Many see Facebook simply as a place to post clever comments or funny photos, but it can be a valuable marketing tool. Utilize it and you could be well on your way to having "that fun social site" be the top traffic source for your website.

Tip #1: Share compelling content (most important)

Ask yourself "Where do I want fans to go?," then share different types of content to direct them there. The possibilities and tactics are endless. Look to other similar brands to your own or the biggies for inspiration. See what they do that works and mold it to your needs.

Example: The clever team at Target saw National Bike to Work week as an opportunity. They created a buying guide on their website and with a humorous post, directed customers to visit.

Tip #2: Entice the click

When offering a discount to fans, rather than including the discount code within a Facebook post, tease it along with a link to find it on your website.

Example: PFI Western Store uses sale prices to get their fans to click through to see the boots on the website.

Tip #3: Add social media and share links to your site

If customers like your product, blog post or YOU, let them tell their friends. Include social share icons throughout your site. With each click of a "Like" or share button a post shows in the news feed for everyone to see along with a direct link back to the site.

Example: National Jewelry Liquidation Center offers a new deal each week. To help spread the word, they have Twitter, Facebook, email and even Pinterest added on their site to let visitors share the deal with their friends.

Tip #4: Utilize Facebook tabs and applications

Since a Facebook tab is simply a mini-website, it's a great location to highlight certain products, services or even run a promotion for fans.

Examples:

• Take a cue from Express, they've done a great jop utilizing their tabs for an online store.
• We help drive to our clients' websites with these Facebook tabs.
• Promotions can be run entirely on Facebook, you can also use your social media reach to push entrants to your website to enter instead.

Tip #6: Build a strong network with partners and allies

Build relationships with other companies/blogs by sharing their content to your fans and tagging them. They usually will reciprocate the favor and help broaden your content's reach. Don't for get to always B polite and thank those who share.

Tip #7: Fill out you profile

You might be thinking “Duh!,” but I’m serious.The most important entry field in your profile is website. We also suggest listing your web address first in the "About" section. Every time someone looks at your profile image, they can see and click through to your website.

Continue reading: How to drive traffic to your website: Twitter
View all: "Driving More Traffic to Your Website" blog series

Boasting over 150 million users, LinkedIn has evolved into more than an online resume host or job seeking community. The social networking site has become a marketing tool for branding, networking, and driving web traffic. Below are six tips for using LinkedIn to drive traffic to your website.

1. Include Links in Your Profile

Utilize all three website link areas on your (employees’) profile(s). Add the company blog with keywords rather than your company name. For example, if you are a recruiter, instead of writing “Davis Group Blog,” write “Tips for recruiters and jobseekers.”

Add your company’s Facebook and Twitter profiles if applicable, or utilize that space to link back to your website with another relevant page and keyword-infused phrase.

Be sure to include a link to your LinkedIn profile in your email signature to let professional contacts or friends know to connect with you, and be able to search your profile for information.

2. Share Content
Update your status or share your company blog daily to become an expert to your connections. Post events, job opportunities, news articles and ideas that LinkedIn users will find useful. You can customize the text posted with the links and make these updates public.

You can also participate in LinkedIn Answers (answering questions users have about random topics) to help position yourself as an expert in your industry.

3. Join Groups (and Participate in Them)
There are LinkedIn groups for just about anything! Don’t overcommit yourself; make your selections thoughtfully, with both your strengths and potential consumers in mind. Be careful also not to self-promote frequently. You will be banned for spam immediately if the group has a good moderator. Instead, position yourself as an expert, making helpful comments when you can, and if you have a blog post that is genuinely relevant, share it.

Connecting with people who have common interests and business goals will help improve your reputation online, and potentially your partnerships offline.

You can also form your own LinkedIn group. The advantage of this is that you gain access to all the members’ information and moderate content and discussion topics at your own discretion.

4. Utilize Applications
There are tons of apps that you can add to your profile, but just a few basic ones will really help boost your web traffic.

Wordpress (or a similar app) to showcase your blog on your profile for viewers.

Box.net to act as a repository for any white papers, case studies, or supplemental materials potential or current customers may find useful. If these are deemed useful by the user, you can guarantee they will visit your website for more.

Events to share events that your company will be attending (large and small) to spread your company’s presence in your market and industry area. The visibility will lead people to research your company.

And many more. Keep searching.

5. Conquer Your Company Page
If you market your product or service to businesses, make sure you have a company page, and that you’re using it to the fullest. Create keyword-rich company descriptions, include links to your website, and make sure employees link their profile to it.

