Social media or SMO (Social Media Optimization) has become a successful bedfellow of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) in the promotion and marketing of a website.

SEO companies have set up departments to deal specifically with social media and social media optimization, creating social media profiles with which to promote their client's websites.

If a business has neither the time, writing skills, nor passion to update a blog then they can hire somebody to ghost-write it for them, another facet of social media optimization.

So what is actually out there and how should you go about dipping a tentative toe into this exciting new world?

Well there are numerous sites that deal with what is called social bookmarking. These not only provide valuable links into your site but they also put your content on offer, so to speak, so that it is visible to other users and can be voted upon, thus increasing its visibility and popularity and bringing more visitors to your site and naturally more links.

StumbleUpon is one such site, where registered users submit content, blog posts, web pages, etc. that they've enjoyed, for others to vote upon. It uses a thumbs-up/ thumbs-down system to cast a vote in favour of or against a particular webpage. The more thumbs-up it gets the more it will be pushed either at the site or through the StumbleUpon button on the StumbleUpon toolbar.

The opportunities for promoting a website through such networks doesn't need spelling out and after all, it is website promotion that we are dealing with here. However, it pays not to be blatant about such methods, for the chances are you will get found out. Join a network, make friends, get to know how it works and what the end-user audience is like. Most importantly, don't solely submit or only vote for your own content. There is a reason it is called social media and that is because it is about community and the building and maintenance of social groups online. You will only succeed in ostracising yourself from the rest of the community if you are seen to be manipulating them in any way for your own agenda. Make sure you take an interest, be active, and contribute as much as you intend to take away.

Of course, many businesses don't have the time to build up a social profile and this is why they hire somebody who is already established within such networks and knows the etiquette and the ins and outs to build their profile for them.

So there ends a brief window into the world of social media and SMO and the benefits it can bring to both SEO and Internet Marketing as a whole.

Be sure to read more about social media, blogging, and SEO in our SEO Blog.