Here’s the scoop.  Social networks are big right now and they’re online going to get bigger and more important in the coming years.  If you don’t know how to use them to your advantage, your online publishing business is going to be at a competitive disadvantage.

There are a million and one detailed tips for the effective use of social media but the most important thing to understand is what not to do.  Don’t, under any circumstances, enter the social media space armed with nothing more than a sales pitch and a desire to share it with everyone.

The crowds at these social networking sites are not very receptive to advertising.  They appreciate authenticity and sincerity.  They’ll make the effort to find your products and even to ask you about them if you enter the social media space the right way.   Be social.  When you’re working with social networks, you need to do so without scaring people away or embarrassing yourself with an out-of-place sales pitch.

Brush up on every tip for effective social networking you can find.  There’s no reason not to be informed and many good reasons to figure it all out.  Just remember that being a marketer is okay, marketing (in any obvious way) is not.

We all wish we could produce Viral content.  It gets attention, increases recognition, drives traffic and encourages back linking.  Don’t you wish we could determine exactly what makes viral content go viral?

Well, we can’t.  Not entirely.  A lot of it has to do with intangibles and factors that we don’t consciously sense.  Sometimes we think something has viral possibilities, only to then see it go ignored. 

There are, however, a few things that most viral content shares in common.  If you want to increase the odds of having a hit, it makes sense to create materials that fall in line with those characteristics.

First, it’s generally bite-sized.  Long things just don’t get passed around as often or as quickly.  Full length movies don’t go viral, clips do.  You want to make something that is easy to take in quickly.

Second, there’s usually a visual component.  Sometimes, it might be a photo.  In others, video is at play.  Rarely do you see viral content that’s solely audio- or text-based.  It’s apparently easier for someone to advise others to “look at this” than it is to “read this”.

Finally, it’s generally funny or highly controversial.  Serious, middle of the road content just doesn’t have the same level of viral potential.

In most cases, site monetization via Adsense isn’t the best way to go.  Generally speaking, you can secure a higher return on investment by creating a quality site featuring affiliate links to products that sell for substantially more than what you’ll net per Adsense click.

True, the conversion rate will be lower, but the considerably higher value of each conversion can more than make up the difference.

That being said, there are times when Adsense does make sense.  Sites designed to attract search engine traffic that are thick with content but short on quality, for instance, might fit that bill.  Although Adsense officially opposes these “made for Adsense” (MFA) sites, they can be a workable means of generating income.

Another example is a site that will serve up ads offering high per click values.  A site that features ads paying a nickel may be better suited for affiliate sales, but if you can isolate keywords generating a dollar per click, the math rapidly changes.

The problem with chasing expensive Adsense clicks is competition.  Adsense-based Internet marketing models exploded in popularity a few years ago and those who are now entering the field may find themselves up against some tough competition, especially in the more lucrative niches.