Take for instance, Facebook:  It started as a small blip of a web site, which exploded in popularity and was originally used for connecting friends, relatives, college or university mates, and high school friends. According to statistics now posted on Facebook, there are over 175 million active users, more than half of which are outside of college, and the fastest growing demographic is 30 years old and older. The average user has 120 friends on the site and more than 3 billion minutes are spent on Facebook each day (worldwide). We will examine this web site, as well as LinkedIn and Twitter, two other free popular online destinations. This leaves us with the question, how do we leverage Social Networking for our business?

Facebook

You should setup a personal profile in your name, as business profiles are sometimes removed, due to the fact the site is meant to connect individuals. Once you have setup your account you can begin adding friends to your network. Friends are added on a permission basis and you need to be ‘accepted’ by the person you are trying to add. This is a great way to screen who has access to your profile. You have various privacy settings, which you may set according to level of access you wish to grant to others. This is a personal setting and you have to read through the site to see which options are best for you.

There are many ways to promote your business on Facebook, which do not breach the terms of service agreement of the web site. Here are some examples of what you can unlock with your Facebook account:

• Create a group

• Advertising on Facebook - pay per click (CPC) or by the impression (CPM)

• Marketplace - post free ‘classified’ style ads

• Status Updates, Notes, and Messaging - one convenient location to say what you are doing, looking for, or selling.

LinkedIn.com

LinkedIn is a trusted, interconnected network of experienced professionals from around the globe. With more than 36 million members in over 200 countries and territories, it connects everyone from Fortune 500 company executives to the little guy. You should setup a profile in your name, which allows you to specify your company’s name, industry, and your job function.  It is especially friendly to business owners as it allows you to create a detailed profile on your specialities, your education and your expertise.  LinkedIn publicly profiles what you are interested in and what you are looking for.  This allows others to find you and recommend you to their contacts.  You can be contacted either directly through your public profile or be introduced through a common connection. Once you have setup your account you can begin adding contacts to your network. Connections are mutually agreed upon. This is a great way to screen who has access to your profile and your company particulars. 

Some examples of what you can do with your LinkedIn account are:

• Publicise your professional information

• Participate in brainstorming and likeminded business discussions with other professionals

• Uncover connections for future opportunities, sales leads, potential clients

• Find new prospects and talent for your business

Twitter.com

Twitter’s philosophy is to keep things short and simple.  It is a series of short blogs, called ‘updates’, about you and what you are doing right now.  Bite-sized, at less then 140 characters per update, end users may also use Twitter to communicate short segments about their lives to friends and family which they have added to their global network.  As the data count is so low on Twitter, it is very easy to use this service on your mobile or your PDA.  More importantly, it allows you to communicate rapidly to your connections if you are looking to expand and hire new employees, looking to break into a new market, or landed that new client.

Social Networking through Twitter is:

• Simple to connect and follow your network

• Easy to update

• Offers a window into the lives of your contacts

• Quick updates on the fly if you are running late, in a meeting or looking for a lunch companion

Social Networking via the internet is growing monthly and there is an untapped audience available. My suggestion is that you invest time through one of these websites, or a combination of, to connect with friends and colleagues.  Have fun but be aware that you are using a powerful social networking tool and marketing venue for your business. Cater your marketing to the site you choose and remember that your friends are there for you and may know somebody who would benefit from your expertise. I strongly recommend any business owner who would like to increase business awareness to try at least one of the above-mentioned sites. Also, once you are on one of these sites, place a link to your profile on your business website. It gives people the opportunity to connect with you in other ways than traditional methods allow.

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About the Author: Brian Evely is the President of Evely Media an Interactive Marketing and e-business firm in Ajax Pickering. Brian has been assisting companies of all sizes leverage Internet based technologies since 1996. Brian can be reached by visiting www.evelymedia.com/askbrian

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