Let social media drive traffic to your site

BY TASHA CUNNINGHAM
Special to The Miami Herald
 
It's quite a boon for a small business to have a great URL and a dynamic online presence. But what if you have a fabulous site that no one visits?
 
If you're in that boat, you're missing out on potential sales and revenue for your business. So what's the best way to drive traffic to your site?
 
There's no magic bullet. Driving traffic takes a multipronged strategy that includes PR, e-mail marketing and social bookmarking. In today's wired world, one of the most effective strategies for driving traffic to your site is social media. In my last column, I touched on the importance of making Twitter and Facebook an integral part of your marketing strategy. Just how important is social media to your small business? I brought in a big gun to give you the answer.
 
According to social media expert Peter Shankman, a small business owner can't do without it.
 
``The point of using social media as part of a marketing or PR strategy for a small business is to drive traffic and generate sales,'' said Shankman, founder and CEO of The Geek Factory, a boutique marketing and PR strategy firm in New York City. ``If you're not doing that with your social media strategy, then there's no point in doing it at all.''
 
But Shankman doesn't advise his clients to use social media in traditional, established ways. Instead, Shankman urges small-business owners to think outside the box.
 
``Everyone looks at social media as a great way to broadcast themselves and their business,'' said Shankman. ``But it's also an essential tool for listening to your customers, and it's all free. What could be better than that?''
 
Before you create a presence on Twitter and Facebook, Shankman recommends searching both sites for the name of your company first. ``See what other people are saying about you and your company,'' said Shankman.
 
``Send personal replies to those customers whether they are complaining about your company or giving you praise,'' he said. ``Interact with them and always include a link in your message that takes them back to your site.''
 
When they get to your site, have something to offer them. ``Whether it's a 50 percent off coupon, a terrific sale or something for free, give them something that will keep them interested in your site and the services you offer,'' said Shankman. ``You can do this very effectively through Twitter, MySpace and Facebook.''
 
For Facebook first-timers, Shankman urges clients to create a fan page, not a friend account.
 
``Your business doesn't have friends, it has fans,'' said Shankman. ``These are people who use your products and services and care about your company, so create a fan page instead. Let your fans do your PR for you. That's free, too.''
 
Shankman recommends interacting with your fans on Facebook every day. ``It goes a long way toward building customer loyalty. Every morning, I get up and check all of my social networks, and if one of my fans has a birthday, I send a personalized note to that person wishing them happy birthday and giving them a link to something on my site. By doing that, I'm driving traffic to my site, building customer loyalty and potentially making a sale all at the same.''
 
Tasha Cunningham is a Web entrepreneur and a principal of The Cunningham Group, a firm specializing in strategic communications, online marketing and Web 2.0 strategies. She has been featured on CNN, MSNBC and the Today Show, as well as in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post.
 
 
Found at:http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/1158112.html

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