BETTER BIZ WRITING TIPS - ISSUE 10 - FEBRUARY 2009 - Using social networking sites for business

Not too long ago, it seems as if simply getting your business on the web was a monumental achievement. But even the smallest of businesses have websites these days and in 2009, if a website is your only online marketing tool, you're falling behind the times.
 
From interactive forums and video posts to blogs and social networking sites, the web is becoming far more interactive. Rather than just set up a website and wait for visitors to stumble across it, more companies are reaching out into the world of "Web 2.0" to bring their business and message straight to the consumers.
 
At first glance, sites like MySpace and Facebook might seem more of the realm of teenagers and college students but businesses of all sizes are quickly finding these sites invaluable for building traffic, clientele and buzz. When used effectively, social networking sites can help build a business name, create leads and develop important business relationships. And the best thing about it is that it is virtually free.
 
"Over the past five years, [the web] has become more of a conversation. People now expect not just an ad campaign but a conversation. You can create real relationships with your brand," says Michelle Cullison, a Metairie-based web marketing consultant and president of Daystar Digital Development, Inc.

 
Cullison said one of the best social networking sites for business professionals is LinkedIn. As a business-oriented social networking site, it's all about making connections and networking. As of October 2008, there were more than 30 million users spanning more than 150 industries. The site is designed so that users can maintain a list of contact details for trusted and known business associates. People in the network are called "connections" and users can invite anyone to connect via email. A user's connections, and their connections, can then be used to find jobs, people and business opportunities. Users can also expand their network through LinkedIn Groups which connect alumni, industry and professional organizations. More applications are being implemented every month that allows users to expand their profiles with blog postings, reading lists and more.
 
For certain industries and functions, LinkedIn can be extremely valuable. Sales representatives and business executives are often very busy on the site and Cullison said that those trying to establish their professional expertise (such as attorneys, financial advisors, accountants and independent professionals) can gain visibility by participating in the question and answer sections.
 
"If you're looking for business development arenas, the search capabilities on LinkedIn really let you reach the influential people and decision makers in organizations," said Cullison.
 
Myspace is one of the original pioneers of the social networking sites and came on the scene in 2003. The site allows businesses to become more personal with their markets and users can create profiles that display their interests, share photos and videos, link to blogs and allow others to post messages and comments for public view. While Myspace may be of limited use for some industries, it can be especially effective for restaurants, clubs, performers and those in the entertainment industry. Retailers involved in high tech or fashion products or those catering to a younger market can also benefit by creating a network of friends to access when announcing promotions, new products or company news. Myspace reportedly has more than 230,000 new registrations per day and a 2006 report by comScore Media Metrix notes that more than half of all MySpace visitors are age 35 or older.
 
Facebook has some of the same functions of Myspace but features more applications and uses for business. It recently surpassed Myspace as the leading social networking site and now has more than 150 million users. Profiles and home pages tend to be less visual and individual but there's more room for content and spreading a message with words. That's good for businesses and Cullison said that one of the biggest advantages of Facebook is that it is great for creating "buzz" through groups and networked blogs.
 
"The strength of Facebook is in connecting with large groups of people, especially with the group feature. It is very easy to get viral interest if you are able to engage a group with your interests," said Cullison.
 
As a "micro-blogging" site, Twitter allows users to sent "tweets" which are short, 140-character messages similar to text messages. In many cases, tweets link back to websites where the URLs are first converted into tiny URLs using Tinyurl.com. This allows the user to distribute long web addresses in a shorter format. There are an estimated 5 million users on Twitter and users strive to build a list of "followers" to whom they can distribute messages and updates. After building a network of followers, tweets can be very effective in driving web traffic or interest in new products or services. Cullison also points out that many journalists and people in the media industry scan Twitter for sources.
 
Whatever sites they utilize, Cullison said that businesses need to have a plan and strategy for optimizing their social networking efforts or they're likely to abandon it quickly. And in economic times like these, the minimal costs and big impacts of social networking make it a great way to ramp up marketing efforts while minimizing costs.
 
"If companies don't enter, the danger is that they still have a social media presence and their brand is still out there, only they're not there to lead the conversation," said Cullison. "Times have changed and you need to be out there."