These websites help your company network, advertise, learn, grow, recruit and more. christophercopywriter gets loads of hits everyday from our social media optimisation strategy and websites. These hits convert into work, valuable feedback, networking, sources of fresh marketing communications information and much much more.
(Please Note: If we’ve missed your favorite social media site or you know of others you love, we appreciate you letting us know. We will add it to this list.)
If your business limits its online presence to blogging, posting articles on article websites, advertising banners and search engine marketing it’s missing out. The Internet provides powerful networking opportunities that allow users to effectively target their audience by logging onto social media sites like LinkedIn, Digg, Facebook, Twitter and more. Take advantage of these tools by asserting your company’s presence online and reaching more potential customers, business partners, employees, likeminded peers and friends. With a little bit of copywriting and some ongoing maintanence you can reap the rewards for our diligence.
linking people to your business, christophercopywriter
Social Media/Social Bookmarking Sites.
Share your favorite Websites and newsworthy articles with your business partners. They can comment and upload their own favorite articles and Websites. You can also create a member profile that directs traffic back to your company’s Web site. It also helps with your Websites rankings.
1. StumbleUpon: Open your online presence up to a whole new audience just by adding the StumbleUpon toolbar to your browser and “channel surfing” the Web. You’ll connect with friends and share your new Website discoveries,” as well as “meet people who have similar interests.” Fun. Fun. Fun.
2. 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 online presence.
3. 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.
4. Digg: Digg has a massive following online because of its optimum usability. Visitors can submit and browse articles in categories like technology, business, entertainment, sports and more.
5. 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 Entertainment, Business and Technology.
6. Myspace: MySpace is a place for friends, for personal expression, for connecting with the world. You can alert all your friends at once with any length of blog entry. Now very popular for businesses too.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. WikiHow: Create a how-to guide or tutorial on wikiHow to share your company’s services with the public for free.
12. YouTube: From subjects like, “How to dribble a basketball,” to naughty party boy “Corey Delainey,” 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 and how you like to do it.
13. 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.
14. Propeller: A fun source of information on pretty much everything. Add your articles. Promote and demote others articles.
15. Kirsty: A colourful website for articles, features and information on life, the universe and everything.
16. Urlesque: A internet themed, video clip, article posting and sharing website.
17. Netvouz: Netvouz is a social bookmarking service that allows you to save your favorite links online and access them from any computer, wherever you are.
Professional Social Networking Sites.
Join these online networking communities as a company or individual and take full advantage of recruiting and client opportunities, cross-promotional events, the chance to help out and more.
18. LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a popular networking site where alumni, business associates, recent graduates and other professionals connect online.
19. 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.
20. 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.
21. YorZ: This networking site doubles as a job site. Members can post openings for free to attract quality candidates.
22. 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.”
23. 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.
24. 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.
25. 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.
26. Ryze: Ryze lets members organize contacts and friends; upcoming events; and even job, real-estate and roommate classifieds.
27. 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.
28. 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.
29. Plaxo: Join Plaxo to organize your contacts and stay updated with feeds from Digg, Amazon.com, del.icio.us and more.
30. 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.
31. 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.
32. Naymz: A search engine optimised professional networking site which ranks out of ten, ones professional reputation amongst reviews from ones peers and those who know you.
Niche Social Media Sites.
Consider linking up with one of these Social Media Websites 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.
33. 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.
34. 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.
35. 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.
36. 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.
37. Sphinn: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.
38. 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.
39. HubSpot: HubSpot is another news site aimed at connecting business professionals.
40. Tweako: Gadget-minded computer geeks can network with each other on Tweako, a site that promotes information sharing for the technologically savvy.
General Social Media Sites.
The following social media Websites provide excellent opportunities for businesses to advertise; promote specials, events or services; and tend to feature published and knowledgeable employees.
41. 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. Get creative.
42. 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. 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.
44. 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.
45. 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.
46. 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 we’ve listed below.
47. Mycareer: A popular source of jobs for the job hunter in Australia. Owned by Fairfax media who bring us the Sydney Morning Herald everyday. Post your CV for recruiters to find. Get detailed personality type information.
48. SEEK: Australia’s #1 recruitment, career and employment site. It has special sections for 100k plus executives and offers helpful tools and job hunting sector statistics.
49. CollegeRecruiter.com: If your firm wants to hire promising entry-level employees, check CollegeRecuriter.com for candidates with college degrees.
50. Monster: Post often to separate your business from all the other big companies that use this site to advertise job openings.
51. Sologig: Top freelancers and contractors post résumés and look for work on this popular site.
52. AllFreelance.com: This site “offers self-employed small business owners links to freelance & work at home job boards, self-promotion tips” and more.
53. Freelance Switch Job Listings: Freelance Switch is the freelancer’s online mecca and boasts articles, resource toolboxes, valuable tips and a job board.
