Whether or not are adapting to the new forms of social networking that the so-called “Web 2.0″ has brought, the services and features that it has brought undoubtedly outweigh the traditional forms of product and brand selling that was available during the phase of “Web 1.0″.  

First, take a look a the transformation in “traditional” forms of media into the online age.  Much of the continued success, or even existence of these services, can be attributed to their switch to online, in the form of websites or subscription services, and an added boost in ad revenue.  Television shows, entertainment programs, and radio have been all brought, in some form, to the internet, and the resulting product has, for the most part, been a renewed fan-base, readership rates, and listeners.  

When you take a similar form of marketing, and apply this to your website or blog, you can attain unprecedented results.  For the most part, or if you approach it in this form, you can do this for free.  It will also take a stronger devotion to your cause, and perhaps spending if you want to do it right.  I won’t go too depth into this, since this post was simply designed to give you some insight into how it works.

The first form of spreading your website and ideas is through video marketing.  There are dozens, if not hundreds of sites you can upload your video to, and they will all be discovered by search engines.  Add a link to your website page or the post that you are referring to in your video, so people watching the video will be able to follow your tips and posts.  Viral marketing has, in some ways, become the new standard for promoting services, as it allows people to not only see, but hear what is trying to be promoted/spread.

Secondly, you can flock to the big social networking sites, and create personal profiles of yourself, as these are not forms of spamming, and casually post links to your website.  Again, this is on the approach of quickly spreading your brand for free across the web.  If you have already built your name/brand online, you can quickly incorporate these sites into your blog/website’s sidebar for your followers to keep track of your activity/new projects.

On the side of premium and non-free products, you may need to really determine whether or not you are in the right field for this.  In the end, it may end up costing you more than it’s worth, so it isn’t for people who are just starting out.  

Get together with a few other people, and begin a project that many people would be interested in joining.  It doesn’t have to involve a brand new concept, perhaps include innovation as your motivation to make what you are doing better for members.  In today’s times, it may be best to offer both a free and “upgraded” option of the site, so that you can have people try what you have to offer before buying the product.

As you grow online, be sure to invest money and time in new forms of marketing - in whatever form possible.  In the long-term, your investment will likely pay off in multiple forms.  The most important part is how you incorporate these services into your websites and blogs today for the future.