When you think about social networking sites, you may or may not think of them as a lucrative way of getting the word out about your business, but it’s really a fantastic opportunity. The SEO involved in these sites is substantial; you’ll increase statistics like your backlinks in no time. These sites are not just for kids, or people to look up long lost friends anymore, they’re effectively utilized by businesses. Social networking sites are of course social, and give you the ability to network with many people. There will be more people to keep in contact with, and more people you’re going to connect with. People who are interested in what you have to offer will flock to you!

There are quite a few networking sites that have sprouted and flourished in the past few years: MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, to name a few. So, which one do you go with? Why not choose more than one of them? It is after all a good idea to have your information on several sites, so why not boost your business by having accounts on at least two of these social networking sites? The more the merrier.

You’ll have to do a little research on these sites to really choose which one(s) will suite your needs. Find out what kind of people are on each of the sites, what other kinds of business/professional accounts there are, and how the whole site works. Learning the infrastructure will help you tremendously.

An article called “Best and Worst Practices Social Media Marketing” by Lee Odden from TopRankBlog.com, lists several fantastic tips to both get you started and keep you going on these sites. Here is a basic rundown of them:

  • Start with a whole plan
  • Get involved - listen and participate
  • Time spent will reap rewards
  • Transparency with intentions – why you’re there
  • Protect your identity and encourage opinions
  • Encourage feedback
  • Objectives will influence goals

Odden goes on to explain some of the Worst Practices like not listening or being too pushy when networking. You can’t force people into wanting what you have to offer, you have to work with them and influence them in an unobtrusive way.

Social networking will help you build a framework to success online. Is it necessary? No, not necessary, but yes it is helpful. Why not get involved? There may be some confusion at first, but you’ll get it in no time at all, and increase your traffic substantially if you keep with it. Just be sure to remain professional and keep your shirt on in your pictures.