You can create pages that highlight your products and services. Each one can include a photo, video, and link to your website. You can feature specific products and services, make a company status update, attach your Twitter feed or blog feed, and even access analytics for the page’s traffic.

6. Advertising
LinkedIn isn’t the most thoroughly tested advertising platform, but it does allow fairly specific targeting.These ads can direct users to your company page, events, or directly to your website. They are a bit more expensive, but have proven successful for most B2B companies thus far.

If you’re not utilizing your LinkedIn profile, company page, or advertising platform to drive traffic to your website, you could be missing out on more leads than you know. Simple changes can make a huge difference.

Continue reading: How Can Public Relations Help Increase Web Traffic
View all: "Driving More Traffic to Your Website" blog series

With over 3 billion views each day, YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world (behind Google). You can't ignore its potential to drive web traffic.

Videos are extremely popular online. Men, in particular, spend more time on YouTube than they have on other social networking sites. Keep in mind that YouTube content is also indexed by Google, improving its odds of showing up in search engine results. Videos can also be embedded on websites and blogs, shared across social media channels, and around the world in moments.

To drive more traffic to your brand's website, all videos posted to your brand's YouTube channel should include:

• A call-to-action
  • Overlay a link at the bottom of your video telling viewers what to do.
  • Verbal direction for viewers explaining what to do with the information you've given them (subscribe, go to the website to shop for products, comment below, etc.)
    
• A keyword-rich description with a link to your website
  • Include proper tags
  • Make verbiage engaging, enticing viewers to follow the link to your website
    
• A strong video title: name it as close as possible to what a user would type into Google or YouTube when searching for a video like yours. This will improve its odds of showing up in more searches.
  

Another best practice is encouraging conversation on your YouTube videos and channel. The more activity your videos gets, typically the more views and visitors to your channel, and ultimately, your website.

YouTube isn't just about making funny, "viral" videos. Believe it or not, there are people out there searching for information related to your products and services, and YouTube is one way to make sure they find it. This video that informed viewers how a cowboy boot should fit received over 20,000 views.

Keeping your videos relevant, concise and attractive is the best way to ensure they're watched and shared. Including proper YouTube video optimization, a strong call to action, and awareness of website linking will guarantee an increase in your traffic.

Not entirely convinced that YouTube is for you? Comment below with questions and concerns for us to answer!

Continue reading: LinkedIn as a Web Traffic Source
View all: "Driving More Traffic to Your Website" blog series

While we know Twitter can be a useful tool for job hunting, crowd sourcing and keeping current with industry news, it may also serve as an opportunity to drive traffic to your website. How? Follow these five recommendations to find out:

• Choose a smart handle
  Your Twitter username has influence on search engine optimization (SEO), which translates to how close to the top of a search results list you appear in a search engine like Google or Yahoo!. If you're a business, consider using a keyword in your Twitter name, like @MarketingProsCA. If you're a professional, try using your full name or a portion of your name, such as @AliJLamb or @LaurenAshleyTX

• Add your URL to your Twitter bio
  By adding your web address to your bio, you're making it easy for followers or potential followers to visit your site and learn more about you or your business.
  
  

• Add your contact information to your Twitter background
  In addition to your URL, you can also add other pertinent information such as a phone number, specialties or a list of awards you or your business have earned.
  
  

• Compose tweets rich with keywords
  Before you begin tweeting, identify a short list of keywords that relate to your business and/or industry. When tweeting your own content, consciously use those keywords to help increase its searchability.

• Add social sharing buttons to your website
  For many sites, adding social sharing buttons is a simple and effective way to quickly boost pageviews and sharing stats. Not sure how to add these? Follow Mashable's easy "How To" guide.
  
  

With just a few simple steps, even a novice Twitter user can utilize the social microblogging service to drive more traffic to your website and help exceed your goals for 2012.

Continue reading: Increase Web Traffic With YouTube
View all: "Driving More Traffic to Your Website" blog series

With almost 900 million active monthly users (over half of them logging in daily), Facebook provides one of the best opportunities for advertising online. Most importantly, Facebook gives advertisers access to personal information: from users' ages, locations, faiths, favorite football teams and weekend hobbies. This advanced psycho and demographic targeting allows almost any brand to reach its target market on Facebook without wasting money advertising to a plethora of uninterested consumers.

