Free advertising sounds wonderful. Usually advertising comes at a cost. Finding a way to effortlessly gain more clicks for free is really good news.  :)

I discovered this method for generating more traffic that is easy and cost free. It was right there in front of me the whole time. I knew that banners bring a lot of attention to my site, but not every social media design allows this form of advertising. After some looking around, I found another easy way to have same pull of a banner that did work in almost every format.

Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, where typical banner advertising isn’t permitted does offer the use of thumbnails which can have the same traffic generating power.

The best news is this tool is inexpensive to create and is welcomed on most social sites. Thumbnails will promote your site every bit as effectively as banners do.

Versatile Tool For Facebook and Twitter

Using thumbnails on Facebook, Twitter, and other sites, the visibility comes from exposure after exposure. Blogs chat forums, and other social media sites encourage users to upload a thumbnail since it benefits their sites as well.

My guess is the reason that thumbnails don’t get the glory they ought is that most people don’t how efficient they can be in helping to generate immediate traffic to their site.

Grabbing Attention

The thumbnail is a smaller, and versatile version of banner ad. While posting through many types of social media such as posting on Facebook, or using Twitter your thumbnail works the same as a banner ad would in giving anyone who sees it a view of your message.

Thumbnails can be designed in different sizes and styles. Having a selection on hand for the various websites you post to which allow thumbnails is a very good idea. Common pixel sizes are 50×50, 80×80, 100×100, 170×170, or 200×200. 600×600 is the pixel size recommended for use on iTunes.

My wife Arlene created a remarkable website called EpilepsyMoms.com. She found out how well thumbnails could work in generating interest in her podcast by using professional and descriptive graphics.

Arlene had two sets created professionally at low cost. Along with some retouching of a photo a professional created thumbnail with her website address which is descriptive in what the site is about and one that generates interest her podcast.

Simple Ways to Generate Traffic

When working online easier methods for gaining exposure often work best and this is why the technique for promoting a product or service with a banner is very effective. It’s easy to use and can be re-used often. Thumbnails are just as functional and can bring that same exposure on sites where banners aren’t as welcome.

Using Facebook and Twitter to Boost Your Brand

Social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn business are a natural for introducing products and services to people through numerous exposures while posting online. This is the best sort of promotion is…free!

A well thought out and carefully designed thumbnail can even offer a attractive link back to your website from most social media sites. Using only a picture or non-descriptive name doesn’t necessarily convey the message you want, or give everyone viewing it the desire to click the link and go to your site. Having a professional create a graphic for you can gain attention quickly giving anyone viewing it a reason to want to know more about you.

Directing Attention to Your Site on Facebook and Twitter

For online retailers, affiliate marketers, promoters or anyone promoting their own business will find it’s convenient to have a set of banners in various sizes. The same is also a fact with thumbnails.

A carefully crafted banner draws attention and helps to generate interest in your brand, which can then increase click through rates to your site. The same kind of attention can be created through a carefully crafted thumbnail.

From chat rooms, to forum comments your thumbnail and almost anywhere you go online your thumbnail can represent your brand. No matter where you go online, this can work as a continuous draw for your site. Thumbnails have the opportunity to bring thousands to your site, because they have more applications in more places. These mini powerhouse banners are more versatile and adaptable.

Using polished, professional, and personable graphics for your thumbnail will get attention. Thinking of thumbnails you might have clicked on or followed back these probably carried an image that caught your attention, and made you interested in finding out more.

An Added Pull to Your Posts

The greater number of times you use these sites representing your site with a thumbnail the more clicks you will see. As you post a tweet on Twitter, or make a comment on someone else’s wall in Facebook a thumbnail is there, representing your site.

Most major blogs where you write, post, or even simply respond to a message, as a commenter encourage the use of thumbnails. A thumbnail singles you out among others so people will want to know more about you. Following your creative thumbnail link thousands will find their way to your site’s door.

4 Creating a Energetic Thumbnail Graphic

1. Use a Quality Photo

A photo doesn’t need to be a professionally taken picture to get the most important feature all photos need …a friendly smile. The background should be quiet and have plenty light. Any type of digital photo will work just as well as those taken by a professional camera.

2. A Pro to Help With Graphics

Hiring a professional graphics designer can offer you the best thumbnail graphics possible. Professionals will have software that can give your thumbnail graphics the look that best represents your promotion. A graphics pro can also retouch your photo to look its best. Arlene had several thumbnails made for her by a professional while working on her own website.

3. Simplify Text

The wording on the graphics should be short and descriptive. The name of the site and possibly word or two such as Arlene used works well. Her thumbnail has the name of her site and “Podcast” which conveys a clear, direct message.

