Having a social media plan is an essential part of any online marketing strategy, by using social media you’re giving your online business the opportunity to push and publish information through a variety of online platforms. Social media applications such as twitter are changing how communication flows real time between consumers and business, online communities such as Linked in act as niche social networking sites and allow information to be shared between those with common interests. Online publishing platforms such as Wordpress and Blogger allow individuals to publish there thoughts and opinions and then interact with visitors through user generated content or forums.

Here is a list of a variety of tools you can use to produce and distribute your content.

1. 1. Blog Platforms

Blogger http://www.blogger.com

Wordpress http://wordpress.org

Typepad http://www.typepad.com

Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com

Gawker http://www.gawker.com

Squarespace http://www.squarespace.com

Movable Type http://www.movabletype.org

2. Micro Blogging

Plurk http://plurk.com
Twitter http://www.twitter.com
Friendfeed http://friendfeed.com

3. Social Networks

On social network sites you can create profiles that contain personal information, photos, causes, hobbies etc. Social Networks such as Bebo and Facebook allow you to stay in contact with friends you have met in the real word and those who you have met online. You have the option of making your profile as open or as closed as you like.
You will find that companies, organizations and celebrities use social networks to build friends or/or fans. They use the social networks to provide information about new products, changes, events etc
You will find that some social networks will be much more niche for example Linkedin is a business oriented social network.

Facebook http://www.facebook.com
Myspace http://www.myspace.com
Bebo http://www.bebo.com
Hi5 http://hi5.com
Orkut http://www.orkut.com
Linkedin http://www.linkedin.com

4. Video Sites

Many sites allow you to upload videos these sites essentially host your video and so that other users can view and access them. Video Marketing is increasingly been used as way to spread information, increase search engine rankings and generate traffic to website.

Video Hosting Sites

YouTube http://www.youtube.com
Revver http://revver.com
Metacafe http://www.metacafe.com
Vimeo http://www.vimeo.com
Viddler http://www.viddler.com
Blip.tv http://blip.tv

5. Podcasting

A podcast is a video or audio file that is recorded and then distributed online, either by direct download from a web site or through distribution services.  You can convert any written documents you have into podcasts in order to reach a wider audience.
Podcasting Sites

iTunes Podcast Store http://www.apple.com/itunes/whatson/podcasts
Audible.com http://www.audible.com

6. Social Bookmarking

Social Bookmarking is a way to organize your favorites or bookmarks by setting up a profile on a web site that displays all the sites you bookmark. Users can share their bookmarked sites with other users.
Social bookmarking sites can give your websites a much needed boost in traffic and in the case of site that “follow” much needed backlinks.
Social Bookmarking Sites

Delicious http://delicious.com
Stumbleupon http://www.stumbleupon.com
Magnolia http://ma.gnolia.com
Diigo http://www.diigo.com

7. Photo Sharing

Photo Sharing web sites let users upload and share photographs with one another.

Photo Sharing Sites

Flickr http://www.flickr.com
Zooomr http://www.zooomr.com
Smugmug http://www.smugmug.com
Picasa http://picasa.google.com
Photobucket http://photobucket.com