Incorporating Social Media Into Your Website

[etangins]

I hear about how huge it is to use social media in relation to your website. What I am a little confused about is how exactly you go about doing so. More specifically, I would like to add Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and any other social media site's buttons to my website. I see that some people just use images that link to their website's page on the social media website.
However, I also see that some people use the official Facebook and Twitter buttons found on each social media site itself embedded in their own site. These buttons seems to not require a page or account, but tweet or like the website itself.
What is the difference between these buttons and what you think is best?

What are where can I find the best buttons to include on my website with regard to social media?

Should I create a page or account for my website on social media?

What other social media website besides Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are good sites to promote and spread a website on?

 

[Phreaddee]

none of it is better or worse.

but if you're going to do the social media route
it's either do it right.
or not at all.

build your business website.
sign up pages for facebook, google +, twitter, pinterest and any other that is in any way relevant to your business. share on all, keep active on all. it's no good to simply have the accounts.

keep your personal accounts and business accounts separate

have links on your site to your social media accounts.

have like, tweet, +, pinit and other sharing "tools" on articles, products, etc.

read up on the different meta options the different sm utilise.
it's worth knowing open graph and schema at the very least.

have sharing "comments" fields, the facebook plugin works pretty good.

do not sit on your laurels and just assume that because it's all connected that's all you will need to do.
social media is about interaction and communicating and connecting with your audience.
post often but not too often.
keep it interesting and on topic
reply to complaints in a professional manner - only ever delete profane or abusive comments.

and simply put some time passion and effort in to it.

what you put in is what you get out, that statement is even more pertinent when in reference to social media.

have fun.

 

[etangins]

I appreciate all the details.

Do you know which buttons are best to include on a website. I want to put social media buttons on my sidebar, but what confuses me is that there seems to be official Facebook and Twitter buttons for tweeting and liking the website, and I am wondering whether I should use them, or just buttons that link to my website's pages and accounts in social media.

 

[Phreaddee]

Both!!!! ................

have links on your site to your social media accounts.

have like, tweet, +, pinit and other sharing "tools" on articles, products, etc.

 

[chrishirst]

I hear about how huge it is to use social media in relation to your website.

Only if your business is in a marketplace where the target audience can be reached via social media. If you sell CDs or DVDs then yes it can, if you sell arc welding rods and materials, probably not.

 

[etangins]

What are some other good social media sites for websites besides Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

Also, I would like to have a social media section in my sidebar. Should I put the like and tweet buttons there, or image button links to the different social media pages I have.

 

[chrishirst]

Until we know exactly what marketplace your site is in or what topic(s) your documents cover, how are we supposed to provide any information that is not just guessing?