what is social media marketing ?

Social media marketing refers to the process of gaining traffic or attention through social media sites.

Social media itself is a catch-all term for sites that may provide radically different social actions. For instance, Twitter is a social site designed to let people share short messages or “updates” with others. Facebook, in contrast is a full-blown social networking site that allows for sharing updates, photos, joining events and a variety of other activities.

Why would a search marketer — or a site about search engines — care about social media? The two are very closely related.

Social media often feeds into the discovery of new content such as news stories, and “discovery” is a search activity. Social media can also help build links that in turn support into SEO efforts. Many people also perform searches at social media sites to find social media content.

Advice At Search Engine Land

Here at Search Engine Land, we provide social media marketing information and news in a variety of ways:

Search & Social is Search Engine Land’s column that covers different social media marketing topics every week, as they relate to search.

How To: Social Media Marketing is our section that is devoted to practical tips and tactics about social media marketing. Also see the related How To: Facebook and How To: Twitter sections.

Social Media Marketing Library Archives: This area of Search Engine Land provides a collection of all stories we’ve written on the topic of social media.

In addition to covering social media marketing generally, Search Engine Land also has areas specifically about particular major social media sites and social search sites:
 •Delicious
 •Facebook
 •Foursquare
 •Google+
 •Twitter
 •YouTube
 •Social Search Engines
 •Word Of Mouth & Buzz Search Engines

Remember, those with Search Engine Land PRO memberships also have access to a wide-range of video content about social media marketing recorded at our SMX: Search Marketing Expo conferences. Our Digital Marketing Depot sister site also has social media marketing presentations available on demand, to anyone, for free.

Advice At Marketing Land

Marketing Land is the sister site to Search Engine Land that covers all facets of internet marketing, including social media marketing. At Marketing Land, you’ll find regular news coverage about social media marketing. It also offers three dedicated columns on the topic:
 •Social Media Marketing
 •Facebook Marketing
 •Twitter Marketing

Advice At SMX

Search Engine Land produces the SMX conference series. Many of our SMX events have topics that cover social media. There’s also our annual event entirely devoted to social media. Check out the site to learn more: SMX Social Media Marketing.

More Advice & News

There are a number of blogs and forums that focus heavily on social media marketing, including: aimClear, BlueGlass, Bruce Clay Blog, Chris Brogan, Facebook’s blog, Google+ on Google+, LinkedIn’s blog, Mashable, Marketing Land, Scobleizer, Search Engine Land, Steve Rubel, TechCrunch, Techipedia, Twitter’s blog and WebProNews.

Looking for an easy-to-scan compilation of social media news? Check out Alltop. For compilations of the best articles on paid search in a given year, visit The Semmys. At Search Engine Roundtable, you’ll discover a regular compilation of important discussions happening on a variety of search marketing forums.

Also be sure to subscribe to our free SearchCap newsletter! SearchCap has a recap of all the day’s social media marketing news from sources all over the web, as well as the day’s news from Search Engine Land and Marketing Land.