The hype is still around with social media and it should be by this point, pretty hard to avoid for most major companies. Of course, its not as easy as it looks. It takes a lot more than just submitting a page or site to social sites and absolutely takes a lot more time to build up your reputation. However, it will be well worth your efforts. Gaining a recognizable reputation through your own avatar (usually a personal photo) and name, readers within your industry will gradually jump to opportunities to hear your thoughts, sending thousands of visitors to sites that you mention. Your face will quite literally become an “authority” avatar. Complete article on An Authority Avatar Is Almost As Good As An Authority Site

In 2007 “Web 2.0” was, without a doubt, the IT term of the year. ”Social media” is without a doubt the IT term of 2008. But is it all hype?

Stompernet, Ed Dale, John Cow, Yaro Starak, SEO Chicks… Everybody’s talking about it! Every body is optimizing it, everybody is speculating about it and I am no different. I got my own theories and views on this, so I’m bringing them to the table, here- on SEMHints. Why should you care what I think? Because I care about what you think! I want you to use this comment section to tell me what you think about the future of social marketing. I want to know what your thoughts on this issue are! Complete article on Social Media - Hype or Internet Marketing Heaven

Anyone who’s ever tried their hand at blogging knows that a blog is a worthless experience without readers. By now, it’s pretty obvious, you can’t just slap together some content, sit back and wait for people to come. There’s more to be done.

Yes. I’m talking about social networking and bookmarking. But guess what? Just posting articles through SocialPoster.com, and then putting your feet up is not the road to success, either. You must be an active
social poster. Complete article on Manufacturing Friends - A Guide to Productive Social Networking

Social networking sites are a great way for the small businesses and self-employed to get contacts and win new business.

Online networking is often cheaper and quicker way to interact with your customers and other businesses. Sites such as www.linkedin.com offer online networking specifically for the professional and commercial sectors and can sometimes be more effective than traditional methods of networking such as trade shows, business clubs and breakfast meetings. Complete article on Spread the Word Online using Social Networking

Renowned Internet marketers have been talking about the change of salesmen-ship tactics, forever, now. The way the Internet has been working, since the invention of the search engine, has made it possible for us to save grace and end the era of doors slamming in our faces. We no longer have to get our foot in the door, we can finally be invited in. Complete article on Hurry Up and Get On The Social Networking Bandwagon, Before It’s Too Late

If you’ve read Tali Shapiro’s recent post on “Facebook - The Bottomless Pit of Social Activity” you might have had similar reactions as I did. There are certainly some valid points about Facebook in regards to being a bosses worst nightmare. I read once in a newspaper that some people are now so addicted to Facebook that they even schedule work around Facebook, allowing up to 8 time slots for Facebook time. This cost many companies thousands maybe even millions of dollars if all their employees are wrapped into this social network. However, for many internet marketers, I believe this is the perfect avenue for more exposure. Complete article on Facebook - The Best Pit For Social Activity

Personally, I started using social media sites only after I became an Internet marketer. Up until then I was completely oblivious to them. You see, I was an information surfer (still am)- I could go over 24 hours straight looking for information- not communication. Complete article on Facebook - The Bottomless Pit of Social Activity