Social Media Optimisation (SMO) – The Dell Example

There are several ways to attract traffic to a website.  These include Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Pay Per Click (PPC) and Social Media Optimisation (SMO).  According to the Wikipedia, Social media optimization is

a set of methods for attracting visitors to website content by promoting and publicizing it through social media. SMO is a subset of social media marketing, which is promoting and publicizing products and services in general through social media. SMO is one of two online methods of optimizing (attracting visitors to) website content; the other method is search engine optimization (SEO).

The term “social media optimization” was first used and described by Rohit Bhargava. Bhargava’s original six rules for conducting social media optimization are:

• Increase your linkability
• Make tagging and bookmarking easy
• Reward inbound links
• Help your content travel
• Encourage the mashup
• Get communities connected

 An example of a company effectively using social media optimisation to increase traffic and sales to their site is Dell.

Dell generated over a million dollars in the past year and half through sales alerts. People who sign up to follow Dell receive messages or tweets when discounted products are available.

Dell has several  Twitter accounts including Direct2Dell, StudioDell, DigitalNomads but the one with the most success is the Dell Home Outlet Store with over 1.4 million followers and growing.

Dell is also an active blogger, using their Direct2Dell blog and their IdeaStorm project to become a better, more responsive, and more likeable company.

Today, many other companies are using social media to increase their brand’s presense on the Net and increasing traffic and sales, it’s become a natural extension and indispensible part of a comprehensive online marketing strategy. 

In the future, social media optimisation will play a bigger role in online marketing and the companies who do not jump on the bandwagon today will miss out.

You may also like -

5 eCommerce Website Design Don'ts [TIPS][HOW TO] Survive Google's Over Optimisation PenaltyTHE Ultimate KICK-ASS List of Twitter #Hashtag Suggestions [WIP]Three URL SEO Tips the Big Boys Won't Tell You