Social bookmarking has grown in popularity over the last few years for both avid online content readers, and marketers looking to grow their online presence. However, it seems that this important online marketing tool has managed to hide in plain site for numerous business owners. It is important to know the differences between social media, social news, social bookmarking, and the impact that all of them can have on your business.
Social bookmarking is commonly interchanged with social media. Unless you have been living under a digital rock, you are familiar with the common social media websites and their function. The giant websites such as Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter allow user to share many different types of content. Some emerging websites include Vine and Instagram, which allow users to share pictures and short videos.
Social bookmarking can involve social media, but this process is much more than sending a tweet or uploading your thoughts on a recent home-made meal to a Facebook status. Social bookmarking allows a user to share something they have seen, whether it is a blog post, news article, picture, or even an entire website, to a directory which makes this content easier for other users to locate. One great example of this is StumbleUpon, which allows users to share any content for other user to stumble on to during their browsing session.
Those who engage in social bookmarking can directly share the content with another user, or make it more likely that someone they do not know will happen upon the shared content. This type of promotion can be very useful for bringing in new customers who did not know they needed your product or service in the first place.
Social bookmarking has another component that allows news worthy content to be shared on a massive scale. Websites such as Digg and Reddit are a type of social bookmarking site which allow any user to share a link to interesting content they have found or created. Since these sites are used on a very large scale, many happenings in the news will be shared on the site and then discussed by users.
This type of social news can serve as a content engine for a business. You may have just released a groundbreaking new product into the market. You can share the product via traditional and social news, then let the marketplace do your work for you. Articles reviewing and discussing the product, with links back to your website can all spawn from a simple share through a social bookmarking or social news website.
The purpose of social bookmarking is to make the information of the internet easier to digest. If a user were to try to wade through all of the available information it would be a daunting task. You have created great content on your website, make sure that you share it and get it out there for the world to see! By utilizing a social bookmarking strategy, you can make sure that like-minded individuals will share your content with one another, and give your content valuable exposure to a difficult to reach audience. A good social media strategy may be easy to start, but it is difficult to master. To find out about some agency services that will aid you in your social bookmarking strategy, follow this link to our social media services page and get a free consultation!
