Here is a comprehensive list of some of the top social networking and bookmarking sites on the web. In the future this list will grow to encompass what I think are the most relevant of the social networking sites and hopefully help you start to build a real presence online.
As you can see, this process is long and can get tedious, so keep in mind that we’re here to help. Monitoring all these sites is a big job, so if you’re all by yourself, consolidate and choose accordingly.
To start with, make a Yahoo account as you’ll need this for both Flickr and MyBlogLog. I will be continually updating this site as I see fit, so feel free to email me at aurora@authoritydomains.com and add something I’ve missed or any idea you have for ensuring a more effective social media marketing campaign.
Flickr is an excellent site for networking and uploading pictures and videos. To sign up for FLickr, you will need a Yahoo ID, so go to Yahoo.com and create an account.
1. Sign into Flickr using the Yahoo ID you created.
a. Sign up
b. You’ll see a welcome page after you’ve logged in; you can upload photos a couple ways. You can either choose “Download Photos” from the link on the right hand side of the page, or you can scroll to the upper navigation bar, click on “You” and scroll down to upload pictures/videos.
c. After you’ve selected your download photos option, you’ll see a page with three options and one highlighted “Choose Photos.”
d. Click on “Choose Photos” and a box will pop up prompting you to browse through your pictures. Find the picture (s) you want. You can either upload one at a time or choose an easier option: highlight one file by clicking on it, hold down ctrl, and click on the other one. Then click upload.
e. Click the public radio button, unless you want it to be private, but for company logos and screenshots, hit “Public” then “Upload Photos.”
f. Pictured is the default setting. Before you click “SAVE THIS BATCH,” you are going to add a title, tags and description to the photo (s)
i. Title: name the picture using the client’s relevant keywords: Name of Company – Keyword.
1. Example: Authority Domains – Social Media Marketing
ii. Description: this doesn’t need to be long. Just one nice keyword phrase will do.
1. Example: Logo for Authority Domains Social Media Marketing Company.
iii. Tags: add three to five keywords.
1. Example: social media marketing, social media, social media service.
h. Save batch. Now that you’re done, click on the photo and it will take you to the main page for that photo. Highlight the IP address in the address bar and copy it, then save it. Make sure to label the link large 200 logo photo (200 x 200 image) or small 50 logo photo (50 x 50) image.
i. Example: Large 200 Photo/Logo - http://www.flickr.com/photos/25760513@N04/2431208399/
1. Fill out bio;
2. Upload avatar;
3. Under blogs, claim blog with blog url of site;
4. Use blog default title, description and add each chosen keyword as a tag.
1. In profile setting upload avatar for user picture;
2. Fill out bio;
3. Add email;
4. Add website address;
5. Digg a few stories
With Digg, spend some time finding people relevant to the client’s industry and add them as friends. Don’t add more than ten at first so you don’t get flagged as a spammer.
1. Go to Stumbleupon.com
2. Add email;
3. Download and install plug-in;
4. Fill out profile;
5. Stumble your site.
Stumbleupon is a powerful bookmarking tool/social networking client. Once you’re set up, find some sites relevant to the client’s industry and stumble them, the client’s site, and AuthorityDomains.
1. Register and upload avatar;
2. Add both the regular website and the blog (if applicable) as separate entries under “Add a blog/site;”
3. A sample one is included below for reference (have each one join the community below);
4. http://www.mybloglog.com/buzz/join_comm.php?ref_id=2007022210415896;
5. Join at least ten other communities;
MyBlogLog is excellent for social networking; go through it and find communities relevant to the client’s industry and add them. Also go through, read a community blog, and leave a comment on the author’s page. Do this for at least three people to begin with, even something simple like “ I really enjoyed your blog.”
1. Choose name and password;
2. Add email;
3. Pick the birthday at random, but give it a little thought;
4. Sign up;
5. Confirm email;
6. In my account, upload avatar for user picture;
7. Fill out profile;
8. Start finding contacts associated with the client’s field.
OnlyWire is a social bookmark aggregator. This means OnlyWire will submit web pages/articles to many social bookmarking engines at once.
