Social Media Smoothness: Is it easy for others to share your blog or E-Zine?

If you are using social media as a business marketing tool and haven’t read Seth Godin’s book yet, Unleashing the IdeavirusI highly recommend that you do so. There’s a good reason it’s the #1 bestselling eBook of all time.

In the book, Godin suggests that “the future belongs to marketers who establish the foundation and process where interested people can market to each other. Turn on consumer networks and then stand back and let them talk.”

“It’s imperative to stop marketing to AT people. The idea is to create an environment where consumers market to each other.”

– Seth Godin, Unleashing the Ideavirus

But here’s the rub: If you want to create an environment where your consumers market to each other—that is, help get the word out about YOUR products, services, ideas, and messages—you need to make it as quick and easy as possible so that they do it. . Simple sounds? It is. How often is it done? Not enough, I can assure you.

Here’s a good example:

When I receive an ezine in my email inbox from a person whose products or services I’ve used in the past (and I’m obviously pleased because I’ve given them permission to stay in touch with me), if what I read or see or hear resonates with me in some way, I’m happy to share your message/article/idea/podcast/video etc. throught social media. But 9 times out of 10, what happens when I try to do it?

I can’t find any kind of share button in the email!

Or if I do, for example, find the option to share the item on Twitter and then click on it, only to find that the created tweet doesn’t actually link to where the item lives on their website… it just takes to the home page. And what good is that? I’ll share your ideas or articles, but don’t expect me to blindly send people to your homepage for no specific reason.

In Ideavirus terminology, Godin uses the word “smooth” to describe this quality of being able to quickly and easily share an idea, blog, message, etc.

So if you are a small business owner who uses social media to market your products, services, and ideas, my question to you is this: how easy is it for someone, like me, to help spread YOUR word?

Because if you’re going to put all the time and effort into writing a blog and sending it out to your existing clients, try and make it as easy as possible for the rest of us to help you share your work.

Here are 3 simple ways you can help increase the flow of your ideas:

1. Make sure you have a social sharing option from your blog (on your website).

2. Make sure you have the option to share on social networks from your e-zine.

3. Make sure the social sharing options actually work, eg if a reader clicks on the twitter option, does the tweet that appears take them to the right place/blog/article?