Social Marketing isn’t a form of Rocket Science. Anyone can do it and do it well, with little training. The most important aspect of Social Marketing is the amount of time that needs to be dedicated. Social Marketing takes time and consistency to provide desirable results. These are 5 simple ways to effectively market yourself or your business on the Social Web.

1) Twitter

Twitter is quick way to get a message out to a crowd. I didn’t say communicate with a crowd because the majority of time you will find that nobody is listening. Don’t get discouraged though, your hard work will pay off. Setup an account on Twitter and use it to either write about things that your clients would find interesting in your field or link to articles or sources of information they would find interesting. Try to keep to a schedule of once or twice a day at least. Eventually, your followers will grow and more importantly prospective customers/clients will find your useful information through the search engines or another method. Don’t forget to follow other industry related people/companies that you find interesting because nobody likes to follow someone who doesn’t follow others.

2) Facebook

Facebook can also be a great way to get a message out. In most instances though, you will be sending messages out to your network of friends and colleagues instead of a general audience whom you might not have a relationship with. The trick here is to engage your network to participate with a Facebook page that you have created for your business, although you can also utilize your personal account. If someone in your network responds to a message that you post, that persons whole network will also see your message. Imagine the potential reach you can have if you’re successful. Again, be consistent and eventually you will attract customers/clients through this medium.

3) Blog Post Writing

Writing a Blog can be the most beneficial way to attract business. A Blog will help your website rank higher in the search engines through the addition of great content and it’s link bait potential. Your Blog can also be easily syndicated to other Social Marketing vehicles such as Twitter and Facebook. The biggest hurdle to getting the most out of your blog is the time it takes to write quality content. A schedule is very important for a task of this nature. It is also important to read industry news regularly to help you come up with ideas for your Blog posts.

4) Blog Post Commenting

Writing a comment on a Blog post that is industry specific is a great way to get noticed. Some Blog posts rank very well in the search engines and sometimes there is more value in reading the comments than the actual post from the Blogger. Just being in as many relevant places as possible helps. Another added benefit is that some Blogs also allow you to post links to your website in a provided field. Go ahead and link away because there will be many links that will actually help with your search engine rankings. Just be sure to write a relevant comment about the Blog post or else your link may get moderated into oblivion.

5) Find Existing Communities

This task is only simple when you can actually define your potential customers/clients into an identifiable demographic. If you sell something that moms would love, get involved in mom communities and provide helpful tips that they would find valuable. If you sell a service that is targeted to restaurants, find out where those restaurant owners are swapping ideas and recipes and provide a helping hand. The important factor here is to add value to these communities and not just try and shill your products/services. Just remember to provide some sort of way for them to find your website or Social Marketing profile which will allow them see how valuable and trustworthy you really are. They will interact with you when they are ready.