Many companies have shut down access to networking sites from their headquarters and offices. What about you? Do you think social networking for business is a waste of time, even harmful?
Reasons Social Networking Is Business Compatible
Top item on the list of many reasons is “Branding”. One key factor for customers to find you is through advertising and while conventional types are too expensive today, the social media has provided a small biz to reach various demographics for it to be known. Social network profiles have info tabs, bios you can fill out, and straightforward info people would like to know such as hours of operation and top products and/or services.
A Facebook business page, a LinkedIn account for freelancers and executives to display career track and skills, can get more people to discover you these days.
Why Social Networking For Business Is a Fail
There are also several reasons put forth by many skeptics and at the top is that social networking effort is a time sucker. It swallows the time you better spend for ‘actual’ business and is a huge productivity destroyer for your employees. Not to mention the malicious programs that might seep into the company’s network because of clueless colleagues, and not only that, tactless comments that might harm your brand and cost you a customer or two.
Do Not Take The Road To Failure
The skeptics’ arguments are somewhat valid, in fact, there are a number of businesses and individuals out there who failed in social networking, not because of the reasons above but because, first and foremost, they didn’t bother to understand what makes people in the social networks tick and why.
Yes, time is needed to keep your social accounts interesting; time is needed to take care of friends, fans and contacts and have a ‘talking’ relationship with them.
Most organizations jump into social networking, formulate a social media strategy, create the accounts and fill them with links. Then block these sites in the workplace. Having an empty account in the social web are just like having empty shells and will give nothing to you, to your customers and potential ones. When they land into your pages and see absolutely zero talk happening they will perceive your business dead, and you know you’ve failed.
Hugh has been helping companies align their internet marketing strategies with social networking through trainings and workshops. Go straight to the most effective online marketing techniques and advices on his blog http://hughmccabe.co.za. This article, Social Networking: Sceptics Shout Fail, You Shall Shout Win has free reprint rights.
Posted under Social Media Marketing
This post was written by Hugh J McCabe on September 10, 2011

