How to Navigate the Internet Marketing Map

Facebook has over 750 million users, Twitter has over 200 million, LinkedIn has reached 100 million, and now we have Google+ as well, with 25 million in its first month. You might be excused for despairing that you don't have time to be active on them all.

The good news is: You don't have to! Despite what a lot of people say, social media isn't the be-all and end-all of your on-line presence.

Here's what you do instead...

Think of your on-line presence like the solar system, with your Web site - the Sun - in the middle, and other planets orbiting around it. Here's a simple three-stage Internet marketing strategy...

1. Build a solid Web site
First and foremost, you must have a good Web site. That means it needs to be current; it needs to reflects what you do; and it must help people get in touch with you.

Importantly, you must, must, MUST be able to update your Web site yourself. You won't be updating it every day - or even every week - but when you want to update it, you must be able to do it immediately and at no cost.

2. Lead with value
The next stage - the innermost planets of your solar system - is to share your expertise on-line. Lead with value (that is, high-quality content), not with advertising, so that your site visitors see you as an expert before they even visit your Web site.

Broadly, there are five vehicles you can use for this: A blog, an e-mail newsletter, a podcast, an e-book or special report, and a YouTube video channel.

Don't have time to do all five? No problem. Do just three: A blog, a newsletter and any one of the other three.

3. Invest in reputation
Being an expert is a good start, but it's not enough. You also need to be recognised, which makes you an authority. So the third stage - the outermost planets in your solar system - is to build your reputation in other on-line places.

The Big Four, as I mentioned earlier, are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+. There are also other on-line communities specific to your area of expertise.

You don't have to spend all day here - and in fact, you can even automate some of this - but it's worth investing time in building your reputation here (slowly at first).

It's easier than you think!
OK, I admit it's not easy to build the Web site, especially if you're starting from scratch. But the rest of this plan is relatively easy to do, especially if you're positioning yourself as an authority in your market.

So get started!

Gihan Perera is an Internet coach for speakers, trainers, consultants and other business professionals. He's the author of "Fast, Flat and Free: How the Internet Has Changed Your Business". Visit http://GihanPerera.com and get free e-books, webinars and more.