Social Networking Is Viral Marketing At It's Best

It's almost impossible to read anything about the Internet today without hearing about [tag]social media[/tag]. Popular [tag]social network[/tag] mediums include blogs, message boards, podcasts, wikis and vlogs. Social networking media can take alot of different forms, including text, images, audio and video. Naturally, this could change anytime since it's the nature of user-generated content.

NewsCorp.'s purchase of MySpace in 2005 signaled the official recognition of social media's power for many. But it was Google's purchase of "YouTube" for a astonishing $1.65 billion that the public at large took notice. Undoubtedly, as the Web-savvy person that you are, social media is nothing new and you should be capitalizing on this Web 2.0 in many ways, including having your own Automatic Authority Site Builder!

Everyone is still waiting to see how Google will capitalize on its investment in YouTube, and the litigation by ComCast will not prevent them from doing so. Many people are arguing the exact value of social media for advertisers, business owners and website owners. The smart one's are already capitalizing of these Web hotspots by driving traffic to their websites, gaining notoriety, market share and, inevitably, making money.

[tag]Going social[/tag] with your message, utilizing the power of consumer generated advertising and actively participating in these arenas requires a skill set and resources that most of us already have or at least are in the process of developing. All that's really needed is a personal network and plenty of valuable and insightful content that motivates others to share your message with their networks. Social media is, in many ways, very similar to viral marketing. If you have a message that other people find interesting, informative or entertaining, there exists a good chance that people will pass it along and you will benefit. Remember: social media and networking sites are not just a natural extension, but the essence of viral marketing.