Show Notes

• Archived Blog Post

  Date / Time: 2/28/2009 1:28 AM UTC

  Social Media Marketing- What is More important in Social Media- Content or Contacts?
  

  

  Content is what has been driving the internet for over 18 years.

   

  It is all about great, usable content and we get that. But recently there have been a lot of folks on Social Media that are saying that it is your NUMBERS of  CONTACTS that matter.

  The debate goes on and it appears that there are 2 sides to the question.

   Which one are YOU on?
  

  Follow Doug on Twitter

   
  

  One side are the marketers that market on twitter, facebook,LinkedIn, youtube, and other social sites. They market their trainings and information products. (Full Disclosure - I market products on social sites.
  

  The other side are the bloggers and creatives that want to give great content and revelation that folks can use and grow from. (Full disclosure - I provide content as well on many sites or social media and marketing from home professionals.)
  

  Nothing wrong with either.

  Marketers have  a valid argument, as they bring new ideas and new products to the marketplace.

  Creatives have a valid argument as well, as they bring new how tos and teachings to the marketplace.

  One says that it is all about QUANTITY of followers and friends you have.

  The other says that it is all about the QUALITY of Content you provide that will create the Numbers of followers and friends you have.

  Both may be right as far as their focus. Marketers need numbers to market their wares and information. This us how marketing is done and has been that way for hundreds of years.

  But things are changing. New Marketing is starting to take ahold in the marketplace and transform the process of marketing online. Information and Content are driving a LOT of the marketing efforts now. That is what we do as well. We market using creative content that folks seem to like, and then with their permission, we will send them some future information that may see benefit in maybe ordering.

  
  Seth calls it “Permission Marketing” and that has been around for several years.

  But seems that it has taken a while for folks to get it and understand the concepts of it. This is what is creating this great debate - Content or Contacts.
  

  Here is my take-

  
  FireRule of Social Media- HOT, USABLE, FRESH Content that is virally marketed will DRIVE the Number of Contacts you obtain quicker than just about anything. Folks are HUNGRY for answers, solutions, howtos, and information.

  
  You need both.You need rocking Hot Content to brand your message and to get virally marketed, as well as a lot of folks to market it to. And you do this by building your list one follower and one friend at a time.

  
  1. Give away a free ebook. Folks will give you a look and maybe become a friend or follower.

  
  Free Social media ebook for Home business.
  

  
  2. Give away a free download. Folks will give you a look and maybe even send it to their friends.

  
  Free Video training download.
  

  
  3. Have a HOT blog post or gift and put it on a pdf. It will be sent around and folks will follow you just from that gift.

  
  103 Success Quotes FREE from Doug Firebaugh
  

  It is not hard to do. Create Content that folks will want to use and apply to their life and business. But make sure that you do something that is CRITICAL to building the numbers of friends and followers.

  
  ASK them to Follow you and Become friends with you.  BE BOLD! Alex Mandossian in a recent email said he wanted Ten thousand followers on twitter and asked his subscribers to follow him.  THAT is bold and that WORKS.    (He has a great blog by the way.)

  You will notice everywhere on this blog is “Follow Doug on twitter.”  

  That is NO mistake. I would like for YOU to follow me on twitter as I do send out some HOT findings (urls, blogs, videos, podcasts, etc) in the social sphere that we can all learn from. 

  And one More tip: Promote OTHERS in your efforts. Become a “powerful promoter” as Matt Bacakhas become and names himself as such. You will notice that I use a LOT of names and links in the posts that I send out. This is to let folks know of these folk’s work, as well as let the person know that I admire their work and learn from it. Like Chris Brogan, Scott Monty, Carrie Wilkerson, Robert Scoble, Tim Carter,  Shama Hyder, Deb Micek…  you get the idea.

  This is how that you BLEND Content with Contacts.
  

  I call it  “Content Blending” and it WORKS great for social media marketers.

  Add contacts to yourfacebooknotes, videos and insert them in blog posts, podcasts,  video posts, and even keywords. John Fogg and Diane Hochman are brilliant at this, as well as Mari Smith and Adam Urbanski.
  

  Blend names into your tweets using @theirname in your mesage-and also Retweet –put “RT” before your message or other folks tweets on twitter as that will be a way to promote them as well.

  And also in groups, use other folks names in your communication as well as this will shw that you are connected to folks in that group as well.

  
  Bottom Line – “Content Blending” will assist you in building your list, and answer the debate of whether Content or Contacts is more important.  DOUBLE the power of BOTH by making sure that you have HOT content in all you do and then blend some contacts and promote others as you do it, and you will find your numbers of contacys rocking in your social media marketing efforts.
  

  
  blessings..doug firebaugh
  

  
  Social media Training

  Home Business Marketers Social Media ebook
  

  
  Related posts
  

  
  100 Year Old marketing formula

  If i started Social Media Today

  • Tags:
  • scial media
  • social media marketi
  • social networking
  • social traffic
  • doug firebaugh
  • Permalink