4. One Style Works Best

Choose one look you like most. Changing too often confuses those viewing it often and they might not remember through you each new look. Keep details between your thumbnail and website, and brand as similar as possible.

Give It Drawing Power

You might think I’m making a big deal over something simple, but consider this – the saying that people judge a book by it’s cover is quite true, and your thumbnail is going to be the cover for every Twitter tweet, Facebook, forum thread, chat, and blog discussion. This adds up into thousands of images all working for your site or other promotion.

As Arlene worked on her site and wanted thumbnails created, she decided to use familiar source she used before with success. Since she had much of the work for her site done using a site, she quickly found a professional to work with her photo and a few simple words to convey her message.

As the mother of a child with epilepsy, she wanted to reach as many other mothers as possible who might be facing the same challenges making this site important to her. This was a job she had to keep on a budget, and the results were exactly what she wanted.

She also had a professional graphic designer create banner ads, header graphics, and a photo retoucher to work on her photo. Using these types of sites, a professional is not expensive, because there are many professional writers, technical pros, and others all competing for jobs. Easily negotiating with someone to handle any budgeted job from clerical to a computer expert is not difficult.

Gravatar – Your Secret Weapon

Not long ago I was wondering how to add my thumbnail to a comment I made on another site. I looked through the setting of the website and was unable to find where to upload my thumbnail.

After looking around and searching online I found that many major content management systems, blogging, and chat forums typically rely on Gravatar service to place thumbnails.

All I needed to do was sign-up for a free Gravatar account, then upload my thumbnail into their system, and give my own assigned email address.

Every time I post a forum comment and I use my email address in the field provided and my thumbnail automatically appears, without my having to do anything.

The Secret Is Yours

A professionally created thumbnail graphic can provide you with a constant stream of traffic to your website at no cost. With a little effort in getting your thumbnails created, you will be good to go.

Over to You

Will you change your thumbnail?

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Kendall Mesker.  Please read more about Kendell in the footer.

In just 6 years, Facebook has grown into a web giant of unparalleled proportions. It is the number 2 most trafficked site in the world, with 500 million users and accounting for 25% of ALL page views in the United States! It is also a site that you will definitely want to be using to expand your brand, increase your traffic and reach out to your customers.

Many people make the mistake of believing that they can simply put up a Facebook page, and it will go viral and they will become rich! Okay, so maybe I am exaggerating a little bit, but the fact remains that while Facebook is often times something people think of in their marketing efforts, it is often times the first place people give up on. There is certainly some method to the madness of creating an interesting page, and it requires a certain amount of thought and calculation. Below are some tips on getting your page running and growing.

1) The Name – I always take lots of thought to name my Facebook fan pages and you should as well. Two essential parts of growing you fan page are going to be people clicking on it, and then liking it, so take time to think of something clever, short, and memorable. Also, these page names cannot be changed, so when you come up with one and market it, it is likely something you will be stuck with for the long haul!

2) First Fans – Getting your first fans can be the most difficult. One of the reasons is that people in general don’t want to be one of the first few fans to a page. Having just 5 fans at the start of marketing can your page look uninteresting, boring and to an extent, abandoned. I usually overcome this from the beginning by inviting all of my friends and family to a page. I let them know that it is my new project that I am working on and I would love their support. You can also ask your close friends and family to suggest your page to their buddies, often times they will be eager to assist you. Another cheap way to do this is by buying Facebook fans, these aren’t usually high quality, but are perfect for getting your numbers up.

3) Update regularly – You will want to keep your Facebook Fan page updated regularly. In the age of the news feed, no longer can you just throw a page up on a social network and expect people to stumble on it. We are not in a digital age where people are going to sites and looking at things that are put in front of their face. Regularly update your page on events, promotions or if you are a website, your latest updates.

4) Entice conversation – Social networks like Facebook are built on users interacting with each other as well as with news, events and products. While these people are much more likely to comment and converse, they will need some enticing. By engaging the user they feel as though they are a part of your page, and they are much more likely to recommend you to their friends. One way this can be done is by asking for input. I usually end with a question, for example “Check out these brand new shoes we just go in today! What do you think of these new items?”

5) Have fun – Don’t be afraid to have a little fun on your page, throwing in some jokes with your update can always spice things up a bit. Often pages are worried about being formal, but a recent study suggests that people are distancing themselves from formal communications including email and opting for social networks like Twitter and Facebook where things are a bit more laid back.

6) Partner up with other pages – People often times either don’t think of this, or find the logistics of doing this to be overwhelming. You will find though, as you work your page, many people from your community or your niche will be fans on it allowing you to discover other pages in your market that are owned by people you are connected to. Approach them with some ideas on how you guys could team up and both increase your base. You can also approach larger pages and see if you can sponsor contests or promotions they have. One project that I recently did had a site sponsor contests on a larger page, the cost was low, around $50 and the result was over 300 new fans and 600 hits to the sponsors website, and that was in just 24 hours!

