Though I use a variety of different services (web sites) to increase both efficiency and effectiveness when posting status updates on several of the social media sites I frequent, the two most commonly used are Ping FM and Snurl.

Much of the time when posting status updates, I typically want the updates to be displayed on both Facebook and Twitter.  In this case, I use a service named Ping FM (http://ping.fm/), which not only posts simultaneously posts to Facebook and Twitter (and others if they are set up to receive) but also shortens any URLs in the message.

Using Ping FM is easy. After registering to use Ping FM, you enter the message including original URL in the “Message Box” then simply click the “Ping It” button to send it out to the masses.

Since Twitter has a 140 character limit on “tweets” (Twitter updates), short URLs are almost always a requirement!  Ping FM does an instant conversion to a shortened URL when initiating the send (Ping It) command.

An example of a status update I sent recently to Facebook and Twitter via Ping FM was:

“Do wind turbines really kill birds? http://ping.fm/2nwMA”

The original URL was: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/Do-Wind-Turbines-Kill-Birds.aspx which is just slightly longer than the Ping version!

Often times when posting to Facebook alone, I only use a URL shortening tool if I just want to pseudo-mask or shorten the URL.  My tool of choice is Snurl (http://snurl.com/).  The tool is also extremely easy to use.

When first arriving at the site, there is a box labeled “Long URL” at the top left corner and a “Snip It” button below.  Copy and paste the URL to be shortened into the box and click “Snip It”.  It returns a shortened URL: http://snurl.com/dapxg, which you can copy into your Facebook status update post.

See the image below with snippets of the Ping & Snurl sites noting the data entry boxes (both) and URL change (Snurl).

Ping (left) & Snurl (Right)

This post is the fourth in a six-part series defining the IMDS (basically how to get your message out on the “Web”) and sets the basis for any attraction and relationship marketing campaign.

Once you have decided on your message, flushed out the broad view of your plan and identified a fairly specific target audience, the next hurdle rises in front of you – getting and keeping the attention of the interested few amongst the masses of the “Web”.

IMDS - aka Internet Marketing System

This key element happens in the “Attraction Zone” section of the delivery system flow chart.  Two things to always keep in mind as we examine this part of the system, 1) the information you provide at this stage in the process needs to be valuable content and somewhat related to your overall message and 2) this all takes time therefore requiring patience, persistence, and action to get things happening then keep the momentum going.

Two questions immediately come to mind.

First, what tools are available in the “Attraction Zone” to help get and keep your target audience’s attention?

Next, how are those tools best used to reach out and continually build enough attraction so the interaction between continues to grow and move forward?

Attraction Zone Tools:

There are two basic sets of tools available to “reach out and touch someone” in such a way as to grab and hold their attention on the Internet. They either consists of tools you have to pay for with both your time and money or those requiring just your time (remember however, time really is money).

Since this system overview is focused on getting messages delivered to like-minded people on the Internet rather than specifically Internet marketing, I will only touch on the double pay (time and money) tools since most of us want to minimize the direct cost if sharing information.  The three most prominent methods in this group include traditional websites, “Pay Per Click (PPC)”, and paid banner graphic advertising.  Though these methods can be effective tools for those who know the ins and outs of optimizing them, they do take time to how to avoid excessive costs and get decent results.

There are a fair number of venues where the main cost is in the time to create the content and maintain site postings available on the Web today. As a matter of fact, these are probably the most utilized sites for most people trying to get their message out on the Internet. These include virtually all of the Web 2.0 socially oriented sites such as:

• Blogs (Blogger, WordPress.com, etc.);
• Ezines (Ezine Articles, etc.);
• Video sites (YouTube, Viddler, etc.);
• Hub Pages;
• Squidoo;
• Social networks (Facebook, MySpace, etc.);
• Twitter, and
• Social bookmarking sites (Digg, StumbleUpon, etc.).

Each one of these different portals can be used to place valuable content of alluring information out on the “Web” but here are a few pointers you should always keep in mind.

• 1. The valuable content must provide key information that helps educate or solve a real or perceived problem of your target audience;
  2. The content should relate to the overall message either generally or specifically but should not be the whole message;
  3. Be social on each of the different portals you are using.  Social activity includes interacting on sites like Facebook and Twitter or commenting on blogs, Hub Pages, Squidoo Lenses or articles where permitted.
  4. Take advantage of social bookmarking sites like Digg and StumbleUpon where you help promote sites that are already posted and bookmark great content you come across while surfing.  Though some “self-promotion” is ok when bookmarking your own content, keep it to a minimum. Let your friends know when you release content and “nudge” them to bookmark and share it if they find it useful.
  5. If your ultimate message relates to a marketing campaign, avoid pitching the product/service/opportunity directly.  Only mention it in passing (usually towards the end of the piece) when preparing content that is building up to your ultimate message.

Thinking back to my earlier example of connecting with other freshwater bass anglers to share information and build interest in the “Retro-Bass” concept, here’s an example of some of the efforts to get attention and stay attractive.

• Create a blog specific to bass fishing posting topical articles that focus on useful information to other competitively mined bass anglers with an interest in fishing from smaller boats on local waters.  Find other bass fishing blogs and leave comments with links back to your blog.
• Create additional articles to post on Hub Pages, Squidoo, article sites. Search each site’s database for other articles of interest. Read and comment on interesting articles referring back to points you’ve made in your articles to help build increase your followers.
• Search for bass fishing groups on Facebook, MySpace and other social networking sites and become active in those groups by posting comments for suggestions, add short notes with valuable tips on walls, etc.  Make friend requests to build your network from the group members then announce new article postings so interested friends can go check it out.
• Use similar approaches to the social bookmarking sites (via bookmarking other people’s valuable content; making friend’s and announcing your new postings).
• Visit video sites, again adding valuable comments (not just “Good video dude”) by being specific about the things you liked and again, cite points you’ve made on your work only where appropriate.

Always remember, don’t get carried away with self-promotion and get labeled as a spammer!

Though it will take time to build your web of content, providing useful information across several Internet sites will get and keep the attention of like-minded people in your target audience. Beyond the attraction phase, it also sets the stage for your new group of followers to react positively when exposed to the capture zone to keep the whole process moving forward.