Earlier this week I posted the first part of an interview with UK-based Click Consult on social media optimization.
In this second part, we tackle topics such as social bookmarking, guest blogging and other social media optimization techniques.
But first I wanted to know what the company thought about PPC advertising in social media and if/how it used it.
Susie Hood: “It is an important part of SMO to give a uniform marketing message across all media. Clients who also run TV adverts alongside internet marketing, for example, have to update the market message of their PPC adverts in line with their branding on television. So in the same way that offline needs to marry up with online media to maximise results, we need to see SMO marry up with branding, display and search marketing”.
“However, the transparency of results becomes more difficult to track when you look at ROI on PPC and what ROI on PPC is apportioned to uplift from SMO, however this is where the full online marketing expenditure needs to be married against total online marketing Return to calculation online ROMI”.
Next, I wanted to know more about social phenomena such as social bookmarking from a SEM perspective.
Susie: “Many Social Media sites do not pass on what is known as ‘Google Juice’, but the key to Social Media affecting SEM is that 3rd level back links are inevitably gained. Whereby someone will take a link off a Social Media / Bookmarking site and re-distribute it naturally via their site/blogs”.
She adds: “This is the key to making SMO work for SEM”.
Start guest blogging now!
I think people should blog more on other blogs (which are social media) too as guest bloggers (incoming links, reputation, etc.). What does Click Consult think?
Susie: “Guest Blogging has a couple a massive benefits 1) Brand Building; by someone letting you guest blog on their site, they are giving their seal of approval to you/your business/brand. They are letting their customers/the world know that they trust you/your business/brand”.
She continues: “This can be a massive driver of traffic and business, and will build an instant level of trust with a whole new set of visitors. 2) The invaluable back links you will get from the blog will aid your SEO performance no end. If you can guest blog on a couple of sites you can open up a whole new sector of customers”.
Wrapping it up: a message to SEM marketers
Finally I asked Click Consult what their message is to SEM marketers that don’t look at social media marketing today.
This is what Susie and the people at Click Consult think: “SMO is still really in its infancy, and as mentioned, many people see the cost (in terms of time or money) to instant return as barriers into this area. However the long term goal of any marketing plan is to increase profit, and by building your brand and constantly conversing with your customers you will be building a stronger more sustainable business that will inevitably lead to greater profits”.
And she concludes: “Don’t let the short term work affect the long term goals”.
Again, I couldn’t agree more.
Join me in the Social Marketing Forum