Social media is the fastest growing medium to market your product and communicate with your audience. And when it comes to branding your product it just might be the simplest and cheapest way to create awareness to potential clients. Marketing is changing and it's not always about selling something, at the end of the day it's about creating and working on relationships. But if you're new to trendy online media activities, the following is sure to help you get on the right track to take advantage of what is right at your fingertips and a click away to branding success!

Types of social media and what they can do for your company:

Used to gain new/returning business by participating in discussion forums and blogs. Become a source of information by sharing knowledge and answering questions. Demonstrate your value for clients and potential clients.

Creating Facebook groups attract interest and develop loyalty.

Make your website easy to find in search engines.

Posting videos on YouTube and on your company's website can bring people onto the site and engage existing visitors.

Using Twitter regularly to create and reinforce connections and to spread word of mouth about your business.

The best strategy is to pick one or two types of social media and focus on doing those well. Have several employees share the updating duties on the company blog or contract a company outside to help with updating.

Do you wonder if you will ever make any real business from using these social media tools? Remember, it's about making valuable connections and relationships with other credible business people and clients.

No problem, you can control and monitor inappropriate comments

Position and describe your product. Blogging and posting updates about your product or service becomes a unique and innovative tool that can be used to spread the word. It is a social media medium that keeps your customers aware and interested. As long as you're providing useful content for your audience, they'll appreciate your effort and most likely visit again. Social media is supposed to be conversational and casual, treat it as such and allow your audience to participate in your products.

Make sure the content you post is clear, specific and something your clients can relate to. Allow participation by making sure that the content being shared or discussed on the platform is relevant to your clients and their interests.

Create peer pressure. Get the right people involved in the beginning to encourage participation on a grassroots level, and then make sure the ongoing use of the platform is evident to your clients.

If you do something great, people will find it. Nothing works better than word of mouse - one friend telling another.

Leanne Bucaro, co-CEO of Infinity Communications, is a public relations professional with more than 15 years of experience in communications and media.
Visit her website www.infinity-pr.com