Read Share This

When we think about the Internet, we usually think about the most popular sites such as Google, Facebook, YouTube, etc. What we do not think about is what types of sites are on the Internet. The types of sites are vital to know when trying to figure out how to get information out to the correct audience.

I suggest you read Share This if you do not know the terms. I was assigned to read this book for my social media class and it taught me so much. I learned that the number one networking site right now if Facebook which is something everyone in public relations and marketing should know so they can build relationships with their audiences.

Share This also taught me different types of sites on the Internet. First there are microblogs. These are sites like Twitter that only have 140-200 characters per post. These are very good sites for news channels to use because they are one of the quickest ways to release breaking news.

Another type is collaborative communities. These are wiki sites such as Wikipedia. They collaborate to achieve one goal. Wikipedia is a great site to look things up on but you have to be very careful because anyone can change the information.

There are also communities and forums. These are discussion based sites, DIY communities. Pinterest could be classified as a community forum. Not all companies should use Pinterest though. A bank would  not want to market themselves on Pinterest because no one would be interested in their pins.

Content-sharing communities is another type of online site classification. An example of this would be Youtube. Someone wanting to promote a special event or product may create a video about it and share it on Youtube for more audiences to view. My mom works in the marketing department at a university and recently created a video that promoted their upcoming Homecoming game.

 

There are also geo-social networks which include the location you are posting from. Four square is a great example of this. Instead of advertising on this kind of network, people can do the advertising for you by letting everyone know they are at your location.

 

At this time in life there are so many different ways to market a brand or product. It pays to know the different ways. After reading the book Share This, I suggest everyone buy it and read it. It can only make you stronger and smarter.