posted on 14 Jul 2008 16:23 by ifevernet in internet
Share your favorite sites
on the Web with potential clients and business partners by commenting on,
uploading and ranking different newsworthy articles. You can also create a
member profile that directs traffic back to your company's Web site.
Reddit: Upload stories and
articles on reddit to drive traffic to your site or blog. Submit items
often so that you'll gain a more loyal following and increase your
presence on the site.
Digg: Digg has a huge
following online because of its optimum usability. Visitors can submit and
browse articles in categories like technology, business, entertainment,
sports and more.
Del.icio.us: Social bookmark
your way to better business with sites like del.icio.us, which invite
users to organize and publicize interesting items through tagging and
networking.
StumbleUpon: You'll open your
online presence up to a whole new audience just by adding the StumbleUpon
toolbar to your browser and "channel surf[ing] the Web. You'll
"connect with friends and share your discoveries," as well as
"meet people that have similar interests."
Technorati: If you want to
increase your blog's readership, consider registering it with Technorati,
a network of blogs and writers that lists top stories in categories like
Business, Entertainment and Technology.
Ning: After hanging
around the same social networks for a while, you may feel inspired to
create your own, where you can bring together clients, vendors, customers
and co-workers in a confidential, secure corner of the Web. Ning lets
users design free social networks that they can share with anyone.
Squidoo: According to Squidoo,
"everyone's an expert on something. Share your knowledge!" Share
your industry's secrets by answering questions and designing a profile
page to help other members.
Furl: Make Furl
"your personal Web file" by bookmarking great sites and sharing
them with other users by recommending links, commenting on articles and
utilizing other fantastic features.
Tubearoo: This video network
works like other social-bookmarking sites, except that it focuses on
uploaded videos. Businesses can create and upload tutorials, commentaries
and interviews with industry insiders to promote their own services.
WikiHow: Create a how-to
guide or tutorial on wikiHow to share your company's services with the
public for free.
YouTube: From the fashion
industry to Capitol Hill, everyone has a video floating around on YouTube.
Shoot a behind-the-scenes video from your company's latest commercial or
event to give customers and clients an idea of what you do each day.
Ma.gnolia: Share your favorite
sites with friends, colleagues and clients by organizing your bookmarks
with Ma.gnolia. Clients will appreciate both your Internet-savviness and
your ability to stay current and organized.
Professional-Networking
Sites
Sign up with these online
networking communities as a company or as an individual to take advantage of
recruiting opportunities, cross-promotional events and more.
LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a
popular networking site where alumni, business associates, recent
graduates and other professionals connect online.
Ecademy: Ecademy prides
itself on "connecting business people" through its online
network, blog and message-board chats, as well as its premier BlackStar
membership program, which awards exclusive benefits.
Ryze: Ryze lets members
organize contacts and friends; upcoming events; and even job, real-estate
and roommate classifieds.
YorZ: This networking
site doubles as a job site. Members can post openings for free to attract
quality candidates.
Xing: An account with
networking site Xing can "open doors to thousands of companies."
Use the professional contact manager to organize your new friends and
colleagues, and take advantage of the Business Accelerator application to
"find experts at the click of a button, market yourself in a
professional context [and] open up new sales channels."
Facebook: Facebook
is no longer just for college kids who want to post their party pics.
Businesses vie for advertising opportunities, event promotion and more on
this social-networking site.
Care2: Care2 isn't just a
networking community for professionals: It's touted as "the global
network for organizations and people who Care2 make a difference." If
your business is making efforts to go green, let others know by becoming a
presence on this site.
Gather: This networking
community is made up of members who think. Browse categories concerning
books, health, money, news and more to ignite discussions on politics,
business and entertainment. This will help your company tap into its
target audience and find out what they want.
MEETin.org: Once you've
acquired a group of contacts in your city by networking on MEETin.org,
organize an event so that you can meet face-to-face.
Tribe: Cities like Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, New York
and Chicago
have unique online communities on tribe. Users can search for favorite
restaurants, events, clubs and more.
Ziggs: Ziggs is
"organizing and connecting people in a professional way." Join
groups and make contacts through your Ziggs account to increase your company's
presence online and further your own personal career.
Plaxo: Join Plaxo to
organize your contacts and stay updated with feeds from Digg, Amazon.com,
del.icio.us and more.
NetParty: If you want to
attract young professionals in cities like Boston,
Dallas, Phoenix,
Las Vegas and Orlando Fla.,
create an account with the networking site NetParty. You'll be able to
connect with qualified, up-and-coming professionals online, then meet them
at a real-life happy-hour event where you can pass out business cards,
pitch new job openings and more.
