Today I thought I’d do something a little different. I have some firm opinions on certain social media sites, and why they’re either good, or terrible for small businesses, so I’m going to share them with you here. You can use this as an expert barometer, on which sites would be best for your business to invest in!
No surprises here – in my opinion, Facebook is still the most lucrative and savvy way to socially promote your business online. Add that fact to their recent 1 billion user tally, and their almost OCD-like need to update and evolve, and you have a pretty stable investment launching a decent Facebook business page.
#2: Pinterest Power
Pinterest is my number 2, because it’s the most recent and most revolutionary trend in media-based sharing online. The traffic (and growing sales) doesn’t lie.
#3: Youtube or Bust
Coming in third we have ever popular Youtube. Why? Because monetizing viral video has matured to the point where you can become a millionaire, if you have a hit video here. Say what you like about Google, but Youtube has an incredible ad platform.
Courtesy of realestategab.com
#4: LinkedIn Matters
LinkedIn has made some impressive changes of late, and more are to come. For the small business, it can be a powerful networking tool.
#5: What Did You Tweet?
Twitter comes in at a sulky number 5. It’s not that it’s a lesser social platform, but it terms of financial and traffic conversion – it just not as useful to a small business. That said, it should still be part of your social strategy.
#6: The Return of MySpace
I’m so excited about this revamp, I almost put MySpace at number 1. It has a lot of proving itself to do, but it’s already making a comeback. Ebiz recently reported it as the 4th most popular social networking site, ahead of Google+. If you’re in the media, use it.
#7: Google+ Traffic
If you have an e-commerce site, then Google+ is a must-have purely for its new business functions and SEO potential. Otherwise it’s horrible as a social network.
#8: Hello Yelp
Yelp, if you don’t know, is the huge online review directory for all things product or business based. It adds a lot of weight to SEO practices and social proof, which is why it comes in at eight.
#9: Digg a Little Deeper
Digg splashes onto our list at number 9, for being the most used (and most fun) social bookmarking site. If you’re not sharing here, get to it.
Courtesy of pikomal.com
#10: DeviantArt Anyone?
DeviantArt is a social networking site for all of the creatives online. It has serious merit for small businesses as you can find all sorts of great branding stuff here, not to mention superb artistry.
There you have it! Our top 10 list of social media sites according to how valuable they are to small businesses.
Do you agree with this list, or are there some placements you would change? Tell us where and why!