Everyone wants to get their content on the front page of Digg, Reddit, and other social news/voting websites; after all, those websites can drive huge amounts of traffic, lead to the creation of dozens (if not more) back links, and of course, help your website get to page one. Moreover, one of the many tricks that a savvy internet marketing company should have up their sleeve is experience with and strong profiles on popular social media sites, as well as knowledge of the various niche social networking, bookmarking, and content-sharing websites.

Social Media Marketing is Easier Said Than Done

The most important aspect of social media success is also the most difficult -you have to create remarkable content that people actually want to click on, read, and link to, or linkbait. After all, the web contains massive amounts of content in the form of written articles and blog posts as well as audio and video clips, so it takes some skill and uniqueness to stand out. Being a skilled writer (or hiring one) is helpful, but if the written word is just not your forte, try doing podcasts or videos, or participating in an online radio program. Try out different mediums until you find the one that works best for you.

Make New (Social Media) Friends

Once you have your content, however, you have to promote it. Develop strong profiles on key social media sites for your niche and friend other users, especially other bloggers and people in your field.  You can accomplish this by submitting interesting content - both your own and your friends’ blog posts and articles.  Share the love!  Users who try to game social media sites purely for their own shameless self promotion tend to be ignored at best and banned at worst.  “Friend” other popular users (check out the “most active” or “top users” list that appears on many social sites, but again, don’t be pushy - you just want to get on their radar.

But Keep the Old

Whenever you join a new social site, search for old friends (real life or online), because chances are if they have friended/followed/what-have-you on one network, they will do so on another.  Most social media sites allow you to import contacts from your email account as well, so don’t neglect this potential source of positive votes.

The Internet is (not so) Serious Business

The most important thing to remember is that social media sites in general tend to have a relaxed tone, and content that has a lighter, humorous tone, if not downright sarcastic or snarky, tends to be more successful that articles that have a deadly serious slant (one exception: breaking news stories that cover major disasters or other tragic events).  In addition, participating in a popular meme (like lolcats!) in a way that still supports your brand can work, depending on your industry or target market.