Competition is the very essence of having a business. Expert online entrepreneurs know this fact that once the business is put up, there are only two ways out: either to compete or to fail. To compete is like hitting your own head with a baseball bat and to fail is like committing suicide. Of course, one would rather choose to compete because there is a 50-50 chance of winning. But what if the business is still new, just recently established? And what hope is left when one’s business ventures on the same field where there are giant competitors? Good to know that the World Wide Web makes the competition fair and square. Through social media optimization, winning the battle in online business is made achievable. Now, this is where strategy counts.
Popular social networking sites like Facebook, Friendster, MySpace, Photobucket, Flickr and YouTube are recommended. Optimizing the website using these social networking sites is ideal since they have millions of subscribers. They are free and this is what makes them gaining more users. Few things should be considered in using these sites. Since this is social networking, getting connected with more fellow users is a must. The virtue of friendliness is the golden rule and Online Identity Management (OIM) is a law that is carried out with utmost caution. Only positive traits of the character must be shown to encourage more connections and popularity. Comes with popularity should be your reputation as an expert of your field.
One of the SMO specialists stressed that SMO tactics is a great alternative of web optimization. Time will come that it will take over other SEO methods in driving huge traffic and revenues.