• about 1% of the members of an online community contribute 90% of the content.
• Another 9% comment occasionally.  So what does that leave?
• 90% just read!

So don't forget about your silent majority.  Even though they aren't actively posting, they read and are informed by the community.  You reach more people than you might realize.

If you are feeling overwhelmed

• Focus on one social medium
• Outsource your blog setup
• Hire a writer turn your words into posts
• Hire someone to set you up on LinkedIn, etc.
• Hire someone to write your profiles
• Move on to other social media as your comfort increases

The rules really are different for internet marketing versus traditional marketing.  You should not take content from traditional marketing and drop it into your social media or website efforts.  If your time is limited and valuable, outsource to a marketing professional who understands internet marketing.

Also, it’s important how you set up a domain for your blog.  Make sure you consult with an expert.

Remember, a social media is not to promote your company but to provide information your prospects and customers want.  Be a valuable resource.

• Help with SEO (getting found on Google, etc)
• Position you as an expert or thought leader
• Provide direct communication to customers and prospects
• Help build relationships
• It is low cost

However, to blog you need to make a commitment.  When you begin, make sure you can commit to blogging two times a week.  Afterwards, you should aim for at least once every 7-10 days.

Listen and monitor to what is going on in social media.  For example:

• Use alerts, such as Google alerts to learn where your prospects are
• Use Twitter search.  However, it only goes back 7-10 days so you should save your results outside of Twitter
• Search for blogs and read them; just act as a silent observer at first
• Find a few key blogs and follow them regularly

Share

• Add value to conversations that are already happening
• Answers questions
• Share items that would interest other readers
• Request readers share your information with others
• Write what prospects want to read about
• Don’t brag!
• Don’t promote your company
• Instead, be a helpful, trustworthy resource

Measure

Measure results and revise your strategy based on results

• Number of clicks
• Number moving to site
• Number downloading your free white papers
• Number attending your webinars
• Number of leads
• Track that which is meaningful to you
• Remember ROI!

First, before you start thinking about social media, make sure you have the basics of  internet marketing covered.

• Does your website have the content your customers are looking for?
• Have you applied search engine optimization (SEO) tactics to your website so prospects and customers can find you?
• Is your site friendly to Google, Yahoo and Bing?

Once you have your website basics in place, you are ready to jump into social media.  However, focus is the key!  Don’t try too many social media marketing initiatives at once.

Start in Social Media with:

• Blogging
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Facebook

Blogs are the first place you should start.  Whether you should next spread your time to Linkedin, Twitter or Facebook depends on your style, commitment and industry.  However, don’t go beyond these four until you’ve mastered each of the above.

Apple is predicting their new iPad will revolutionize the world of publishing as their iPod revolutionized the world of music.  Do you think they’re right?

Well, if you’ve been following the world of print, especially the advertising side of the business, the industry needs a revolution.  Ad revenues have fallen sharply with the rise of internet marketing, mobile, text messaging and social media.  The old advertising channels like newspaper and magazines are in need of a major change.  Perhaps Steve Jobs can save them.

Either way, I can’t wait to get my hands on the new iPad.  But it had better not be too heavy.  It has to be much lighter than my laptop or a tablet PC so I’m eager to carry it with me.  Sounds like a nice, new toy!

Are you involved outside of work with a non-profit, such as a local charity, or a church or synagogue? If so, maybe you should consider mobile as an access point for donors.

What is the biggest obstacle to achieving your resolutions?  It’s a lack of focus.  I once heard, “If you have 12 priorities, then you have no priorities.”  I’m not sure of the source but certainly agree!

The point is, if you cannot limit your top priorities to about three items; then you have too many priorities.  If you have 12 priorities on your list; that list does not contain your goals; it’s just a task list.  Anybody can write a “To Do” list.  But to take the time to really think about what’s important to you; you must force yourself to focus.

Lake-Effect Marketing provides marketing strategy, advertising and internet marketing.  Established in April 2007, it serves Michigan-based businesses.  We provide full-coverage marketing solutions while helping clients improve work-life balance.