Most entrepreneurs and others in the business world are aware of social media. Most have a LinkedIn account and a Facebook Page, maybe even Twitter and Pinterest (which is becoming more than the virtual bulletin board it started as).
However, there are plenty of other unique social media sites out there that could make a big difference in the lives of small businesses for networking, collaborating and promoting your business.
1. Groupsite.com – This professional networking site lets you communicate within subgroups, join group blogs and discussion forums, as well as share files and other media easily and keep up with your profiles and others. It’s basically an easy to use site to build your reputation, network, collaborate and communicate in groups.
2. PartnerUp.com – This is the “the social network for small business.” Here you can connect with other small business professionals and ask questions, promote yourself and your business, and find others with similar interests. You can post opportunities to find people to possibly work with and there is a resource directory full of listings of other small businesses, some may be very helpful to you; you can list yourself, too. It’s a great place to share ideas and find support.
3. Google + - Okay, by now, this one may be as well known (or almost) as Facebook, but it’s still worth listing as it’s a good one. With its circles, hangouts, hashtags, discussions and more, it’s definitely worth having to help promote your business considering how huge Google itself is. It can help in your SEO rankings as well.
4. YouTube – YouTube isn’t just for crazy preteens to post videos of themselves singing to One Direction, it’s a smart, helpful venue for small businesses to use as well. It’s an excellent forum to offer video blogs, commercials, press releases and testimonials in a user friendly format. You can embed these in your blog or to any other social media site, even your homepage and make it easy for followers/customers to watch. Sometimes, people prefer to watch a video rather than reading a longer, written piece. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to offer both?
The important thing is that once you set up these sites and profiles (along with the aforementioned biggies like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn), you need to use them.
It won’t do any good to have various profiles strewn across the Internet sitting dormant, keep them active!
You need to devote time each week, even every day, to updating and adding relevant, current content. Upload photos and video, share other information about your industry, keep your profiles current. Engage with others, including customers as well as colleagues. The more accessible you are, the more you will be accessed.
Sure this will take some time, but check out the smaller social media sites, too. You may find just the thing your small business needs.
Social media is an integral part to any business owner who is looking to increase awareness and customer base. You need to join in.