Social media marketing is the process of promoting your site or business through social media channels and it is a powerful strategy that will get you links, attention and massive amounts of traffic.

If you want large number of visitors, there is no other low-cost promotional method out there, some of whom may come back to your website again and again.

If you are selling products/services or just publishing content for ad revenue, social media marketing is a potent method that will make your site profitable over time.

Those who ignore the efficacy of social media usually fall into three categories; the ones who don’t know much or anything about social media, the ones who are interested but don’t know how to use it and those who don’t believe in the value that a social media strategy can bring to any site or business.

Social media marketing is similar with video marketing, they won’t work if your niches are not preferred by people.
If your website is about celebrities, entertainment, funny, sexy girls, sports, adult-oriented, and music, you will succeed with YouTube. But if your website is about something more serious and you DOES NOT want to spend a single penny for it, you’ll be lucky even if your video reaches 4,000 views in the next few months.

All the same with social media marketing. If you do not have enough money and your niches are not preferred by people in social media sites, you won’t get nothing. This is something that you must write.
The most popular platforms include:

• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• MySpace

As always, the source Inside Facebook has an in-depth look at some Facebook demographics that matter. In this case, a look at some international statistics in the 15 largest countries represented on Facebook. I only have information on four of the markets – you have to be a member of Inside Facebook Gold to get the full report. Let’s see what we’ve got for now.

U.S. Statstics

The U.S. market has been widely documented, with slightly more female than male users (57.5%), and a healthy population of users over the age of 25. But as Facebook approaches 500 million users, approximately 70% of them are from countries outside of the United States.

We know the U.S. members are continuing to grow: 4.4 million were added in April, and another 7.8 million joined in May, bringing the U.S. total past 125 million.

And while women 18-25 make up the largest single demographic in the U.S., it’s instructive to note that a full 61% of Facebook’s American user base is over the age of 25.

So much for long-held assumptions.

United Kingdom

Let’s hop over to the U.K. where, thankfully, we don’t need to bring a translator (although George Bernard Shaw once said that we are “Two nations separated by a common language.”).  The female/male split is more of an even match, with women taking the lead at 51.1%.

But where we really see a difference is in the percentage of individuals in the 18-25 and 26-34 range – clearly this is the core market for the U.K. And with 43.5% of their users under the age of 25 (compared to the U.S.’s 39%), it’s a slightly younger crowd.

But overall across age and gender, our two nations are fairly similar in Facebook demographics. Perhaps we are just separated by a common language.

Few things you need to take care while playing with these tools

1. You have a Twitter account. Check. The Twitter account is to be held to a certain standard. So don’t stop and start. If you want real lasting results then be consistent. Don’t forget to update and reach out to your supporters. The point it to engage in a relationship to build loyal customers. A brand doesn’t develop without customers acknowledging it.
2. You’ve created a LinkedIn profile. Good. Is it fully completed? If the goal is to yield results then your profile should be completed to its fullest. Whether you are motivated to finish it or not. Just do it. (Nike had the right idea here)
3. Facebook. That’s not even a question. Who doesn’t have Facebook? Here is where you can indulge…a little. Facebook allows you to show a more personal side where Twitter is more focused on getting your message out. (not to be confused with SPAMMMING everyone) Upload photos, invite others to events, and post questions. Unlike Twitter there is no “limit” to what you can say but remember your profile gives insight to who you are and what you represent. Going along with  our diet metaphor…everything is good in moderation.

Now take a step back and define your goals. What is it you want to accomplish? How can these tools…if done correctly…help? Social is not something to be scared nor something to jump into. Have a goal in mind, plan your strategy, warm-up, get set and GO!