Why Your Website Is a Vital Part of Your Social Media Marketing

My business partner Yael K. Miller and I really enjoy working with people to help them use social media marketing effectively to get in front of their prospective clients or customers.

But we often tell people that we can't help them with their social media marketing until they have a website. And not just any old website. The website has to be social media friendly.

Why do we say this? Effective social media marketing is about interacting with people on Twitter, LinkedIn and your company's Facebook Page. But once you've built trust, what do you want these people to do?

You want them to come to your website where you can continue to engage with them. (I'm assuming your website is set up to capture emails and that you actually use this email marketing function.)

And, of course, you want these people to feel that visiting your website is simply a natural extension of their interaction with you on social media sites. To do this, you must create a website atmosphere that reflects social media values.

These values include having your photo on the home page (preferably the photo you use on your social media sites) along with your name rather than the autonomous "we" that so many companies use in their website content.

Social media icons should be prominently displayed on your site. People who are connected with you on one social media site can easily connect with you on another social media site.

Consider displaying your Facebook Page badge or your Twitter stream on your website so that your website visitors can see in real time (or close to real time) what is going on with your social media activities.

Whatever you do on your website — even if you don't have a blog (and why don't you have a blog?) — should connect with what you are doing on social media sites.

This is why it is so important for you to consider your website as a vital part of your social media marketing.

Right now go check out your own website. If you still are using Flash on the entire home page, which is probably causing your site to load slowly, or you are hiding behind the anonymous "we" throughout your site, rethink these things right now.

You want your site to load quickly and you want people to find "you" on your site. This will then accurately mirror the experiences people have when they interact with you on the major social media sites.

Whatever you do, focus on preventing a disconnect between who you are on social media and who you are on your own website. You don't want to undercut the credibility you earn on social media sites with a website that says the opposite.



© 2011 Miller Mosaic LLC

Phyllis Zimbler Miller (@ZimblerMiller on Twitter) has an M.B.A. from The Wharton School and is the co-founder with Yael K. Miller (@MillerMosaic on Twitter) of the social media marketing company Miller Mosaic LLC.

Phyllis and Yael work with companies to help them use social media effectively to connect and engage with their current and prospective customers.

For free reports on social media, see www.millermosaicllc.com/miller-mosaic...