Social media marketing is a kind of inbound marketing, a strategy where a company tries to get its customers to discover it, rather than just seeking customers out. This is usually done by creating a relationship between customer and brand- the company in a sense "earns" its way into the customer's life. Because of the radical shift in consumer thinking, and the easy accessibility of information via phone, TV, radio and the Internet, marketers are looking for ways to cash in. For this very reason, you should use social marketing techniques to promote your business, and using social media to market your product will put you on more of a level playing field with your bigger competitors.

To start in social media marketing, you should create profiles on as many sites as possible- but LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are a great place to start. They're all free and easy to use, and have the widest user base. On Facebook, you can market your business by starting a fan page with a Q & A section, pictures, and links to articles and other information your customers would find relevant. On Twitter, you can customize your page with a unique background and a catchy title. Twitter can be a tricky way to market yourself, as your text is limited to 140 characters at a time. Here, social marketing can be done by linking back to your blog or website, generating traffic and possibly allowing your site to be indexed by the search engines. With LinkedIn, you can create a company page, with a link to your website or blog. Your site will be shared with the entire professional community, and you will be able to answer questions asked by your customers.

Part of an effective social media marketing campaign is taking the time to listen to what your customers want, and acting accordingly. If you have a social media presence, you can find out what they are excited about and what they're looking for. That will allow you to relate to them more easily, by sharing your opinions and the goals of your company. Social media sites should never be used to sell your brand or product, but to connect with like-minded people who are looking for answers and information. As with other forms of online marketing, the key to social media marketing success is to create relevant and valuable content that will be reposted, passed along and shared by others. It's a relatively easy way to grow your business's online presence, and it can hold enormous potential if done correctly.