It wasn't long ago that "meeting someone online" conjured images of chat rooms and individuals searching for romantic relationships. But when even the Pope is using the Internet for social networking, it may be time to drop that notion.
You can connect with the Pope via his website, Facebook and even by iPhone. And the Pope isn't the only one -- Facebook has 200 million active users, and Twitter, a social networking site that allows users to connect with other people by telling their virtual network what they are doing at any given moment and in real time, attracted 17 million different visitors in the United States in April alone. Facebook and Twitter are only two websites in a consistently growing industry that is changing the way we view the Internet. With the ability to connect with so many people easily, it is clear that online social networking has become a valuable resource for business people, not only internationally, but locally as well.
Let's imagine for a moment that the Pope, in all his infinite wisdom, recognizes the potential of Gwinnett County, Ga., and decides to open a bakery on State Bridge Road near Whole Foods. After studying the current demographic trends and making a budget for advertising, the Pope realizes his need for a cost-effective method of reaching young consumers. All the Pope would need in order to begin using social networking as a business tool is this advice from Paige Havens, a managing partner at Spitfire Media Group in Buford.
1. Create a Facebook page to build a fan base of "friends" that visit your page regularly and stay up-to-date on your company.
2. Establish a Twitter account and tweet about hot industry topics to position your firm as a thought-leader, and use Twitter search to listen out for your name, your competition and emerging trends.
3. Offer special discounts and referral incentives to "Friends, Tweets and Fans" to keep them coming back for more.
4. Have key leaders in your company maintain a presence on LinkedIn to keep your company and its principals top-of-mind in the industry and positioned as "go to" people.
5. Use social sites to conduct surveys and polls to better understand your customers, their needs and behaviors.
Clearly, times have changed, and social networking provides an incredible opportunity for businesses to cost-effectively reach new and existing consumers in a variety of innovative ways. Dan Lack, owner of the local company Pushing Beyond, has seen tremendous payback from using social networking sites.
"We want outlets to make our company feel more like a community. Using social networking sites builds brand awareness, especially with the 15 to 30 demographic, and is the best free publicity you can get," Lack says.
