Although social bookmarking sites are fun and easy ways to store, share, and discuss content with other users, they are also incredibly useful tools for online marketing companies and small business owners alike. However, many people hesitate to incorporate SBM sites in their marketing strategies despite their obvious and not-so-obvious benefits. Here are seven reasons to have a social bookmarking account.
1. Drive traffic to your blog or website for free
Many social bookmarking sites are free to use and, as a result, can often function as free advertising and help draw traffic to your site. Even better, because SBM sites allow users to view content related to their specific interests, people who visit your blog or website from an SBM site are more likely to bookmark it and explore other content on your site.
2. Interact with people with similar interests
Social bookmarking sites like Reddit, StumbleUpon, and Pinterest make it easy for users to find content targeted to their own unique hobbies and interests. You can use these features to increase your audience by using relevant, appropriate tags and taking the time to add descriptions, titles, and keywords to every page. It may be a tedious job but it will pay off in the long run.
3. Improve your Page Rank
With billions of websites out there, page rank is vitally important in drawing traffic to your blog or website. It doesn’t matter how well-designed your page is or how thoughtfully your content is crafted if no one every sees or reads it. Social bookmarking accounts can help you avoid the anonymity of the Internet by improving your site’s page rank.
4. Increase your Visibility
Visibility and page rank go hand-in-hand. A better page rank will increase your profile, which in turn will attract high profile affiliates. Better affiliates will help increase both your visibility and page rank. If done correctly, it can be an endless cycle of boosting your page rank and raising your visibility. This, in turn, will help foster awareness about your site and your brand.
5. Cultivate brand awareness
Studies have shown that brand awareness is an incredibly effective marketing strategy. Indeed, consumers are more likely to buy a brand they are more familiar with because they know what they are getting. This is true for blogs and websites as well. Using social bookmarking sites allows users to develop an online reputation while increasing their visibility, giving visitors insight about the goals, ethics, and interests of your business.
6. Access your Bookmarks from anywhere with ease
Social bookmarking sites allow you to store all of your favorite sites in one place, easily accessible from anywhere on the planet. Want to share a funny gif or informative article with a friend but can’t remember where you saw it? Because most SBM sites also have convenient and easy-to-use apps and mobile sites, you don’t have to worry about this. You can bookmark things you like with one simple click from your phone, laptop or tablet, making it easier than ever to share interesting content with others.
7. Stay up-to-date on what’s trending and being tagged
Twitter, Buzzfeed, Digg, and other SBM sites often have a “what’s trending” function that gives users an idea of what other people on the site are reading, tagging, or liking. You don’t want to be that person using “#YOLO” two years too late, so take a look at these features frequently to stay in the pop culture loop and keep your blog or website relevant with current trends and news stories.
If properly utilized, social bookmarking sites can be a high reward-low risk strategy for online marketers. SBM sites are incredibly useful tools for spreading the word about businesses, products, and current events with little cost, time, or effort, but they’re also fun to use. Start social bookmarking today!
Author Bio: This is a guest post by Hayley Irvin. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. When she’s not creating awesome content for the Marketing Zen Group, she’s writing about basketball, learning about space, and thwarting her cats’ plans to take over the world. Catch up with her on Twitter @HayleyNIrvin.
