Mediaboss Marketing

When they need to make personal connections with the rest of humanity, more and more Americans are doing so via the Internet.

A 2014 study by the Pew Research Center showed that 74 percent of adults who go online use a social networking site, whether it's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or something else.

"It's clear that nearly everyone makes an effort to connect some way through social media," says Doug Vermeeren, CEO of Business Networker , an online site that helps small and independent business owners make professional connections.

"A lot of that time is spent sharing vacation photos, debating politics or chatting about everyday events in their lives.

"But businesses are missing out if they don't understand how powerful online networking is, and how it can help them connect with potential customers and other businesses they could form partnerships with."

Vermeeren says there are several reasons business professionals are making a mistake when they fail to take advantage of online-networking opportunities.

It's important to understand that not all sites are created equal or serve the same purposes, Vermeeren says. Some are great for connecting socially. Others might be good for job recruiting. But businesses also need to be able to build professional relationships online, and have those relationships evolve and eventually turn into mutually beneficial transactions.

"Yes, online networking is important," he says. "But you also don't want to waste your time. You need to make sure your online-networking experience is allowing you to build strong relationships with other business owners to help make your business grow."

See the rest here:
4 Reasons Your Business Should Be On Social Media