The face of the Internet has changed. It used to be that having a business website was enough to give you an online presence, now it’s just as important for your business to have an active online presence on social media. 
There are many different social media platforms out there, most of which are available free of charge. The main ones that most people with an active internet presence will have heard of are:
- Google+
Twitter and Facebook are currently the most popular social media platforms around whilst Google+ and Pinterest are relative newcomers but are growing in popularity. All of these social media platforms can be used to network with both customers and suppliers whereas LinkedIn is a popular business network and is useful for making connections with colleagues and potential business contacts.
There are many different ways in which you can use social media effectively to market your business. Some examples could be using it to:
- Deliver fast and efficient customer service
- Run a short-term promotion or competition
- Answer customers frequently asked questions
- Promote a new product line
- Encourage customer feedback
Using all of them is not a necessity. Instead, the important considerations to take into account are which social media platforms are being used by your customers and suppliers, and which ones are more suited to your business.
As with any marketing method, social media takes time and effort. There are no quick results. Have fun with it and make sure you use it to be social and to share good quality and useful information. Do some research on the various social media platforms (start with the ones mentioned above) and choose the one or ones most suited to you, your customers, your suppliers and your contacts. Social media helps to make business marketing fun so why not get involved?