An array of new media channels are now available, providing an effective means of reaching out to prospects on the Web. Developing a strategy for branding and marketing on these networks necessitates proper integration of the different forms and platforms. We shall consider some of them in this series of posts:

In the last decade or so, microblogging has emerged as a dynamic mode of digital marketing. Twitter is unarguably a pioneer of microblogging. Apart from keeping others updated about your personal or business related activities, it can also be a resource for airing your opinions. Services like Jaiku, FriendFeed, Plurk, Google Buzz and Pownce have successfully capitalized on the trend.

The brief albeit timely updates to a personal blog on a micro-blogging site can well have a viral effect. As a result, the popular microblogging platforms are rapidly changing the way today’s businesses communicate with their customers. Here’s how they can help you in brand promotion:

• Irrespective of its size, scale and reach, your business can easily communicate with both existing and prospective clients thanks to the microblogging platforms. They have an important role to play in updating your community or loyal user group on new offers, incentives, company news and broader industry developments.
• While spreading a timely marketing message, you can choose to insert relevant demographic criteria and key terms to keep a tab on your audience and how they react to it. You can accordingly modify or redirect the campaign.
• Based on a group’s common interests, you may show ads only to those users, who you are reasonably certain, will be keen to view it, thus boosting sales of your products/services.

There has been a constant debate over impact on blogging as far as shaping the customer mindset. But their relevance as a medium of communication for companies, which wish to be viewed as market leaders and experts, still stands out. Many different blogging platforms are available. You can either customize your posts or make them look like a stand-alone site. Blogger is a popular Web-based interface for blogging with a neat and simple click-copy-paste format. WordPress is one more widely used resource for professional blogging. LiveJournal, Tumblr and Posterous are also quite commonly used.

• Business blogs allow a company to communicate with its potential and existing customers. Well-written posts help establish a strong brand connect in the virtual space.
• Blogging activity, carried out on a sustained blogging generates good traffic volume that can act as a solid base for lead generation. A series of quality posts enhance the conversion prospects.
• You can share your ideas and vision as a business leader, disseminate knowledge and provide reader-friendly information. Replying to user queries and comments can help cultivate a focused community group.

In the next post, we shall a few other social media channels and their advantages.