Social Networking: Building Relationships

Twitter and Facebook have become amazing content distribution networks. Sooner or later Google will factor in social media sharing in its algorithm (if they haven’t already). Remember, gaining followers and fans is not about your ego, it’s about creating a dynamic network that gets new people to see your content. And the more people see and share your content, the more likely it is to attract those valuable links. But it’s not really about one-off link requests. Networking on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn is about establishing and growing relationships with influencers in the social media space. These are the linkerati – prominent bloggers in your niche, top Digg users, relevant web journalists, and social media mavens. You need to network from a “what’s in it for them” perspective. Catch attention, gain interest, and create a desire to help you in the future by offering something that benefits them first. (How to create compelling content, Brian Clark, May 2010)