Social marketing is not necessarily a difficult task. Many people would like to tell you differently, however the actual tasks involved, rather than being difficult, are just time consuming.

Because they are time consuming, many website owners engage experts to undertake the social marketing aspect of their site management. This is fine and can often be quite cost effective. However, even though you have an expert carrying out your social marketing campaign, that doesn’t mean you cant add a little DIY social marketing yourself.

As a business owner, part of your management role should be to spend a little time each day or each week roaming the web and checking on your competition. You should also be familiarizing yourself with what is new within your business niche.

Blogs are big part of today’s business world so you should always be on the lookout for new information provided through blogs. I even advise either bookmarking sites of interest, or signing up to receive newsletters and RSS feeds, even from your competition. What better way to watch your competition – they provide you with all the information!

The DIY side of marketing comes forth whilst you are visiting sites and blogs. I suggest you leave your footprints where ever you go, even on your competitors sites. Leave a comment, add to a conversation, perhaps even provide and opposite point of view. Other visitors will see your comment and perhaps even come to your site to see what else you have to say.

More importantly, particularly on related sites, you can build a rapport with that blogger that may overtime add to the success of your site. At worst, you will receive a back link from your comment. Even better, you may receive a link from others who appreciate your content.

During all this process, you are helping to spread the word about your business in a very social way – social marketing at its purest. I find it quite ironic; I can visit a competitor’s website and leave a comment advertising myself and my site while perhaps receiving a little link juice.