7) Facebook Ads – People often times shy away from running Facebook Ads, and for good reason, they can get expensive. That said, these can be an amazing tool for growing your page with high quality followers. Depending on how targeted you make your ad, there are some great results to be had as well as awesome fans to pick up. Also, the more targeted your ad is, the more likely people are going to be to click on it, and the higher your CTR is, the lower your clicks are going to cost you!

Hire a Service – Lots of people do not have the time to work and grow their page. Having a Facebook presence is so vital right now that even if you don’t have time, you should look into the option of hiring a Social Media Agency who have experts that can help you maximize your social media efforts in the largest way possible.

All of the things mentioned above are great ways to grow a page, and with everything, it will be a learning experience as you go. Every page has a different flow and chemistry to it, and you will get to know your page well as though it is 1 entity. Learn it, and adjust your marketing and posting styles accordingly, and you are sure to have an excellent page that becomes invaluable to your online presence.

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Traci Hayner Vanover. Please see the bio in below to learn more about Traci.

You’ve decided to finally jump on the social media band wagon — congratulations. Before you go head out into the social media jungle and begin tweeting, Facebooking and YouTubing with reckless abandon, I urge you to take a moment and formulate a plan.

It can be particularly difficult to change our marketing “voice” from commercial to non-commercial. We are inundated with advertising messages everywhere, every day — and many users turn to these networks to escape brands altogether. Still others use social media to gain greater insights into brands before making a purchasing decision. They will listen to feedback from other consumers, compare you to the competition, and gauge your customer service. These factors are crucial, and should not be overlooked.

So, we know that our audience is always operating on the assumption that we are trying to sell them something — and a lot of the time, that’s true. Marketers do try to sell things online, even if it is during an online conversation that is not directly related to their products or services. Their persistence has made it difficult for other marketers to sell their products, even when they are deliberately ignoring the non-related conversations and targeting buyers that really are interested.

The mass marketing activities have poisoned the well, and it has made it even more difficult to penetrate social media’s marketing shield. But make no mistake, it still can be done.

There are hundreds of examples of brands succeeding through social media – Zappos, AirAsia and Whole Foods spring to mind – but replicating their success can be incredibly difficult. However, there is one thing that seems to separate social media’s major marketing players from the wannabes that have tried and failed.

It is the level of “marketing drive” behind them, and it appears to be inversely proportional to the amount of success that they find.

Huh? You read that correctly…I said inversely proportional. Counterintuitive, yes. But, highly effective, nonetheless.

Marketing drive is persistence. Persistent marketers always try to sell, no matter what the circumstance. “Looking for ice cream? Why not buy this humidifier too?” That’s their marketing style — it isn’t winning them any popularity contests, and it certainly isn’t bolstering their bottom line, either.

The Zappos school of thought is that rather than attempting to force a consumer into a sale, allow them to elect whether or not they wish to talk about buying. If folks aren’t talking about buying, Zappos isn’t jumping in with the subtlety of Kathy Griffin and trying to change the subject.

Social media communities are not averse to marketing; but social media users hate direct, pushy marketing with a passion. You’ll be about as welcome as spandex on Mr. Blackwell’s Best-Dressed List.

You’ll stand out, but not in a good way. Get the picture?

Add Value to Increase Success

Success in social media is relatively simple — add value. Let that guide your activities on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the like. I may be interested in what you are selling, but I really don’t want to hear about it all the time. Just as offline marketers pick and choose which markets they’re targeting, online social media marketers need to take a step back and examine what opportunities are actually worth it. Once you’ve identified your target, join the conversation, but remember to be genuine, helpful, and interesting. In the end, this will win you respect and business.

People turn to Facebook and Twitter to communicate with each other, not with major brands and marketers. And while there is always going to be the one in one-thousand user that responds to direct marketing, the conversion rate for appropriate, targeted conversation will always much higher. When you enter social media determined to sell 10,000 units, you are destined to fail.

If you are already marketing with social media, now is the time to take a quick reference glance in the mirror. If you aren’t marketing like the successful big brands, you can still change course. Target your audience and provide them with genuine value and your efforts will be rewarded.

Leave the pushy sales tactics behind.

Facebook has grown by substantial leaps and bounds in popularity in the last few years. Unless you have your head buried in the sand, you may have heard of it.  It is a little known social networking site on the Internet. Even the I-don’t-even-OWN-a-computer-or-have-a-cell-phone types have at least heard the word ‘Facebook’ used among their civilized friends.

