SMM) and (SMO) are two new catch phrases that have appeared across web marketing sites over the last year. These seemingly interchangeable terms are used to define marketing through social media and social networking sites. However there appears to be much confusion over the precise meaning and as a result, the exact definition of these terms. The problem in making a distinction appears to be a result of confusion with viewing them as two different emerging marketing techniques.
Social Media Optimisation
Social media optimisation is the process of refining a website i.e. optimising it, so that brand/site awareness and content are spread with little effort through social media and online communities. Rather than a banner ad or search ranking, users and visitors of the website act as carriers. Optimising can thus include any on-page techniques used such as improvements to the design and usability of the website which would help it become more compelling to users. This makes it more likely for them spread it through social media sites. A simple example of SMO is represented by adding social bookmarking links like "digg this", "add to delicious" or ?stumble upon? that are all over the web today.
Social Media Marketing
SMM in contrast, is representative of a creative perspective on marketing over social networking websites. It refers to crating and then distributing content and similar messages through the social web network using some form of viral marketing. The ?viral marketing? content specified here could be a funny blog post that gets bookmarked and possibly makes its way to digg's homepage or spreading a viral video by placing it on YouTube and other social media websites. The main difference is that the work here is off-site and involves engaging your potential customer base on territory familiar to them.
To a certain extent, the two terms can be contrasted similar to push and pull marketing. With SMM, advertisers push their message out into the social media. However, once out there the message should not require any more pushing. A true viral marketing campaign must generate its own momentum so that it spreads on its own, creates a buzz and people actually want to spread it. Thus with SMM the campaign starts with creation and ends shortly with planting of this campaign. SMO, on the other hand, focuses on pulling people in with an "optimised" site. Visitors are then expected to spread content present with minimal effort on your part. SMO is at some levels a second stage of the SMM process.
These two new phenomena cannot be ignored in the web marketing world. SEO firms are now looking to social media with more intensity to provide the added exposure for their marketing campaigns.
There are several reasons that social media marketing has taken a while to catch on. The main reason is that many people do not know much about this type of marketing. The rest of the population may be interested in knowing but do not know how to go about using it and then there are those who just do not care to know. The one thing that most people do not realize is the amount of traffic that you can generate by using social media marketing is very large scale.
By using the technology that the internet provides - the video and audio on our computers- social media marketing can be used to promote anything. The technology has arrived; it is just not to the point of popularity that it will eventually be. This is one of the most cost friendly methods of promoting your website that will pay off in large numbers.
Social media marketing is the perfect way to promote viral content. Viral promotions are list, promotions, quizzes, how-to-videos, and this type of content. When it is used in this manner, the traffic that is generated is tremendous. The appeal is the difference between reading about how to do something, for instance making a chocolate pie, or watching a video about how this is done. The obvious choice would be watching a video.
When you use social media marketing you will generate traffic in more ways than one. The people who link directly to you and the referrals from other websites are tied into your website. The social news websites are a key to getting many of these links. Some of these social news websites such as Digg are trusted websites that will have a lot of clout with people who will be considering linking to your website to check it out. One thing that helps is the trustworthiness of the site that is referring traffic to your site. This can make the difference between whether you get traffic or not.
Stumble Upon is another site that people feel confident with when it comes to sites recommended. Your site can have more credibility when it is recommended by a well known site. When promoting a site, it is extremely important that the content be interesting to the social media. When the content is interesting, you will get loyal followers that will stay with you and keep track of your site.
The only thing you need to get started is interest in your site that will have people making purchases and telling others what a great site you have. The more your site is recommended the more traffic generated to your site. Naturally as this happens, the word will spread about this new site and more people will be checking it out which is more traffic. Social media marketing can make your site become a memorable one to people who will recommend it to others. This is the key to the explosion of popularity and traffic that you need to generate traffic to your website all by using social media marketing.
Both Mike Smith & Ranju Kumar are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.