Amanda Strouse: Journalism & Social Media Marketing

I’ve started a social media marketing endeavor for multiple businesses, and it’s nothing short of enjoyable. I’m active on Facebook, Twitter, Digg and Flickr. I understand how to optimize social media pages and blogs for SEO and I help enhance the web sites’ usability for visitors. I’m able to create a social media marketing campaign and carry it out so that my employer will get what he/she wants out of it, whether it’s ROI or improvement of SEO or just a social place online where consumers can go.

Not only is social media the next big thing for marketing, I believe it’s the next big thing for communication in general. As a journalist, I hopped on board the social media band wagon to get a jump ahead of the competition. Not only do I understand journalism, advertising, marketing and public relations, but I am now able to interact with fans/consumers/visitors to increase brand awareness.

Social media marketing is a new path for communicators, techies and marketers alike, and it’s something I’m very excited about. Do you own a business? If so, are you aware that more companies are investing in social media employees than ever before? Social media, if done right, will help your company and brand. You don’t want to be like the last kid picked for the kickball team. Better to get on board now before you’re left behind.