54. GoFreelance: Employers looking to boost their vendor base should check GoFreelance for professionals in the writing, design, editing and Web industries.
55. CareerBuilder.com: Reach millions of candidates by posting jobs on this must-visit site.
56. Career Journal: The Wall Street Journal’s Career Journal attracts well-educated professionals who are at the top of their game. Post a job or search résumés here.
Link Picture: Open Source.
Presented by christopher copywriter
7 responses so far ↓
Where should your business be - part 1 of 5 | Brand Central Station // April 13, 2009 at 10:02 pm |
[...] christopher copywriter’s Blog has a handy post on the top social media sites businesses should consider when it comes to networking, promoting, learning and growing. Contact christopher copywriter to add a social media site to this growing list.[...]
Where should your business be - part 3 of 5 | Brand Central Station // April 15, 2009 at 1:37 pm |
[...] This list is part of a larger list you’ll find on Sydney, Australia’s communications agency, Christopher Copywriter’s Blog. For the whole list, click here. [...]
Where should your business be - part 4 of 5 | Brand Central Station // April 16, 2009 at 1:39 pm |
[...] This list is just a part of the much larger list of social web sites off of christopher copywriter’s Copywriting Blog. For the entire list, click here. [...]
Where your business should be - part 5 of 5 | Brand Central Station // April 17, 2009 at 1:10 pm |
[...] This list is just part of larger list of social media sites found on christopher copywriter’s Copywriting Blog. For the entire list, click here. [...]
Michael Gormly // April 22, 2009 at 5:41 am |
Nice blog, sir!
Manal Assaad // December 1, 2009 at 12:17 pm |
That’s a really nice list, Thanks a lot for sharing.
But here is a question: Would it be better for a business to create and manage an account on all of those 56 (or try, considering the time and effort it would require to do so), or just focus on the major ones of each category and create a powerful existence there?!
I think the answer to that is clear to me, and it should be clearly stated for others who seek help in the manner and have little knowledge of it… We don’t want them getting into the social media hype and start venturing into all of those sites only to find out that it’s impossible to manage all of them, unless they appoint an employee to each one of those accounts.
What do you think?
christopher copywriter // December 2, 2009 at 2:29 pm |
Hi Manal, thanks for your question.
First of all, to address your query…
A company doesn’t need to have one employee for each account.
One employee can easily manage 10 to 20 accounts, working full time and create great content for each of them. Of course this depends on the writing skills of the employee and how familiar they are with the various social media websites available at our disposal. It would be nice to have a camera and video editor available – to cut, write and shoot short clips.
There’s completely different functions for all the social media websites on our list – and the list is growing rapidly. That’s why we’ve included a brief description of each one and addressed the most influential social media websites at the time of publishing. Each has their own strengths, weaknesses, targets and purpose. Some of them merely funnel and collect content from your other social networking websites and disseminate it to your followers, friends and associates. Some are great at getting ranked highly by search engines under key terms essential to particular businesses and bring in heaps of hits! Some are professional networking communities – and for different fields of work too. Others function as a data base of tweet-able or digg-able articles. Some are more fun orientated, but still have serious business applications. That’s the point of this list – to let people know about the various social media sites available and how they differ.
It is also, to let people know that we know about them too. christopher copywriter has checked them out, has them in operation and is aware of what they can do for different companies or businesses – this is our job. At the end of the day the greater an effective presence you have on certain social networking websites the greater the number of converted hits you’ll receive back to your home website.
More hits = more business = greater revenue = a bigger business = happier people.
In saying that though, it takes a fair amount of marketing experience and social media experience to make this happen effectively and that is before you’ve created any content. A novice can end up damaging their company instead of promoting it. It comes down to effective visionary strategy and personal experience of how certain strategies actually work.
It’s like saying…
If I run one 30 second TV spot at 11:30 pm each evening or ten 30 second TV spots throughout the day, what’s going to give my company the greatest benefit? Of course, it depends on what you’re trying to sell and to whom and what other objectives you may be trying to achieve – which network are you running it on, what is the current demographic of people watching, how many people are watching, what are they interested in, what is the key message we’re trying to get across, how are we doing it?
It’s about cutting thorough the bull dust and understanding the reasons, causes and effects of ones company marketing strategy. If your not using the internet effectively, you’re falling behind – it’s as simple as this. People that think there’s little to it are seriously mistaken and always find out after some time – the time they have spent doing some marketing on social media, that they haven’t achieved hardly anything. That’s where christopher copywriter steps in. We can generate > 1000% improvements on internet marketing hits, revenue and success for certain businesses.
That’s “greater than one thousand percent.”
DEFINITELY SERIOUSLY!! No bloody shite!!
Do the math and cutting out the crap – people are seriously mad not to use us!
They only need to trust us and we can do the rest.
Warm regards,
Chris.