In this chapter, we'll learn how to harness social media to promote your company or website and supplement your search strategy. Social media is the cutting edge of search placement: new web properties, new opportunities for placement, and new patterns of Internet user behavior make this a dynamic area. Just like with natural search, social media dominance flows from cleverness and hard work.

Let's begin by taking a close look at the hype-fueled term social media. Ostensibly, the term refers to websites and media channels that rely principally upon dissemination, through social interaction between users. Let us use the term social media with caution; the definition is shifting quickly and will continue to evolve. For our purposes, we will, to some extent, bow down to the established definition and learn about what are considered typical social media web properties, such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, recommendation/sharing/bookmarking sites...