Social Marketing Lesson Plan
“You can’t teach a person what they already know and you can’t know what they know
unless they tell you…” –Laura Childs
When I train people to market their websites, products, or services on Social Network, Social Bookmark, or Social Media websites, the conversation always begins by knowing the student.
Due to the fact that I cannot speak personally with every person who lands on this website, I have set up a series of questions – your answers will determine where you begin your training on building a social marketing strategy.
“Can’t you just design a generic step-by-step strategy that everyone could follow?
I need to get right to the benefits of more subscribers, more profit and
more traffic to my websites!” –Frustrated Marketers Everywhere
Sadly, no.
Not if you want your time to be spent wisely.
Not if you want to reap the largest and longest lasting rewards.
Not if you want to know what to look for and understand what you’re doing with social marketing to continue on the success path…
The world has changed.
Online marketing has changed.
More importantly, your customer has changed. They don’t want generic solutions and mediocre product offerings. They’re holding out for a perfect match. They’re spending their time online in different places. You need to know where to position yourself to be seen by more of them.
Listen, social marketing is not going anywhere. It is not a “flash-in-the-pan, traffic-generating technique” that is here today, gone tomorrow. It is the ‘new’ online marketing and therefore you will need to know it – inside and out – in order to thrive online.
It’s just that simple. Or complicated, depending on how you look at it. Depending, of course, of how successful you want your online business to be.
Don’t Miss This: Be aware that just because a post, video or tutorial exists on this website, does not mean that you should focus any time or attention to marketing on that particular Web 2.0 site. Why? Your market may not be there and your time will be wasted.
Example: You sell fur coats, boots, and hats. You find a tutorial on SocialMarketingStrategy.com where environmentalists and green living enthusiasts convene and socialize. You need to make an educated decision to not build a presence, add content to, create a profile on, or market to that website. (As a generalization, tree huggers do not wear fur.)
The ‘path’ I have chosen for your education into Web 2.0 will follow below, right now (March 3rd) it is still in edit so please bear with me. Read through the questions below and follow the links. After that you can design your strategy, learn about the specific Web 2.0 sites (visit the SiteMap), and begin implementation.
Beginners:
If you’re just now hearing about Web 2.0 and you either own a website, you blog content with the intention of sales, or are an affiliate or pay per click marketer, then this route and membership on SocialMarketingStrategy.com is for you.
- Do You Know What Web 2.0 Is or Encompasses?
Do You Know How We Got Where We Are Today?:
Read/Skim: Understanding the Web 2.0 Concept: A Primer on the Social Internet - Do You Know Why Marketing via Web 2.0 Is Vital to Your Business?
If You Already Have A Website Do You Know Why Your Visitor Stats are Dwindling?:
Read: What’s Changing Online? Where has all the traffic gone? - Do You Understand ‘Social Strength’ and Just How Big Web 2.0 Is?:
Still not convinced that Web 2.0 exists? Read: Some Social Site User Statistics - Do You Know the Value of Back Links (just one of the many benefits of Web 2.0 representation)?:
Read: Why You Need A Presence on the Social Networking, Bookmarking and Web 2.0 Sites… - Do You Know What Considerations to Address When Designing A Basic Marketing Strategy?:
Read/Watch/Download: Video and Ebook on Primary Considerations and Basic Social Sites to Consider when Designing A Social Marketing Strategy - Do You Know the Ultimate Outcome?
Do You Know What A Mash Up Is?:
Read this introduction to one of the most powerful Web 2.0 sites (some are even calling it Web 3.0!) online today to glimpse where you are ultimately headed in your social marketing strategy. The Concept of FriendFeed Account - Do You Know Where to Practice and Hone Your Web 2.0 Skills?:
Read/Watch/Act: Now that you know why tag selection and usage is important, how to find the busiest pages of a site, and why profiles and RSS feeds matter, start at this less-than-super-powerful social marketing site to hone your skills for future social marketing efforts. 43things.com
Intermediate:
- What Actions to Take on Web 2.0 Sites for Optimum Effectiveness
Read/Take Notes: A quick look at what to post and where to post it on social bookmarking, networking, blogging, and video sites – tags vs. keywords. Also, what to look for in each site to promote your profiles, bookmarks and content even further. Five minute actions to top results. - The Social Sites You MUST Be On – No Matter What Market You’re In!
Read/Take Notes: Every online business owner should have a profile, links, or presence (no matter how small), on these Web 2.0 sites.
Coming Next…
- Mapping Our Your Social Marketing Strategy
Read: What to write down and when to act. Print this one out and map out your strategy on the flip side! - A List of Tightly Focused Niche Social Sites and How to Find Them
Read: No everyone will use these niche social sites. And, how to find a social site that targets your market and potential customers. “Know and Find Your Target Market and Win!”
(still in edit…the full progression of training, from beginner to advanced will eventually be written out here. This way you’ll be able to move through the modules that apply to your current level of knowledge, your business, and/or your target market – and only perform the actions that bear fruit.)