Grow your social network – build your database

Along with Online PR, Social Media Marketing, or SMM if you're fond of acronyms, is one of the hot new buzzwords in the online marketing world - but it’s not as elusive as it might sound.

In fact many of us can benefit from harnessing its potential and with a little exploration it can become a crucial data-building tool for you, your business and your email marketing campaigns.


Access to millions

Often, the 'latest thing' in marketing only seems relevant to a certain niche: enormous brands like Coke or Nike, for example, with large budgets, global coverage and massive contact databases.

In the case of SMM, this adage doesn't quite hold true: if anything, it levels the playing field between large and small companies.

Anyone can set up a blog, Bebo or MySpace page for free, giving you the ability to access millions of individuals – and whatever you sell, there are people out there who are interested in it or something related to it.

This is where SMM and email marketing combine: Social media sites organise people into groups according to interest and act like a filter. Group members are likely to actually want to read your email newsletter because it’s relevant to them – so you'll want to add them to your mailing list.


Find your captive audience

You don't necessarily even have to start your own Facebook group or MySpace page to reap rewards: simply by seeking out, joining and commenting in relevant social spaces, you can not only raise awareness of your own expertise, but get access to a growing network.

A word of warning though – you can't just add people to your list without permission. However, as they are interested in something related to your business and you're already part of their online community, many of them will probably be happy to opt in.

And when they do, you can be sure any data you gather is as fresh as it comes. You'll always be getting current, valid email addresses from people in the demographic you're targeting.


Time is all it costs

If finding networking sites and blogs to gather your own data like this seems time-consuming – remember time is all it costs you.

Even if time is a real constraint, there are growing numbers of agencies, tools and individuals you can use to find the relevant blogs and social media pages for you to join and comment on – so get out there and talk about yourself.

Nigel Cooper, Operations Director, Qube Media