Networking For
Professionals: Networking For Professionals is another online
community that combines the Internet with special events in the real
world. Post photos, videos, résumés and clips on your online profile while
you meet new business contacts.
Niche
Social-Media Sites
Consider linking up with
one of these social-media sites to narrow down your business's target audience.
You'll find other professionals, enthusiasts and consumers who are most likely
already interested in what your company has to offer.
Pixel
Groovy: Web workers will love Pixel Groovy, an open-source site that
lets members submit and rate tutorials for Web 2.0, email and
online-marketing issues.
Mixx: Mixx prides itself
on being "your link to the Web content that really matters."
Submit and rate stories, photos and news to drive traffic to your own
site. You'll also meet others with similar interests.
Tweako: Gadget-minded
computer geeks can network with each other on Tweako, a site that promotes
information sharing for the technologically savvy.
Small Business Brief: When members post
entrepreneur-related articles, a photo and a link to their profile appear,
gaining you valuable exposure and legitimacy online.
Sphinn: Sphinn is an online
forum and networking site for the Internet marketing crowd. Upload
articles and guides from your blog to create interest in your own company
or connect with other professionals for form new contacts.
BuzzFlash.net: This one-stop news
resource is great for businesses that want to contribute articles on a
variety of subjects, from the environment to politics to health.
HubSpot: HubSpot is another
news site aimed at connecting business professionals.
SEO TAGG: Stay on top of news
from the Web marketing and SEO (search-engine optimization) industries by
becoming an active member of this online community.
General
Social-Media Sites
The following social-media
sites provide excellent opportunities
for businesses to advertise; promote specials, events or services; and feature
published, knowledgeable employees.
Wikipedia: Besides creating
your own business reference page on Wikipedia, you can connect with other
users on Wikipedia's Community
Portal and at the village pump, where you'll find conscientious
professionals enthusiastic about news, business, research and more.
Newsvine: Feature top
employees by uploading their articles, studies or other news-related items
to this site. A free account will also get you your own column and access
to the Newsvine community.
43 Things: This site bills
itself as "the world's most popular online goal setting
community." By publicizing your company's goals and ambitions, you'll
gain a following of customers, investors and promoters who cheer you on as
you achieve success.
Wetpaint: If you're tired of
blogs and generic Web sites, create your own wiki with Wetpaint to reach
your audience and increase your company's presence online. You can easily
organize articles, contact information, photos and other information to
promote your business.
Frappr: Embed a Frappr map
and guestbook into your company's Web page so that you can pinpoint
exactly how users find your site, discover in real-time what they have to
say about your company profile and services, and create an
"interactive, fun and engaging" spot for visitors.
Yahoo!
Answers: Start fielding Yahoo! users' questions with this social-media
Q&A service. Search for questions in your particular areas of
expertise by clicking categories like Business & Finance, Health, News
& Events and more. If you continue to dole out useful advice and link
your answer to your company's Web page, you'll quickly gain a new
following of curious customers.
Job
Sites
If you want to secure
high-quality talent during your company's next hiring spree, you'll need to
maintain a strong presence on popular job sites like the ones listed below.
CareerBuilder.com: Reach millions of candidates by posting
jobs on this must-visit site.
The
Wall Street Journal's CareerJournal: The Wall Street Journal's CareerJournal
attracts well-educated professionals who are at the top of their game.
Post a job or search résumés here.
CollegeRecruiter.com: If your firm wants
to hire promising entry-level employees, check CollegeRecuriter.com for
candidates with college degrees.
Monster: Post often to
separate your business from all the other big companies that use this site
to advertise job openings.
Sologig: Top freelancers and
contractors post résumés and look for work on this popular site.
AllFreelance.com: This site
"offers self-employed small business owners links to freelance &
work at home job boards, self-promotion tips" and more.
Freelance
Switch Job Listings: Freelance Switch is the freelancer's online mecca
and boasts articles, resource toolboxes, valuable tips and a job board.
GoFreelance: Employers looking
to boost their vendor base should check GoFreelance for professionals in
the writing, design, editing and Web industries.
Yahoo! Hot
Jobs: This site is often one of the first places that job seekers
visit. Post open opportunities and check out informative articles and
guides to gain insight on the hiring and interviewing process.
Guru.com: Build your
company's repertoire with top freelancing professionals by advertising
projects on this site, otherwise known as "the world's largest online
service marketplace."
