People who do internet marketing through the years have developed new facets and realms of the trade. Many practice search engine optimization (SEO) for their websites through creating backlinks, managing keyword density, modifying their page architecture and so on. But did you know that social media sites and social media marketing are equally as effective as SEO for boosting your online income?

Recent years have been the “golden age” for social networking and user-generated content in the internet. Notice how funny messages and images can virally be replicated, reposted and made to jump from website to website. You can use to your business’ advantage the natural tendency of social content to be visible.

Social Media Marketing

Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and other social networks in the web are not just for personal profiles. You can create sites and fan pages for your business as well. For example, LinkedIn lets you create formal business profiles and look for relevant companies. This will come in handy if you are seeking partnerships for intensifying your marketing campaign.

Facebook, on the other hand, allows you to create business profiles for the “more casual” internet users. The site also allows you to reach your target customers for free. Just request them to “like” or follow your fan page. Then, they will have real time alerts on your posts. Post here your infomercials, press releases and links as status updates. Social media marketing allows you to spread your ads at virtually no cost.

Blogging and Video Journaling

You can create a separate blog account for your business or you can make a user-generated section on your business website. This will give your customers a sense of control and personalization of their accounts on your website. You will need tools like SaaS software and Flash to create interactive and user-modifiable content on your site, but the rewards will be great.

Correspondence and discussions with customers and prospects get easier through blogs and forums. You can keep them posted about promos and special offers. Later on, you can ask satisfied clients to write their reviews of your products or their experience transacting with you. That’s free advertising that will have impact to the internet community.

Video blogging is also another great option in social media marketing. Some people just get bored of article ads, and they are likely to get interested with cool audio-video materials. Just add your links to the title or video description below the media. Links of video ads can also easily be spread through social networks.