What is Social Marketing?

Social marketing first popped onto the scene back in the early 1970’s when a group of marketers realized there was a need for some specific programs designed to help change the course of human behavior. At the time, the focus was on issues concerning public health, but once the success of these new social marketing plans were realized, they quickly spread to other areas as well.

The actual techniques surrounding social marketing involved finding likeminded groups of individuals interested in your target niche. By providing these people with valuable information pertaining to their interests, you are promoting whatever type of social good they are seeking help with. In some circles, social marketing is described as using commercial tactics to promote non-commercial products or information. This is a rather limited definition, as social marketing is not necessarily limited to those participating in non-commercial ventures.

Confused yet? You don’t need to be. Social marketing is also referred to as social network marketing. Perhaps that term seems a little more familiar. It’s not nearly as complex as it sounded in the 1970’s, and I’d be willing to bet that you more than likely use or visit at least one social networking site on a regular basis. These sites include Myspace, Facebook, LinkedIn, Plaxo, and more.

MySpace and Facebook are excellent examples of social networking sites. You have probably noticed that the people on these sites constantly look for new “friends” to add to their networks. While some people want to use these sites to simply share information, others have a more creative marketing plan in mind. The more connections you make on these sites, the more people you’re going to reach with your advertisements or messages.

LinkedIn and Plaxo are also great social networking sites, but they have a more professional setup. They were designed for entrepreneurs to post something closer to a resume than a social profile, and it’s harder to simply add friends. You have to know a person related to the person you want to meet and request an introduction. The ability to use these services for social marketing will be somewhat limited for those who can’t make contacts or find a creative method of reaching out to strangers.

There are dozens of social networking sites across the Internet and more are popping up each day. You have to be careful about the way you use social marketing, as you don’t want your friends and contacts to think you are simply sending them unsolicited advertisements or SPAM.

When used properly, social networking can be an incredibly effective way of boosting your email list, sales, and web traffic. What social networking sites do you use for social marketing? Have you found sites other than MySpace and Facebook that work well?

Happy Socialising!

Sean

Sean McPheat

Marketing Consultant - Internet Marketing Consultant - Sales Expert