Facebook allows many forms of advertising, including:

• Promoting a specific post
  
• Promoting an event created by a Facebook page
• Bringing new fans to the Facebook page by showing them their friends who like the page
  
• Bring new fans to the Facebook page with an offer or specific copy
  
• Driving traffic directly to an external website
  

Most individuals use Facebook for social sharing experiences with friends and communities they know well. Therefore, most rarely leave Facebook to see your products and services. Although Facebook advertising allows you to guide people fitting your target market directly to your website, it's not always the best marketing move.

One click gets that user to your website. From there a large portion will leave before your site even finishes loading, some will look around, and others may even buy something. The majority of the time, however, they will leave at some point and you will have paid for a small amount of brand visibility. They are more comfortable staying in the "Facebook bed," so to speak.

Now, say you direct those ads to your Facebook page where you offer a discount coupon to new fans, host daily discussions or polls to bring people back to your page, and reward loyal fans with quarterly contests. You've tied a rope from yourself to that fan, and made them a promising potential customer. Perhaps they've subscribed to your emails as a part of entering a promotion you ran on Facebook, or maybe they've become passionate about your services, sharing your content to their own wall weekly, giving your messages more credibility and visibility.

On average, 56% of consumers say they are more likely to recommend a brand after becoming a fan on Facebook.

In some cases, Facebook Business Pages serve as supplemental websites. They are highly customizable, and can include any information about your company. Remember – most people who log on to Facebook don't intend to make purchases; they want to socialize. Don't rely on Facebook ads alone to create sales. Think of Facebook advertising as a way to convert potential customers into fans and increase customer engagement and brand awareness. Once your fans get to know your brand, and they like it, you can count on them to visit your website. If you are set on using Facebook ads to enhance sales directly, you'd do best to promote special deals and promotions that appeal to your fans' interests.

You can run your Facebook ad campaign based on a pay-per-click model (suggested) or a cost per impression model. Costs are lower when you direct your ads somewhere within Facebook. Aside from being an efficient form of targeted advertising, Facebook ads are extremely effective because they are easy to implement and control. Results can be analyzed and ad copy, images, or targeting criteria can be updated immediately.

If you haven't considered how Facebook ads can increase your Facebook fan count, and ultimately drive traffic to your website, hopefully you will now. Feel free to comment below with questions and comments!

Continue reading: How to Drive Traffic to Your Website: Google & Bing Ads
View all: "Driving More Traffic to Your Website" blog series

Santa made a wise choice when he picked Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to guide his sleigh each Christmas Eve. Though Saint Nick had nine reindeer to choose from, Rudolph was the right team member for the job because he had all of the qualities necessary to make a successful trip around the world delivering presents to deserving boys and girls. 

Just as Rudolph stood out from the herd thanks to his skill set, businesses often need to identify a member within their organization who can best fit the role of social media manager. It just so happens that Rudolph’s resume, and that of a top social media candidate, are quite similar! Just like Rudolph, the ideal social media manager…

Is Knowledgeable

Rudolph must know the sleigh’s flight plan and understand Santa’s expectations for the journey.

Social media managers must be well versed in customer service information, product details, policies, procedures and the brand’s overall strategy in order to maximize effectiveness.

Is Resilient

Rudolph’s path isn’t always easy. Sometimes he finds himself running behind schedule or caught in a blizzard. However, his passion for the Christmas season helps him stay the course and complete his task at hand.

While social media managers may encounter disgruntled users or may be busy troubleshooting customer service complaints, they must always be consistent with brand messaging, clearly communicate information and never let their emotions get the best of them.

Is A Multitasker

In addition to guiding Santa’s sleigh across the globe, Rudolph must communicate with his team, respond to messages from the North Pole and always anticipate a variety of weather conditions.

While creating content and managing accounts are a huge part of a social media manager’s job, they must also perform other tasks such as developing a content calendar, creating effective promotions, reporting growth and feedback, as well as budgeting time.

Is A Listener

Just how does Rudolph help Santa distinguish between the naughty and the nice kids? He listens!

Social media managers not only develop posts for accounts, they also monitor these accounts and blogs, review sites and stay current on customers’ feedback. Listening is a vital part of managing a successful social media community. 

Is Mobile

Rudolph is on call year-round. His duties aren’t confined to Christmas Eve; he must always be ready to help Santa prepare for whatever crisis – such as a toy shortage – that might emerge.

The role of social media manager is not a 9 to 5, at-your-desk type of job. Social media managers must be comfortable responding to needs on-the-go and must learn how to rely on tools and applications that help them perform their duties from wherever, whenever.

Is Willing to Merge Professional and Personal Life

Rudolph is Santa's brand ambassador. Even when he's not commandeering his sleigh, he represents Santa, the elves and plays a vital role in the entire North Pole empire.