1. Sign up using client email and standard password;
2. When you get to your account, drag the “no frames” widget option to your toolbar;
3. You will be asked to sign up for a number of different sites, but regardless of how many you choose, make sure you sign up for:
1. Backflip;
2. Blinklist;
3. Del.icio.us;
4. Furl;
5. Ma.gnolia;
6. Rawsugar;
7. Wink;
8. Shadows.
4. Use same or similar username and the same password for all of them;
5. Fill out profile;
6. Bookmark your client’s site and authoritydomains.com
1. Choose username and password;
2. Fill out the rest of the form;
3. Pick the birthday at random, but give it a little thought;
4. Sign up;
5. In my account, upload avatar for user picture;
6. Fill out profile;
7. Choose gender;
8. Preferred site and language should be default USA;
9. Upload avatar;
10. Click on “Start using MySpace” at the bottom right hand side of the screen;
11. Confirm email;
12. Fill out profile;
13. Start finding contacts associated with your field and add them as friends;
14. Search for and join several communities pertaining to your field.
LinkedIn
Linked in is essentially a professional social networking site.
1. Click yellow “Join Now” button;
2. Add email;
3. Choose username and password;
4. Fill out the rest of the form;
5. Choose your classification;
6. Fill out Education and Dates Attended (if you’re a company with +1 people, skip this dection);
7. Join;
8. At the top of the page, click on account and settings;
9. Unclick all radio buttons in “To Find” and “Be Found;”
10. Save settings;
11. Confirm email;
12. Click on profile tab along the upper left hand side of the page;
13. Fill out the rest of the profile with client information;
14. Customize url with company name:
1. Example: www.linkedin.com/in/ authoritydomains
1. Start finding contacts associated with your field and send a request to add them;
2. In the upper navigation on the page you’re on, click answers;
3. Find 3 questions related to your service pr product and answer them.
Propeller, previously known as Netscape.com, is a social news aggregator. It is similar to Digg; users can vote for which stories are to be included on the front page and may comment on them as well.
1. Click “Sign-up Today” in upper right hand corner under the search bar;
2. Register;
3. Add email;
4. Confirm email;
5. Fill out profile;
6. Upload avatar;
7. Add ten friends (but no more this time around);
8. Find and vote for some stories relevant to your field.
Biznik
Biznik is a business-building social network for independent professionals. Biznik is especially great for small to medium-sized businesses. A thriving community offers opportunities for social networking and lead generation.
1. Sign up;
2. Choose name and password;
3. Add email;
4. Confirm email and add activation code;
5. Upload avatar;
6. Fill out profile with client information;
7. Find several people in your field and add them.
Reddit is a social news aggregation website on which users can post links to content on the web.
1. Sign up and create a new account;
2. Choose standard client name and password;
3. Use gmail account you set up for client;
4. Add ten friends related to the client’s industry;
5. Comment on 3 stories related to the client’s industry.
How to choose a forum:
Forums are communities where people come together to discuss certain topics, ask questions, debate and generally converse about whatever subject the forum is geared towards. You can think of it as a public meeting place where people come to talk and listen to each other.
Forums (sometimes located within groups) often include:
*Question asking and answering;
*Shared message archives;
*Photos and photo albums;
*Group event calendars;
*Member polls and shared links;
Sign up for the groups below and answer at least one question related to your industry:
*Yahoo Groups;
*Google Groups;
*AOL Group;
*MSN Group;
*Ning.
Choose 5 other forums for your clients:
1. Type in your client’s keywords plus forums. Scroll through the search results and choose the top five you come across;
2. Check the PageRank of the forums. PageRank is generally a good indicator of whether a forum has a well supported and active community or whether it’s just sat there with no activity for the past six months (double check though, because some forums will have a nice PageRank but no action for months or even years);
3. Make sure the forums have been consistently active;
4. Sign up for the five forums you choose and leave a post introducing yourself as your client, but DON’T try to sell anything. Just post a hello and then answer one question in each forum. Use the same username, or as similar as possible, for every forum;
5. If you’re promoting the sites monthly, you’ll spend a couple hours a month answering as many questions as possible, proffering advice and generally building yourself up to moderator status, which is your ultimate goal;
6. After the first month of posts and answers, you can usually add in a link to your site and throw out some promotions. Note: always do this in a nice way, not pushy. It’s the difference between telling a community they might be interested in this cool product or service if they could use it vs. you have to have it now, so buy it or watch your website die.
