Social Marketing Services that You Can Offer
Social marketing, or using social networking sites to create traffic and buzz, is currently one of the hottest topics in the Internet marketing world. Social marketing offers some unique benefits over search engine optimization and pay per click marketing. Social marketing is free, it provides marketers with direct contact with their target market and it creates credibility.
This is all well and good to know, but you may be wondering what this has to do with your writing career. The reason I bring it up is because there are groups of people hungry for social marketing services. And fortunately for us writers, this falls nicely into our areas of expertise.
While there are dozens of social marketing sites out there, there are two that have risen from the pack in terms of their effectiveness when it comes to driving traffic. Squidoo lenses and Hub Pages are both based on the same principles - simple sites based on a few keywords or a particular topic.
The beauty of these sites is that they are mainly based on content. Sure, there are a few bells and whistles that you may need to learn to make these sites, but the learning curve is fairly low. With a little practice, you’ll have an instant service that you can offer to your clients, old and new.
Get started by registering for each site at www.squidoo.com and www.hubpages.com. Registration is free, and you can get going with each type of site in a matter of minutes. Play around with the features and check out some of the most popular lenses and pages to get some ideas.
Then create some sample lenses and pages that you can show to clients. Consider setting up a sales page for your new social marketing services, and then let your previous customers know about your new skills. When you get an order for an ebook or a set of articles, let your client know that you also offer custom Squidoo lenses and Hubpages. In just a matter of time you’ll be the go-to guy or gal for social marketing.
To be a social marketer would require your own online and offline ‘network’ as well. Any tips on doing that?
I’m going to have to disagree with that statement. I don’t think that you need an offline network to be successful at online social marketing. I “know” several people online who I don’t know offline. And I don’t have an offline networks of writers that I work with. But maybe I’m misunderstanding you there.
As far as building an online network, if you’re building these sites for your own personal use instead of selling them, it’s as simple as adding people as your friends in the social networks, using social bookmarking and using Twitter to attract people to your lenses, pages, etc. In no time at all, you’ll have a network.
Social marketing is really taking off. Squidoo seems to be one of the larger more popular social marketing websites, I hear about it quite frequently. You can use these online social communities to promote just about any niche. In my brief time using them, they seem to be very effective. Good article
I just recently joined Squidoo and HubPages. I’m having a blast with them! I hesitated in joining for the longest. I wish I hadn’t. I’m able to express my creative passions for herbs, healthful eating, and more in my lenses and hubs. So far, I’ve only created one lens and three hubs, but I have tons of ideas for more. And offering to write custom Squidoo Lenses and HubPages is an excellent idea!
*smiles*
Michele
I’m glad you’re having fun with them Michele! I find that they are an excellent way to start a quick website without needing to know HTML.
Thanks, Courtney! It is much more fun that I thought it would be.
And it is very simple!
*smiles*
Michele