Maximizing the potential of social networks can keep an edge from the competition. Maintaining a good communication line with customers online will increase the awareness of your brand and will establish your name as an established business owner.
In addition, social networks can also provide an excellent opportunity to begin a strong business networking virtually. Aside from savings in time, other important resources and funds for travel and other expenses needed to go to physical networking events are also eliminated. There are several means where social networking strategy can help in business, specifically in these areas:
· Marketing and advertising
· Establishing brand name
· Long-term customer relations
· Building quality business interactions
· Gathering business-related intelligence
· Making online shopping a more positive experience
When selecting the right social media platform to be used for the business of the online business, it is essential to know where the customers are frequenting as well as their habits, preferences and demographics.
Once such information is known, the efforts should be aimed on the channels that they usually use. In some instances, these social media channels can be combined to cover what the business needs.
Social Networking Sites
These are online platforms where people make their profiles, connect with the people they know or want to meet, let them speak out what they think, send messages, chat, and stay in touch with each other. There are general networking sites such as Twitter, Myspace and Facebook while there are networking sites for professionals such as LinkedIn, Swom, or Talkbiznow.
Social networking sites also allow businesses to create pages representing the company, brand or service. In here, fans can follow and be updated with the latest events, promotions, or news about the online business promoted. These pages also allow business owners to have interaction with customers such as receiving feedbacks and answering inquiries. There are social networking sites which are converted into e-stores to allow online shopping for customers.
Blog
Blogging consists of regular writing and posting stories, commentaries, reviews and other related contents into a website. Customers and other professionals can access and read these posts. Usually, these blogs provide interaction, letting visitors leave comments, questions and message one another.
Thought-provoking and issue-based questions can be posted to stimulate discussion and communication with customers. The blog can also be a channel to let customers find the business’ website which is not well-known in the public.
Internet Forum
It is an online site where people posts questions about their specific concern. Other visitors can leave comments and answers. Business owners can maximize this channel by sharing their expertise and establish their reputation and might even build a strong business networking activity. Since many forums have moderators, posts have to be analyzed carefully to prevent deletion. In addition, those who are posting sales messages can be banned from the forum.
Online PR
This includes joining into blogs which are not owned by the company with the intention of advertising the product or service. Blogs should be carefully chosen to get the right target market.
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