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Social networks are all the rage these days. They cover information (Facebook and Twitter), video (Youtube) as well as photography (Flickr). When trying to increase traffic to a new photography website though, are social networks the answer?

Sort of.

It has been about a month since I started this website. One of the things I do when I create new posts is use my social networks to advertise this fact. The idea being that someone will be interested in the post and follow the link I provide. From the image to the right, you can see that significant portion of my traffic is referred from various social networks.

FriendFeed tops out the list after direct traffic. I really like FF because it aggregates a number of social networks into one news feed. It’s Facebook without all the application crap. When I post something new, I usually post it to the Photography United group, so its good to see that these are the people most interested in my site. Thanks folks

Facebook comes up second (Family & friends no doubt) and surprisingly Google searches follow. I guess people are not interested in coming from Flickr, because they have already seen the image there.

Social networks are there for the steady trickle of visitors. What you are hoping for is someone comes across a flickr photo, finds your site, reads a Twitter Message or otherwise and it’s enough for them to show their friends, or write about, or maybe leave a comment.

I have said that social networks matter (sort of). They do not, however, matter so much as to be your only source of traffic. Ultimately your social network traffic comes because in some way a person is linked to you, either by friend, family, mutual interest or they like what you have to say. If you run the same plug again and again and again people will get bored with the content and not come back, or they will block you, or stop following you. Either way, you lose someone who has an interest.

Bottom line is do not be afraid to use social networks for marketing tools, however exercise some common sense in how you use them and how your target audience will perceive them.