Social Media Sites Your Business Should Be Using (But Probably Is Not)

Most business owners are looking to increase their social media presence in 2011. If you’re already using Twitter and Facebook, though, where else can you go to build a meaningful web presence?

There are several other noteworthy social media sites, but most of them don’t get the attention their two main competitors do, making them harder to find. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t being used, or that they aren’t great places for your business to connect; they are. If you’re ready to broaden your social media activity, here are some of the sites worth taking a look at.

Picture Sites
Sharing daily pictures, of both your professional life and your personal life, can be a great way to connect with a wider audience. It lets customers get to know more about your company, and the people behind it. As a bonus, taking a daily picture helps to encourage creativity, which is never a bad thing when you’re running a business. Two of the most popular sites, complete with community features, are Flickr and Dailybooth.

Blog Sites
Even if you already have your own blog, joining up with a blogging community that fits your ideal audience can introduce your business to people who may have never otherwise heard of it. If you are working in the B2B world, there are dozens of websites out there that offer you a chance to write and submit blogs for other businesses to read. To find blog communities that fit your business, look at who your typical customers are, and find communities they might frequent.

Business Networking Communities
Interacting with other business owners can give you a fresh perspective and a place to bounce ideas around. You can also get advice from more experienced business owners, and make dozens of beneficial contacts. Some of the best business communities include LinkedIn, Entrepreneur Connect (from Entrepreneur Magazine), and Focus.

Social Bookmarking Sites
Social bookmarking sites allow you to find and share the top news for your industry. Building a trusted profile on one of these sites will help with name/brand recognition, as well as giving you a chance to connect with like-minded business owners and consumers. These sites include Reddit, StumbleUpon and Technorati (for those operating in the technology field).

There are many more sites outside of the ones included here. When you are deciding on which sites to join for business purposes, your best move is to join a variety of sites but no more than you have time to stay current with. Try adding one or two every few weeks, instead of jumping in to several at once, and stop once you have reached a comfortable number of profiles for the amount of time you have to put into your social media campaign.

Your Turn:

What other sites should businesses be on? Which ones have you had success with?