Content Crooner

Although I believe that article marketing is the most effective Internet marketing strategy on the planet, I also believe that there are plenty of ways to make it more effective.

Although article marketing is my favorite way to market because it allows me to control just about every aspect of doing it, at the same time, it can become a very solitary pursuit. Although I can use article marketing to connect with my readers, more often than not, I will never connect with them on a personal basis.

That’s why I like to combine my article marketing with social media. Not only does it allow me to connect with my readers personally, it also allows me to leverage, in a major way, my current article marketing efforts.

Here are three techniques I use to get more from my article marketing by using social media:

1. Social bookmarking

Social bookmarking sites are like news sites with mini news stories. These stories are short and to the point, and if you want to read them, you’ll have to click through to the site. You’ll find millions of links to every type of story or article you can imagine.

Not only can you post your stories, articles, and blog posts to these web sites, but you may also connect with other users to share your stories.

Before posting to these sites, you want to study them and see how they work. Read the guidelines so you don’t post content or post in a way that might be considered spam. You especially want to study the headlines. See which stories are being read the most. Use what you learn to craft story and article headlines that will get you more traffic and sales.

Sites that allow you to bookmark your stories include Digg, Delicious, and others. Sites like Only Wire and Social Marker allow you to bookmark your stories and articles to multiple bookmarking sites.

2. Social networking and micro blogging

Social networking allows you to connect with your readers, offer them your articles, and socialize with those you have something in common with. Then there is also micro blogging. Micro blogging is similar to bookmarking, but instead, you display your current status or what you are working on through a post you make to your social marketing account.

Social marketing sites include Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn. If you want to get the most from sites like these, then join a site like Ping.fm, which allows you to update all of your statuses on all of the sites, at the same time.

3. Blog comments

Blog comments should be an extension of blogging on your own blog. It’s an easy way to connect with others who are writing about the same topic as you are. It’s also a way to build backlinks to your blog or sites. Although it’s time consuming, it’s well worth the effort because you never know who you might connect with.

Sites like Comment Luv and Intense Debate will help you get more from your comments, and software like Comment Kahuna will help you find blogs to post on. Just make sure the comments you post are relevant and not spam.

Social networking is a natural extension of your article writing efforts. If you want to improve your traffic and build a loyal following, these techniques will help you do it. Although it takes time, it’s well worth the effort.

To your success,

Mike Lawson

Mike Lawson is a freelance consultant to internet marketers. His Professional Writing Service provides quality content for article marketing automation programs.

Follow Us on Twitter: ContentCrooner

“Crooner Rocks”