Publishing Social Networking icons in the upper right corner of your site is customary, as in "Everybody's doing it!" Well just because all your peers choose to jump off a virtual cliff doesn't mean you need to follow. I just removed all of my Social Networking icons from my site. Here's why. I've worked too long and too hard to get you to visit my site. The last thing I want to do is induce you to leave immediately by publishing a big EXIT sign in a prominent location in the header. I understand how this happened, but like many technology innovations, what's needed here is more evolution, less revolution.

The Bridge Mindset

Each time a new technology comes on the scene, we hold it in our hands and say, "Now What!" So we give in to the impulse to show it to everyone, "Hey, look at me, I'm Blogging!" I call this The Bridge Mindset. We choose to feature our new tech toy until we can figure out where it fits within our digital marketing strategy. The shelf life is about 15 minutes. After that, it is no longer new and it shifts from featured to legend to myth. Soon, you can't remember why you featured it and completely miss the opportunity to leverage innovation.

A Proper Place for Social Networking Icons

In your Digital Marketing Strategy, Social Networking plays the role of PR. Like a press release, your profile updates serve to announce and invite your followers to learn more about what you're doing. Social Networking is your first line of contact with leads and prospects. It should create a path that leads to medium length marketing content like blog posts, articles or white papers, then to sales related content which leads to your bank account. Why would you want your visitors to loop around start all over again from the start? Social Networking Icons are valuable, but only if they appear in context, right when they are most useful.

• Publish Social Networking icons and their text equivalents on your Contact or "Connect With Me" page.
• Use Social Networking Share icons as a call to action (CTA) at the close of blog posts to invite readers to become a content advocate for your brand.

Flow Engagement

It's not just Social Networking that can benefit from this attention to detail. Start with any content or activity where leads or prospects become aware of your brand. Chart a path that flows from place to place with an eye toward engaging their interest. Your goal is that fine line between overwhelmed and bored. Each leads to abandonment. Keeping them engaged keeps them on track toward your goal. Connect with Jerry or share this post by using the icons below.