We all know you use social media (social bookmarking and networking sites) to promote your blogs. Just like what I had tackled when I reviewed StumbleUpon, as well as time and time again, I always stress the importance of trying to build social networking credentials both for the sake of your own blogs and the sake of getting a probogging gig. However, a question remains: how do you promote your promotional efforts? Sure, by Stumbling other people’s Stumbles, they’re bound to notice you and perhaps, add you as a friend in the process. By adding people as friends, they MIGHT return the favor. But in my humble opinion, that’s not enough. You also need to actively promote your social media promotional efforts. Confusing? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Exchange your forum and community sigs with your social networking links for a while.

While I have always suggested to put links to your blogs everywhere you have an online presence, it might also do good to use links to your social bookmarking profiles on your sig areas. I saw my Twitter follower count rise slowly but steadily using this method. You can exchange the links again later when you deem it fit to do so.

2. Interlink between your social media profiles.

I stumble my netvibes and twitter page, Twit about my StumbleUpon and Netvibes page, and create feeds of StumbleUpon and Twitter on my Netvibes profile. There’s still Digg, Propeller, Delicious, etc.

3. Use links to your social media profile as your email footer.

That way, you’re promoting your profiles every single time you send an email.

4. Contact people about them directly.

Send your list of contacts an email with links to your social media profiles.

5. Make sure to flaunt them on your web site.

Install buttons and don’t be stingy on linking to your social media profiles. By making sure your readers know where to find you, you’re expanding your number of contacts.

Yes, it might seem like you’re putting in extra work to promote your promotional efforts (not to mention a bit confusing when said out loud). But by promoting then, you’re not promoting just one site in particular — promoting your social media profiles means you’re promoting every single one of your web sites and blogs. Try it out, it might just be worth it.