Internet marketing is getting harder all the time. Here is another things to add to your concerns in addition to site creation, maintenance, SEO, content and so on -- social media.

As part of the relentless quest to provide the user with quality relevant search results, Google and Bing have added the parameter of social signals to their search algorithms. When your posts get shared virally on places like Twitter, aside from getting massive social proof, it also gives you a bonus in terms of search rankings. The same for Facebook, Digg and others.

Can you imagine the possibilities here? But before you get started on your social media strategy, you really need to monitor and analyze the social signals. This will allow you to know which of your posts and pages are being received well. When you have such information at your fingertips then you can plan your social media strategy accordingly. The thing is that all the tracking required is no small task.

The reward for carrying out the right social media strategy is more than worth it though. As a content producer, you know what a rush it is to have a particular post go viral and traffic increases exponentially. That would be a great achievement. The great side benefit is that in addition to all that, Google will also reward you by ranking your post higher in the search results.

It is possible to get these kind of results but only if you are diligent to get your social network plan correct. To do that, you need data on which of your content is shareworthy and which induces a yawn and click away. In a nutshell, you can't get your social media strategy right without accurate social analytics and the insights they provide.

Pay attention to factors such as how often your pages and posts are being shared on Facebook or how many tweets and retweets its been getting. However, do make sure you are going about it in an effective way. Fortunately, there are some fine tools available that make the whole process a snap.

These kinds of social metrics tools takes away the trouble of going through tons of data and presents it in a clear way that you can act on immediately.

Aside from helping your posts get better search engine rankings, the social metrics report can also assist you in determining which content needs to be reworked. If the content that you have published are not being actively shared, then you know that it needs more work.

You can think of it as putting your finger on the heartbeat of your readers desires and discovering what it is that they really want. I think you'll agree that such knowledge is priceless.

The amount of social media activity revolving around a given site is going to be an important indicator in the coming days. This is why you will need social media metrics information that is clear and accurate. Are you equipped for this change? Many people have already begun preparations. It isn't just hype when it comes to social media marketing.