Originally designed for college students way back in 2004, it is now a platform for not only reaching out to high school buddies you have not seen in 20 years, but businesses, website owners, bloggers, and other social media junkies are finding it a great tool.

I have not really tapped into this resource, but I did create a Facebook page for my Inspired to Write blog. (I hope you will become a fan.)  As I started this process, I came across some great resources that I thought I would pass on.

First I would like to pass on a post about Facebook myths that are out there – in case you wanted to stop the nonsense. Social Media Examiner lists 4 Facebook Marketing Myths and How to Overcome Them.

Here is a simple chart explaining the difference between Facebook Pages and Facebook Groups and an entry on the Facebook blog with more detail.

Written in June this year, Marketing Zen discusses marketing in his article,  The Changing Face of Facebook Marketing – 5 Things You Must Know.

Helpful article on 5 Quick Ways to Improve your Facebook SEO by Small Biz Trends.

Smashing Magazine’s designing a Facebook fan page post that showcases great Facebook fan pages along with tutorials and resources.

Here are a couple ways that are suggested on getting more fans for your Facebook Page: Do More with Facebook and How to Develop a Facebook Page that Attracts Millions of Fans.

Mashable also wrote an article titled, 5 Elements of a Successful Facebook Fan Page. Written in March of 2009, still good reading, especially the origin of the Coca-Cola Fan Page.

If you are looking for a unique photo for your profile or fan page, check out 5 Creative Ways to Hack your Facebook Profile Photo.

A couple helpful sites to enhance your website or Facebook Page are A Like Box plugin for your website and a Facebook Apps site, called AppsBistro.

For advertisers, here is a post on Tips on Optimizing Facebook Ads for Affiliate E-Commerce Sales.

For serious business owners (versus amateur), there is a 250 page Facebook Marketing Bible that customers can purchase ($95 at the time of this posting). I have not purchased this (since I am not so serious), but looking at the Table of Contents, this ebook has a ton, I mean a TON of information.

Note:  Just as with any technology, especially popular websites, changes are happening constantly. Some of these resources offer great tips, but just be aware of the latest changes on Facebook.

If your bloodshot eyes look at the clock and it occurs to you that you spent the last 6 hours killing off people on Mafia Wars or cultivating your farm in Farmville, you may wonder how productive that time was really spent.

So, when does spending time on social media websites become counterproductive?

To determine the answer to this question, you may have to ask yourself a few more questions. We will get to that in a minute.  First of all, I would like to take a  moment and clarify the term “Social Media” since it can come in many forms.

A general definition of social media: the social interactions or exchange of ideas and/or links with many people through Internet or web-based technologies. This can broken down further into different methods of broadcasting these exchanges. Below are a few examples.

• Blogs - There are many different types, but a blog generally is a website usually maintained by an individual with regular unedited posts, displayed in reverse chronologial order. 
• Examples: Blogger, WordPress, LiveJournal, TypePad

• Microblogs - These are different than blogs due to the small size of the comments; used for real time news updates, marketing, links, and short commentary.
• Examples: Twitter, Google Buzz, Tumblr, Plurk

• Social Networking – Used as a means to connect with family, friends or colleagues who share common interests and/or activities.
• Examples: Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Friendster, Bebo

• Social Bookmarking -Websites used to provide links to share; provide a place where users can share, organize, search, and manage their bookmarks of web resources
• Examples:  StumbleUpon, Delicious

• Social News – Similar to social bookmarking, but focused more on news stories and similar links.
• Examples:  Digg, Reddit, Mixx

An important concept in determining productivity is input versus output.  Is the input, or time spent, producing the output I desire. The first step is to think about your goal: WHY are you spending time on social media sites? May or may no be easy to answer, depending on how much psychoanalyzing you are up for.  Then, answer the following questions honestly.

• How much time are you spending on social media websites?

• Do you feel like you have had a productive day by getting on to these sites? 

• Are you neglecting “real” social interactions by spending time on social media sites?

• Are other life events (laundry, exercise, eating, housecleaning, bathing, paying bills, going to work) getting neglected?

• Is there a purpose or productive end goal by spending time on social media sites?

For this last question, you may have to analyze WHAT that end goal actually is. If it is to just waste time, you may want to readdress your goals in life.  For me, my end goal is to get more readers to my blog.  Spending 10 hours a day on social media sites may or may not be a productive use of time. 

Again, think about the whole “bang versus buck” idea. 

There are actually productive ways to participate in social media by being proactive and efficient.  If you find yourself spending three or four hours just “browsing” without interacting, this may be a waste of your time.

I think once you answer these simple questions, the answer to the first question will be pretty darn obvious.