Start Social Networking Online - And They Will Come!

Back during the infancy of the internet, when we asked whether we'd get new customers by building a website we were told it would be simple. "Just build it" the experts told us, "and they will come..."

But now? Oh no. If that's all you do then no, they will not come.

You see there's a lot more competition out there nowadays. So there are quite a few extra steps you would be wise to take.

For a start you have to research what 'they' - your potential customers, readers, agents, fans - are interested in seeing on the website. Then you have to build the website, then you have to let the Search Engines know about its existence and then you have to network online and let as many people as possible know that it's there, and THEN.... hopefully yes, they will come.

Wait a minute. What was that? Network? Online?

That's right. Online networking is fast becoming just as important as that old traditional business activity of standing around at parties chatting, shaking hands with strangers, and connecting with as many people who may be interested in knowing about you and your services.

You'll find there are many networking sites just like this one, that exist solely to allow people to rub shoulders in a giant virtual get-together (minus the wine and cheese cubes on a stick of course) that spans the globe.

Whether they are casual surfers, entrepreneurs, business professionals or multinational corporations, each member of these Social Networking sites usually have a page or two to say who they are, what they're interested in, and what their business is all about.

These profile pages act as the equivalent of a business card or cold-call telephone message, but they're friendlier. After all the point is to actually make new friends who want to know more about you, who will eventually learn to trust you, and will therefore be incentivized to come and visit your website and see what products or services you are offering them.

You're most welcome to take a look at my My Sta.rtup.biz profile for an idea of what I mean.

Just like at a party or other social gathering, members of Social Networking sites tend to gather together in groups. This means you can easily find members who share the same art interests, politics, likes and dislikes as you. Once you hang out online with a group of like-minded people, reading and adding comments becomes fun.

Why should you be interested in Social Networking? Here are 5 reasons why this area of web activity has become a hugely important part of the online experience, and is expected to explode during 2009:

• 1. Online networking can bring you a steady stream of extra visitors or recommendations to your website.
• 2. When you join in the discussions by adding comments or giving helpful advice to other members, you gain a reputation as an expert in your field as well as extra kudos for being an all-round good guy/girl. What a great incentive for people to come and visit your website!
• 3. Creating an interesting, fun and engaging profile page helps to put a human face behind the business/sales- oriented tone you may have to strike at your website.
• 4. When you join a social networking site you will often have an opportunity to create links that point to your website. Over time the search engines track down these links and give your site extra 'points' for popularity. Having lots of links pointing in to your site (they call these 'inbound links') gives Google an incentive to move you further up the ladder in their listings, and voila! More visitors arrive.
• 5. Taking an active part in Social Networks improves your website's visibility and reputation.

The thing to remember when you join these sites is to use a gentle approach, and gain trust by joining in with the community, and avoiding the hard sell.

After all, they're all about being social, not about being that hideous person at parties who thrusts their business card beneath your nose and shouts "Buy my widgets! We should do business together! Give me your money now!"

Hmm, would you ever want to visit, talk to or buy from that kind of person?

Here are my recommended networking sites for those of you who are new to the internet and are looking for a guiding hand from some online old-timers like me.

- Sta.rtup.biz (of course!!!)
- LinkedIn.com
- YoungEntrepreneur.com

I've also listed below a series of other popular social networking sites, though of course you don't have to join all of them to be successful. Blimey, you need to have a life outside of making hundreds of social networking posts!

Just select three or four that you think you'll really enjoy taking part in, find groups that reflect your interests, and start from there.

Good luck!

To your ongoing success,

Andrea
CEO of Internet-Creatives.com - Websites, Logos and Promotional Videos for Entrepreneurs
For more ideas and a free review of your current business/sales website, join the Build A Better Business Website discussion group today!

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P.S. More Social Networking Sites to Explore!

Facebook.com: over 150 million member
MySpace.com: over 191 million members
Friendster.com: over 29 million members
Stumbleupon.com: over 2.75 million users
Delicious.com:
Digg.com:
Orkut.com: over 57 million members
Twitter.com:
Classmates.com:
Meetup.com: over 2 million members
360.yahoo.com: officially called Yahoo! 360°, but used to be known as Yahoo! Days)
Xanga.com: over 40 million members
Ivillage.com
Care2.com: over 7.2 million members
Ryze.com: over 25 million members