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Over the past two years, I have gotten to know several prominent Social Media websites like Facebook, StumbleUpon, Twitter, Digg, and a few others. All of these websites, initially, are fun and exciting. However, as you progress and develop your profile, you will see more and more into the intricacies of each website and what it takes to really become popular on that website. At Digg, for example, if you digg a Michael Jackson post, video, or something related to news about Michael Jackson, you will be seen by others as “cool”, most likely. The same is true with other websites. If you study the traffic of the websites, you will be able to determine “what” content people enjoy and how you will stay connected with the mainstream traffic of that website. That is all fine and dandy.

However, if you have a business and the type of client you seek is not a typical “mainstream” or even popularity-driven individual, you will find yourself with quite a challenge. How do I get people to get interested in my profile at Digg, Facebook, or StumbleUpon? This is a good first question to ask. Here is how I have treated this question.

First of all, Social Media is not necessarily about business. It is social. It is about people meeting one another and exchanging information and personal sentiment. That is a good thing. However, if you are trying to apply your business model from within a social media site, you will indeed find this challenging. The marketplace is broad and diverse, and not all products and services appeal or even apply to the masses. So, in this case, especially where your market might be niche-oriented, you must accept the limitations of social media.

For me, blogging has been the answer, not social media. Sure, sites like Facebook and StumbleUpon are fun and partially helpful, but not everyone wants to read about Software Documentation. So, how do I drive traffic to Great Documents? The answer lies in “tagging” my posts (e.g. articles) with meaningful tags, or keywords, so that when people search using Google, Bing, or Yahoo, my post will appear at the top of the search. This is the real way to success and quality readership, that is, getting quality readers who will value your web presence and what you have to say, especially if you have a business model.

So, sure, go ahead and create your profile at Twitter, Facebook, or Digg. You will have a blast, because these sites really are fun. However, if you seek quality traffic at your website, you need to study more about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and how you can get people to go directly to your site from searches as opposed to surfing the social media sites and then “perhaps” enjoying your website link from within the social media site.

All The Best,

Keith

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