In this article we examine the effect of leading social media networking websites on the network marketing industry.  In particular, we wanted to know how effective these sites are for generating MLM leads.  And if a good source for MLM leads, what are the best sites at this time?  Finally, we explore how attraction marketing really works.

In MLM, the entire landscape has been fundamentally changed by the Internet.  Despite this, most MLM distributors have yet to address how to build their business online. Most still rely on traditional recruiting and are  generating most of their leads using the 3-foot rule (people they come in contact with each day).   Although a minority, some network marketers are using leads created online by professional internet marketers and sold for up to $10-15 per lead.

Now, as increasing numbers of MLM distributors join social media for personal reasons, an interest has grown in how to expand their contacts online and to leverage the social media websites for their business opportunity.  James Humphrey of the BlogView.com, who is a leading social media expert, recommends using FaceBook, YouTube, Digg, and Twitter as the best social media MLM lead sources.

Of these, the leading MLM lead source is currently Facebook, mainly because of its ubiquity.  Facebook has over 350 million active members (those who have returned to the site in the last 30 days). Participating in groups and making friends are the key networking activities that will produce results on Facebook.

The next social media site that is a must is YouTube.  Video marketing is currently the hottest worldwide trend in marketing, period.  There are 1 billion videos online at various sites, accounting for 60% of all Internet traffic.  Currently, videos are given high rankings and evaluated within minutes in the search engines.  In addition to making helpful and inspirational videos yourself, you can recommend and/or contribute to others’ content through comments and suggestions.

Third best MLM lead source is Digg.  You should be making friends and building relationships on Digg, as well as Facebook.  Search out interesting articles on MLM (or your business area) and initiate and/or become a contributor to others’ content “threads” in areas of like interest.

Fourth and perhaps becoming best known is Twitter.  You need a Twitter account, since the search engines rank your activities here almost as quickly as videos.  Use Twitter to support the other social sites by “tweeting” your own and others’ content that you find helpful.

The key to social media marketing is establishing yourself as a contributor and adding value to others’ work online.

The key to all of the social media is establishing yourself as a contributor and adding value, or “attraction marketing. Others are attracted to you when you share yourself “from the heart” and your information and personality resonates with them.  When you follow these guidelines, you’ll start receiving back much more than you can possibly hope to contribute.  MLM leads are then merely a by-product of your own contributions in the social media “world.”