Social media marketing programs center around efforts to create content that attracts attention, generates online conversations, and encourages readers to share it with their social networks. The message spreads from user to user and presumably resonates because it is coming from a trusted source, as opposed to the brand or company itself.

Social media marketing is a two-way street. Customers can connect directly with the brands, products, and companies they value. Companies that use social media strive to participate in a "conversation" with customers in order to promote the value of their brand, product, or company.

Social network marketing or social level marketing is an advertising method that makes use of social network service and to increase their web presence. This ranges from simply advertising directly on social networking sites, viral marketing that spreads throughout the web, email, and word of mouth or providing niche social networking sites focused around the item being advertised.

Social Network Marketing includes programs channeled through:

• Collaborative social platforms like blogs, discussion forums, and website communities.
• Real-time social channels like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, etc.
• Location-based services like Foursquare, Gowalla, etc.
• Review-driven services like Yelp, etc