A basic tenet of business sense dictates that to the extent that the world changes, so too should the way in which people carry out their business activities. In this sense, the internet has presented an enormous opportunity for change (indeed, it has demanded it in many cases), and with the growth of the web countless new ways to proceed from a business perspective have emerged.
Particularly pertinent to the business community has been the rise of Web 2.0, especially the many uses of today’s social media outlets. As will be seen, social media are one of the most effective and far-reaching methods for a business to grow a web of contacts and build up a solid reputation.
The spread of social media on the web has proceeded at the rate of a virus, though this is one infection that is actually good to get! The principal reason underpinning this extraordinary proliferation is that it is impossible to monopolize the ways and the venues through which people interact-if a new site pops up allowing people to communicate amongst themselves with a host of different features, then it is practically inevitable for it to acquire some users (clearly not all such sites command the same followings though).
This uncontainable urge to “socialize” online displayed by a wide segment of the population is a fertile breeding ground for business relationshipsone that should not be overlooked. The failure to embrace such means is by now tantamount to committing business suicide.
In spite of the general perception of such sites as being trifling, only good for adolescents with too much time on their hands, that is not a fair portrayal of the scenario-don’t commit the folly of jumping to premature conclusions on the matter, as the potential uses comprise much more serious facets. In the end, these social media sites give a business owner the means to build up a recognized brand name, convey their and their operation’s professionalism and exceptionalism, and do a lot to call the attention and the patronage of potential new customers.
The biggest reason to use social media sites-beyond the fact that countless potential customers are lurking in such sites-is that they are absolutely free. That’s right: an invaluable business-growing tool without a price tag! Such things actually do exist, and only on the internet.
Through constant and concerted upkeep of a business’s social media accounts, it is possible to turn a 10-minute-a-day effort into the backbone of your company’s networking (and by default marketing) campaign. Such efficiency really can’t be beat, especially outside the realm of the web.
Though several social media organizations have come and gone, the most successful and used at the moment include: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Delicious. The more of them that one uses for networking and relationship building, the larger the audience that is reached-though balancing depth and scope is always an issue to be handled wisely.
All in all, the potentially exponential growth in brand recognition and network connections that a business stands to gain via the use of social media means that these technologies will continue their drive at the heart of business priorities.
Damian Papworth has realized the influence social media can exert on branding. This is why he actively employs websites like FaceBook, Twitter and YouTube for internet marketing strategies