While a social media manager is the voice of a brand online, when they're not on the clock, they still must manage and maintain their own social media presence in a professional manner in accordance with brand standards and values.

What other qualities do you see as vital for a company to find in order to identify their very own Rudolph?

If you've seen our Vicarious Vacations photos on Facebook, you know the B team likes to travel. This year we wanted to share that love of adventure with our friends through the B fly contest. We took entries on our Facebook page for a chance to win a $200 Virgin America flight voucher as a prize.

The lucky winner? Stephanie Arnold, right here in Fort Worth, TX.

“I was so excited to win the B fly contest! I had never flown on Virgin America before, and let me tell you, it was AWESOME! They really know how to treat people. I used my voucher to fly to San Francisco to visit my best friend, who moved there 2 months ago. I had never been there before, and I had a great trip! Thanks so much, Balcom, for giving me this opportunity!”

Connect with the Bs on Facebook, Twitter or sign up for our quarterly Letter B emails. Who knows, you might be our next winner.

Reuters just published an article that interviewed "old school" advertising and media big-wigs. They proclaimed that they understood Twitter and Facebook, but didn't have time for it. 

Maurice Levy, chief executive of advertising group Publicis, said, "I hate the idea that I would have to share things which are not for sharing or which are superficial." Evidently, he's never looked at Twitter before.

Levy also said "I understand how to wash dishes. I don't do it regularly." He's right. But housekeeping isn't his job. Selling products is.

Martin Sorrell, of WPP (who owns companies like Ogilvy and JWT), said, "I have enough to do answering your emails...I'm 66 years old. I'm almost in the glue factory."

Saying that you understand Twitter but don't have time for it, is like saying you understand sleeping but you don't have time for it - you will eventually die. Like sleep, to truly appreciate Twitter, you need to experience it.

Do these executives need to be on Twitter 24/7? No, but they at least need to understand that it is more than sharing who you're eating with, as Hearst Magazines president David Carey thinks Twitter was all about. He wouldn't think that way if he spent any time on Twitter.

It's no surprise that old media company's stocks, like Publicis are down about 45% from 10 years ago. It takes mergers and acquisitions for this companies to innovate, not from within.

It's a stark contrast to companies like VaynerMedia, headed by business hustler Gary Vaynerchuck. Gary is actively engaging with his audience on Twitter, take a look at his stream. VaynerMedia has landed client like the New York Jets and Pepsi.

So, do you you really understand social media? Or do you just think you do?

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Eat your heart out, sliced bread. I think we can all agree the Internet is ten times awesomer than you. Here are a few world-changing reasons why.

Thanks to the Internet: it’s a small world, after all. You can reach outside your own small town and connect with anyone, anywhere the web reaches (through my writing blog, I have friends in Australia, Britain, Canada, India, Namibia and I don’t know where else). You can even help small businesses in third world countries.

Thanks to the Internet: brilliant writers, musicians and filmmakers don’t have to sell their souls to jaded publishers, record labels, studios or networks to get their art seen, noticed and loved. Blogging, video-sharing sites and self-publishing outlets help unknowns reach the world. Just look at William P. Young, Edd Plant and Jake Jarvi.

Thanks to the Internet: we dream bigger and achieve more. It’s the Information Age; with enough ambition and the right Google searches, we can accomplish anything. With a quick search, we can learn to change a tire, tie a tie, or improve the SEO of a website. The web is our one-stop shop for direct access to experts on writing, cooking, entrepreneurship and hundreds of other subjects, offering their knowledge for free on the blogosphere.

Thanks to the Internet: the customer is king. No longer do all the sales go to the company that covers the most ground with advertising, but to the company that does the most for its customers. We buy the product with the best customer reviews. We’re loyal to the company that answers questions and solves our problems on Facebook and Twitter. We recommend the business that offers its expertise without trying to sell us something. Plus, through increasingly sophisticated search engine technology, it takes real, helpful content to reach the first page on Google – not keyword-stuffed sales pitches. 

The old-fashioned girl in me sometimes wishes for simpler times, but I ultimately wouldn’t trade my time for any other. Never has there been more opportunity for the average person, not just to achieve success, but to achieve greatness. Sure, like any tool, the web can be used for good or evil, but thanks to the Internet, we are inspired to dream bigger, and equipped to accomplish those dreams, like no other time in history. That’s why this Thanksgiving, I’m thanking God for the World Wide Web.

How has the Internet changed your life? And what are you going to do with it?

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Read more:

Chip is grateful for Internet memes

Carol discusses why technology now is better than then

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