March 11th, 2010 by Nick

Social media marketing has exploded over the past few years, but if you’re still a SMM novice it can be really daunting trying to launch yourself on the social media scene. Many people feel like the new kid in class that has joined half way through term when everyone has already formed their own little cliques. You’re desperate to make new friends but getting in with the wrong crowd could have an effect on your standing with your peers for a long time to come.

This probably makes it sound even more intimidating, but it’s not.  The key to effective social media optimisation is to be choosy and pick the sites that are right for you rather than signing up on as many as possible. After all, trying to create a positive online reputation across numerous communities will leave little time for you to concentrate on your own life and business.

But, with so many online communities out there, if you’re not an expert in SMM how do you know which ones to target? Well, the simple answer is to find a good SEO company that can do it for you, but if you decide to do it yourself, make sure you pick the communities that are going to produce the best results for you.

Nearly everyone has heard of the big names in social media such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, but just because these are the biggest it doesn’t mean they’ll be the best for you. There are literally thousands out there and to find the right ones for your SMO strategy you need to first decide what you want to get out of it.

Are you looking to connect with friends, customers or business contacts? For example Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Twitter, Google Buzz, and YouTube are all really popular for social networking, but if you’re looking to make business contacts LinkedIn, Squidoo or Digg may be a better option. Take time to have a look at the different sites before diving into SMM.

Do you want to be seen as a trendy newcomer or an expert source? The profile you upload, the social media you join and the way you speak to your contacts is what people will judge you on, so it’s vital to get your profile right the first time and be clear about how you want to be perceived. First impressions are even more important in Internet reputation management than they are in face-to-face contact. If people don’t like the look of you online there’s no polite small talk for you to win them over, they simply navigate away never to return.

Another vital factor is to choose your friends carefully. Many people think that effective SMO is purely based on the number of contacts you’ve got. Of course people are attracted to popular sites and blogs but don’t be tempted to connect with just anyone in an attempt to look popular. When it comes to online reputation management, you’re judged on who you know, so don’t associate yourself with just anyone.

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