Find out how to promote your business and make contacts without leaving your desk. Steve Hart reports.
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Buzz ... the list of places to promote your business online appear almost endless.
Creating an account for your firm using any of them is easy, says social networking commentator Nicholas O'Flaherty.
"The hard part is updating it in a timely manner with relevant content that will engage potential customers and industry followers," he says.
"No matter what business you are in, your customers will be online so, if you have any chance of growing your market share or even retaining the customers you already have, you need to be there and be seen.
"Smaller firms can be nimbler online and may even be able to provide more interesting content with their blogs than the big corporates," he says. "Every business owner should have a blog."
However, it is easier said than done, says social media consultant Simon Young.
"The trick is to not overburden yourself by writing a 1000-word blog every day," he says. "You have to find what works for you while playing to your strengths. Some people are better talkers than writers, so creating a YouTube video might be a better bet.
"Or if you have staff, and one of them has lots to say, then use that energy for the company's Facebook, Twitter or YouTube accounts."
O'Flaherty says business owners shouldn't worry about writing long items for their blog - a quick comment on industry news with a web link to the item in question is often enough to keep the blog page active and interesting.
"Google likes to see web pages updated frequently," he says. "It will help keep your page higher on the search rankings."
But with so many social media websites to choose from, which is the best for a hard-pressed business owner to spend their time on?
"It is best to try them all and see which one suits you," says Young. "Most people are already on Facebook - it is the third-largest country in the world.
Appearing on YouTube is good because it is the world's second busiest search engine, not just for video, but general searches too.
"But whatever platform takes your fancy, consider not only how easy it is to sign up but what you are buying into, what expectations you will set up for followers."
O'Flaherty is adamant that online networking cannot be done half-heartedly - "you are either in with both feet, or you're out" - but unlike Young, his money is on LinkedIn as the preferred social media site for business owners.
"The problem with Facebook is that it can be too chummy," says O'Flaherty. "Are you on there sharing your personal life with pictures of the barbecue or are you on there as a business person?
"LinkedIn is very clear in that it is a business networking site in which professionals can connect - it is all about business networking."
Young says Twitter is a serious business networking tool that shouldn't be ignored.
"Lots of people who have signed up to Twitter don't see the point," he says. "Twitter doesn't give clear instructions on how to use it, but it helps if you have been introduced to the site by somebody else, so at least you have them to talk to on the network."
Young says the people who use Twitter are 35-plus, entrepreneurs and business people. "Larger firms are getting on Twitter because they realise their brands are being talked about and they need to see what's going on," he says.
"Air New Zealand is on Twitter and uses it to promote products, to monitor what is being said about the company and put out a few fires before they take hold."
Young recommends those new to the social media game start by doing something that won't spoil their company's brand.
"Choose a hobby and create a blog about it," he says. "Once you feel confident about putting your company online then create an account for it."
* Users of social media sites should check their terms and conditions as some assume ownership of content uploaded to them.
