This document provides an overview of social networking and how to effectively use it for business purposes. It discusses what social networking sites are, the differences between traditional websites and social networking sites, and some common features of social networking sites. It then gives guidance on creating an effective profile, building connections with others, posting engaging content while avoiding issues, and deciding which sites to use and how much time to allocate to each. The key takeaways are that social networking allows for multi-directional communication and connecting with potential customers, but it also requires discretion, a professional presence, engaging others in a positive manner, and devoting ongoing time to maintain connections.

1. Social networking 101 The Basics of Marketing on the Internet

2. What We WON’T Cover SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Pay-per-click advertising Blogging strategies Back linking, link following, etc. The social side of social networking

3. What We WILL Cover What is a Social Networking site? What’s the difference between Social Networking sites and a “regular” Web site? Do I need to have a Web site, a blog and a Social Networking site? How do I create an effective yet safe profile? How many sites should I join? How do I make the time to keep up with all of this?

4. Old vs. New Web Old Web (Web 1.0) predominantly one-way communication Forums and later Blogs allowed limited two-way communication Web 2.0, or Social Networking, allows users to interact with each other

5. Social Networking Sites

6. What IS Social Networking? Traditional Web Content The Ability to Find People Access to Information Online “Community” Multi-directional Communication A virtual Chamber of Commerce

7. What These Sites Have In Common Membership Personal Profile “Friends” Discussions and Groups News Feeds

8. Why Should I Care? You can make your business more visible You can connect with like-minded people You can connect with customers and prospects Allows you to demonstrate your expertise

9. What Are the Pitfalls? Potentially overwhelming amounts of information Possibility of making undesirable contacts Can make enormous demands on your time Anything you post may never disappear

10. What About Blogs and Web 1.0? Blogs still have an important role in connecting you with your customers and your prospects Regular Web sites allow you to maintain a virtual storefront or office Social networking sites can drive traffic to your blogs and your “traditional” Web sites.

11. Diving into social networking Creating Your Place in Cyber Space

12. What you need to know to create a profile the will help the right people find you. Creating Your Profile

13. Your Profile Photograph Bad Photos Good Photos

14. Profile Data Be discreet with personal information Focus on business information In general, keep it professional Avoid controversial statements Be descriptive when writing about your business If possible, insert links to your Web site(s) and blog(s) Create one profile per site Use key words

15. How to build a network that will help you build your business Making Friends

16. Invite People You Know Co-workers Vendors Customers Networking buddies Prospects Quality over quantity – be discriminating

17. Meet New People Join Groups Post articles Write blog posts Participate in forums Attend events Seek out other experts

18. About Friend Requests… You don’t have to accept all friend requests If you don’t know the person, investigate You can always “un-friend” someone later Look at your friends’ friends Quality vs. quantity

19. How to attract attention and avoid trouble Posting Content

20. Respect Terms Of Service Be sure you understand the Terms Of Service (TOS) Violating TOS can alienate you from community members Violating TOS can get you banned for life Report TOS violations

21. What Happens on the ‘Net STAYS on the ‘Net Your “friends” can share your content Your friends’ friends can usually see your posts Deleting your profile doesn’t mean your posted information is deleted “Flaming” someone can come back to haunt you

22. Use Your Common Sense Think before you post Avoid negative posts If you feel the need to criticize, make it constructive Understand the definition of “libel” and “slander”

23. Make It Informative Post “how to” articles and videos Look for opportunities to comment on other people’s postings Add value if you comments on someone else’s posting It’s OK to make references to other postings (preferably yours) or even seminars or products as long as it makes sense Too much selling will backfire on you

24. How to decide what Social Networking sites to join and how much time to spend on each Understanding the Differences

25. Linkedin The “must be on” site Outstanding search features Ideal for job seekers Excellent resource for sales people Embodies the Six Degrees of Separation Lets members ask questions in open forums Has a variety of groups to join

26. Facebook Arguably one of the most popular and effective sites for business networking Lets you group your friends by category Allows you to send messages to multiple friends or groups of friends Lets you create multiple groups and fan pages for your business

27. Biznik Localized communities Allows members to set up events, promote them on the site, and even collects the admission for you Encourages members to post articles and host events Encourages members to rate articles and events Encourages members to refer other members Free and paid membership levels

28. Plaxo Helps you remember birthdays Offers a decent job search engine You can join a variety of groups or create your own

29. One of many ways to bring your business to the world of Social Networking Create Your Own Site!

30. Pick your niche Public or private? Gather a group of connected people Invite trusted members Publicize it on your other social networking sites Be prepared to post content frequently