Social Networking

A Brief Look into the World of Social Networking

Undeniably, social networking has been one of the biggest internet fads to date, having millions of people subscribe and visit the countless social networking sites everyday. With the popularity of social networking these days, someone who isn’t taking part of all these can’t help but wonder if there are any real benefits to it all – whether if you’re personally using it or your company is using it. A lot of social networking members will claim that there are heaps of benefits to these kinds of sites so let’s take a look at some of them:

1. Building a “social network”

When you’re a member of social bookmarking sites, you get to meet friends the world over. You aren’t restricted to your own local community when it comes to meeting new people, unless of course, the social network that you belong to is restricted to your locality alone. These people can become mere acquaintances, friends or even business partners. Relationships in social networks tend to be flexible. Your social network can also be “specialized” depending on what you need a social network for.

2. Social networking sites have different categories

As stated in the first point, you can choose which social network you want to subscribe to depending on how you want to use it. There are different kinds of social networking sites:

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Conventional and generic networks

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News networks

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Bookmarking networks

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Business networks

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Media-sharing networks

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Video-sharing

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Image-sharing

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Music-sharing

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Startpage networks

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Fitness and sport networks

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Widgets and plug-ins networks

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Mobile networks

With the knowledge of the different kinds of social networking sites, you can easily choose those that are to your interests and build a network that will suit your needs as an individual, career-person or a business entity. For a more in-depth look at the many forms of the social networking world, you can check this list:



By: konsort.org

About the Author:

Do you have a new membership website or on-line business that you’ve been working on

starting? Do you notice that anytime you go to put the finishing touches on it, by some unknown powerful cyber force, you end up on Facebook instead? Or MySpace? Or Bebo?

Wouldn’t it be great if there was some way you could earn using social networking?

Well, if you have an up-and-coming membership website or online business then it’s possible.

But how?

It’s simple. By generating a large amount of targeted traffic to your membership site, you will be able to earn using social networking.

We’ve all heard people trying to pitch a concept or idea door to door. From steak knives to

makeup to Girl Guide cookies, people have relied on socializing as a way to sell their goods.

This is similar to online social networks. You earn using social networking; however, you don’t

have to walk door to door; you don’t have to recite a speech; in fact, you don’t even have to get

off your office chair. You can promote your product and earn using social networking in the

comfort of your own home.

If you already belong to a network like Friendster.com or MySpace.com, earn using social

networking with just a press of the button. Post your membership site on your profile page as a link with a quick explanation of what it is.

Or send your friends a link with your new membership site in a private message. Ask them to

pass on the message to others who might be interested. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to promote your new business and, in this case, word of ‘mouse’ is an even easier way to earn using social networking.

However, even if you don’t belong to a social network site, you can always join one and earn

using social networking. In fact, this is probably the best way to reach your target audience. Find social networks catered to your membership site or online business.

For example, if you’ve created a website catered to new Moms and Dads, earn using social

networking by joining CafeMom.com or other parenting networks.

Pretty soon you’ll have a group of members for your website and will be making a residual

income, just by socializing!

So, while you’re sleeping in or relaxing in your pyjamas in front of the TV, someone could be

clicking onto your profile, joining your membership site and making you an income, all through

the process of social networking.



By: Simon Fusco

About the Author:

Isn’t social networking fun? You get to meet all these people and connect with them and spend hours looking at their profiles and videos and photos and…

 

Okay, so clearly social networking can take an awful lot of time. The question is, is it worth it? Will spending all that time doing social networking lead to an increase in sales?

 

And the answer is, yes it can. But you need to be strategic about it — just like you need to be strategic with all your marketing. And one way you can do that is to have a social networking landing page.

 

So what the heck is a social networking landing page? Well, it’s a special page on your web site or blog designed specifically for your social networking folks. This special page continues the conversation you started on other social networking sites. (This is very important, you should always design landing pages as continuing the conversation started elsewhere, whether it’s your prospects clicking on a Google ad or followers intrigued by something you tweeted about on Twitter.)

 

You see, many people send their social networking friends to the home page of their web site or their blog. And while that’s not a terrible thing to do, you could definitely do better. You see, the home page of your web site or the first page of your blog is more general. It has to be. You don’t know how people are finding your site. They could be on it because they just heard you on a teleclass or read an article by you or someone referred you. You don’t know so you have to keep it pretty generic about the problems you solve and the solutions you provide (and of course, push them to give you their email address).

 

So by creating a landing page specifically for your social network buddies that continues the conversation already started in the social networking scene, you’ll be that much closer to transforming them into eventual customers.

 

Okay, so what do you put on this social networking landing page? Do you try and sell them there?

 

In a word — NO! Remember, social networking is all about building relationships and making connections. And, through those relationships people will naturally want to support you and become your customer. The last thing you want to do is send your social networking buds to a page and try to sell them.

 

(Now, that doesn’t mean your page can’t include a couple of links to some products so they can read more and buy, but no hard core selling.)

 

Instead, share more about yourself, your family, your interests and your business. Then invite them to give you their email address in exchange for a free gift from you.

 

By getting on your email list, you are now in a position to deepen the relationship. Along with getting your regular newsletter (you HAVE one, don’t you?) which contains great information and content, you can also invite them to your free teleclasses, which also contain fantastic content but also includes an invitation for them to become a customer, or you send emails to them also inviting them to become a customer.

 

See how this works?

 

So take a few moments to put together a social networking landing page and see how it can start transforming your social networking activities.

By: Michele PW

About the Author:

Vagabondious Rex. asked:


What is the best way to build your social networking sites so that people enjoy your profile and follow your links? I could really use suggestions.

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The explosion of online social networks like Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn has opened up a whole new world of marketing. These social networks create new realms of possibility in the realm of online marketing, as it enables (at a minimal cost) a massive word-of-mouth campaign. As word-of-mouth is the most effective form of advertising, it’s no wonder that so many companies of all sizes are interested in social network marketing.

The earliest and still most common form of marketing on social networks is to simply create a presence on the social network. Many corporations, charities, bands and other organizations have an account on the social network, and one or more employees is tasked with maintaining this social presence. Through the social network, the organization can announce to it’s many friends and customers what new products and services they are offering, in addition to enabling customers to have a more personal relationship with them. This is free and productive, however it does not have much of an effect and many corporations are seeking other options.

The best way to market via social networks is to encourage participation. Many companies have found that by taking suggestions, running contests and otherwise bringing the members of the social network in, they can greatly increase customer loyalty. It also permits companies to quickly “crowd source” projects such as logos or new food flavors.

One last way many organizations use social networks is for “Astroturfing,” which is when an organization works to make the appearance of a grassroots organization when actually they are using a network of company agents to advertise a product or service. This is often against the terms of service of the social network, and it also often leads to severe backlash. Many modern consumers will see astroturfing as lying to them, and so it is a tactic best avoided.



By: Kenji Sakamoto

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