Using Social Network Sites to Promote Your Business

To help your company continue to grow in the expansive Internet, try social networking web sites. Social networking sites create human connections. They help you to make new relationships with other businesses. You can effectively promote your business. In addition, they allow you to have a strong link back to your website.

Although online communities are thought of as something for just those 25 year and younger, these sites have been pushing the boundaries. They become such a powerful asset that companies who shrug them off are most certainly losing out in the long run.

Online communities basically give you a page to write about yourself and/or your company. You can write about anything you want on your page. Make sure you have a link to your company's web site. This will really strengthen your external links and your PageRank. Depending on the site, you will be able to make friends, join groups, or even have other people become a fan of your company.

Here is a list of some social networking sites that are free:

• LinkedIn - Connects professionals - www.linkedin.com
• Spoke - Connects companies - www.spoke.com
• Facebook - Connects individuals - www.facebook.com
• MySpace - Connects individuals (usually a younger audience) - www.myspace.com

Seeing that the sites are free and the outcome is great, you really have nothing to lose.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.