August 30, 2006 at 16:24Rules for optimizing sites for social networks
Optimization for social media (SMO) is the same in essence as search engine optimization (SEO), but it is not intended for search engines, but for social networks and blogs to attract traffic to your website from there.
Professional marketers are pleased to see the growing popularity of social services such as MySpace and YouTube . For them, this is a new toolkit, potentially very effective. Marketers gradually master it and publish the first manuals on SMO , that is, on optimization for social media.
Over the years of the existence of search engine optimization, it has turned into a whole science that borders on art. The goal of SEO is to raise the site as high as possible in the search results of this or that search engine. On the other hand, SMO aims to attract an audience to the site through social networks, blogs, podcasts, video castes and specialized search engines, that is, to integrate as much as possible into the blogosphere and social networks in order to get traffic from there. This requires special methods.
1. Increase linkability. This is the first and most important rule for websites. Many sites still remain static, that is, they are rarely updated and used as if they were a showcase. No links will be put on such a site. An increase in linkability implies just the constant generation of interesting content that will be consistently referenced in the blogosphere and social media. There are different ways: you can open a corporate blog on the site, publish some research or other interesting documents, or just make an interesting selection from other people's content.
2. Facilitate tagging and bookmarkingfor your site, that is, you need to place special links like “Add to Bloglines” so that an RSS feed or link is added there with the click of a button. In addition, additional steps must be taken to ensure that the page is associated with relevant tags.
3. Encourage inbound links . Since inbound links are critical for website promotion, you need to pay special attention to them and encourage those who put them. For example, list all pages where these links appeared.
4. Provide content export. This is not only about textual information in the form of RSS, but also about the export of various files, including PDF, video, audio. You need to try to distribute your files as widely as possible on the Internet. Naturally, they should link to the parent site.
5. Encourage hybrids based on your content. On the modern Internet, many services are created on the basis of other services. Do not be shy to open your content in such a way that it can be made an integral part of someone else's site. This will only add traffic.
6. Serve the peopleeven if it does not make money. Publish information useful to users and put outgoing links to other useful sites, including competitor sites. In this case, you will be bookmarked and marked as an objective and universal source of information in this area.
7. Identify and reward valuable users in your community. For example, to specifically attract traffic to them from the main page of your site, provide them with personal attention signs, introduce a rating system so that these people get a higher status in the system.
8. Participate in community life.
9. Address precisely to your target audience.
10. Create as much content as possible.
11. Be as honest as possible.
12. Do not be afraid of new technologies.
The list of new SMO rules is gradually expanding and has already expanded to 16 points, and is also translated into several languages. In fact, a whole guide to Marketing 2.0 is being created before our very eyes.
Professional marketers are pleased to see the growing popularity of social services such as MySpace and YouTube . For them, this is a new toolkit, potentially very effective. Marketers gradually master it and publish the first manuals on SMO , that is, on optimization for social media.
Over the years of the existence of search engine optimization, it has turned into a whole science that borders on art. The goal of SEO is to raise the site as high as possible in the search results of this or that search engine. On the other hand, SMO aims to attract an audience to the site through social networks, blogs, podcasts, video castes and specialized search engines, that is, to integrate as much as possible into the blogosphere and social networks in order to get traffic from there. This requires special methods.
1. Increase linkability. This is the first and most important rule for websites. Many sites still remain static, that is, they are rarely updated and used as if they were a showcase. No links will be put on such a site. An increase in linkability implies just the constant generation of interesting content that will be consistently referenced in the blogosphere and social media. There are different ways: you can open a corporate blog on the site, publish some research or other interesting documents, or just make an interesting selection from other people's content.
2. Facilitate tagging and bookmarkingfor your site, that is, you need to place special links like “Add to Bloglines” so that an RSS feed or link is added there with the click of a button. In addition, additional steps must be taken to ensure that the page is associated with relevant tags.
3. Encourage inbound links . Since inbound links are critical for website promotion, you need to pay special attention to them and encourage those who put them. For example, list all pages where these links appeared.
4. Provide content export. This is not only about textual information in the form of RSS, but also about the export of various files, including PDF, video, audio. You need to try to distribute your files as widely as possible on the Internet. Naturally, they should link to the parent site.
5. Encourage hybrids based on your content. On the modern Internet, many services are created on the basis of other services. Do not be shy to open your content in such a way that it can be made an integral part of someone else's site. This will only add traffic.
6. Serve the peopleeven if it does not make money. Publish information useful to users and put outgoing links to other useful sites, including competitor sites. In this case, you will be bookmarked and marked as an objective and universal source of information in this area.
7. Identify and reward valuable users in your community. For example, to specifically attract traffic to them from the main page of your site, provide them with personal attention signs, introduce a rating system so that these people get a higher status in the system.
8. Participate in community life.
9. Address precisely to your target audience.
10. Create as much content as possible.
11. Be as honest as possible.
12. Do not be afraid of new technologies.
The list of new SMO rules is gradually expanding and has already expanded to 16 points, and is also translated into several languages. In fact, a whole guide to Marketing 2.0 is being created before our very eyes.