In 2015, social media marketing is an integral part of most marketing strategies. Everyone from massive corporations to local ice cream trucks rely on Twitter, Facebook, and the rest to connect with customers, grow their brand, and generate leads. While some some web development experts might like to complain that social media marketing is just a distraction, it can be a valuable investment of your time. Just remember: you only get out of social media marketing what you put into it.
Social media also highlights one of the most fundamental truths of the Internet, a simple principle that a shocking number of website designers, business owners, and managers fail to understand. You’ve probably heard of the phrase, “No man is an island.” Well, that term applies equally well to websites. While this seems obvious, far too many people fail to fully grasp that success on the Web depends on the connections you make.
In effect, that means you need to view your website and online brand as part of a vast network, and yes, that includes your direct competitors. Success comes not from setting yourself apart from the competition, but from building up solid connections with your peers. Sometimes, that means cooperating with your competition, and recognizing that a zero-sum approach to the Web just won’t work.
This same truth also applies to social media. There’s a strong reciprocity principle on social media networks. That’s what we really mean when we say you get back only what you put into it. It’s not enough to simply post great content, you also have to share others’ content, even if there’s nothing directly in it for you.
Ultimately, helping your online peers will pay dividends. Don’t be afraid to link to other websites, because most of the time you will see that traffic come back to you. So if you want to build your online presence, help other brands build up theirs, too.
Website designers might like to think that a superior website will receive superior traffic, but without a solid social media marketing plan, that great website will have a very small reach. So remember, when it comes to social media marketing and website management, reciprocity is often the key to growing your online presence.
