Here is a lite contrast of Social Networks, Blogs & Social Media

I. Social Networks

A Social Network’s architecture is comprised of a series of sites linked together around that Social Network’s identity. Active Rain, MySpace and FaceBook, for instance, are built around individual presentations of personal information inside that framework. Users can easily communicate with others in these environments using any number of applications, but those individual sites are NOT independent of the Social Network. Put in another way, it is a user’s place online… but it’s not really their own place. If free, the user helps to build a database of content for the Network, which may leverage the content outside the control of said user and in various other ways [i.e. Advertising Sales.]

II. Blogs

A Business Blog can offer its’ owner a way to communicate openly, to communicate directly and also to collect information, via comment oriented conversation, with an unlimited no. of people; however, it offers an independent presence or online brand that is entirely in the control of its’ owner. One may use it personally or for advertorial marketing purposes, but the Blog’s look, feel & ultimate destiny is completely in the control of its owner.

III. Social Media

A great example of Social Media might be YouTube. YouTube is built on individual presentations or independent pieces of content, which become available for all takers. Those pieces of content can be indexed for search, organized into category channels and commented on mostly within that framework, but they are not necessarily organized into sites and they are not independent of the Social Medium itself. Like Social Networks, YouTube offers a user a place to present content online, but it’s not really their own place. YouTube can also leverage content outside the control of its’ creator for things like advertising.

In each case, there is a potential audience… and value! In fact, a multi- layered approach to sharing content via Blogs, Social Networks & Social Media might be a great way for an individual or for a business to build its’ audience

Do we believe that Blogging can help a business control its own destiny? We certainly believe that most consumers are online and that a good Blog offers a business the most cost- effective means to develop I.) online visibility, discoverability, II.) local brand recognition, trust and a III.) potentially unlimited number of direct connections. That’s right, one tool and three distinct marketing value propositions for helping a business to control it’s own destiny! 

 I. Visibility & Discoverability: by consistently Blogging new information on a particular subject (i.e. Granite Bay, CA Real Estate) a business is able to push knowledge- base to the web where anyone can consume it. Regardless of  which channel a consumer chooses, including via social network, RSS or search, information is free to go wherever it is needed. With search, virtually one quarter of the queries made are completely unique so it’s important to be indexed for as many variations (i.e. Granite Bay, CA  Lake Front Homes) on a targeted subject as possible. While a business  may generate less search discovery per individual search variation of ‘Granite Bay CA Real Estate’, the collective impact can be much greater for those variations. The proven theory being, if a business Blogs well to cover all the things going on in a target marketplace they can be indexed for many keyword & key phrase searches; therefore, they can be prepared for many, many searcher queries and discoveries. Blogs make this simple & cost- effective!

 II. Local Brand Recognition: let’s face it; we all search because we can. As consumers we all have an instant ability to research and to gather information. If all consumers have this power, businesses must commit themselves to meet this modern day challenge. By consistently & transparently sharing what they know, do, see and have to offer a business can be prepared. By presenting themselves as enthusiastic, valuable, knowledgeable & trustworthy providers of products and services they will develop a local online brand. Blogs make this simple & cost-  effective!

 III. Direct Marketing Connections: these days content can be formatted for syndication. In the past, a business depended on mass mailing and/or media to distribute an advertising message. Now, with Search, Social Networks & RSS that same businesses’ information is free to be discovered, to be directly subscribed to and to go where it is needed. When a consumer finds a valued source of information, they can subscribe via RSS or’ RSS convert to email’ making the direct & continuous connection to an unlimited number of people possible. Blogs make this simple & cost- effective! 

One tool, three levels of value proposition and yes, in 2008 we believe that Blogging will help a business control it’s  own destiny!

In order to become an excellent blog networker, you must learn how to use commenting on other blogs. The idea is simple. You want to look for relevant conversations in which to comment about. When you leave a comment, you also leave a link back to your own blog (or even better to the revelant blog post you’ve written!). The most effective way to approach commenting is this:

To Gain Local Traffic through commenting:

Look for several local blogs that you can regularly comment upon. These don’t necessarily have to be conversations relevant to your business (however, they will be more powerful connections for you if they are), just things that you have some passion in talking about. In theory any local traffic will be relevant to your mission. Local blog commenting will also get those other local bloggers to take notice of you as an author. It is feasible that they will begin to start commenting on your site and use you as a link resource as well.

To Gain relevant inbound links through commenting:

Look for blogs that are having similar conversations to those on your own site. Leave a comment in the pertinent string of conversation and provide a direct link to the relevant blog post on your own site (not to your homepage). This will connect the two similar conversations together and potentially funnel some of the traffic from that third party blog to your own.

**Don’t forget: Just because you leave a comment doesn’t mean it will get approved. Most bloggers practice comment moderation. If you are respectful of their platform and add value through the comment you leave they are likely to approve you, but the discretion is up to them!