Social Networks Are Online Communities

Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn are a few familiar examples of social networks. These online communities provide a way for members to discuss or comment on other members’ contributions. Most of these types of groups don’t require an elaborate setup, but they may offer the ability to customize your profile and sidebar to reflect your brand.

You may find most of your members participate in more than one social networks. Many of the same people who participate on Facebook also use Twitter, a social network where members share brief 140 character updates with each other.

Job seekers also use LinkedIn, which is more than an online resume; it also has discussion areas and places for members to interact. You Tube allows members to share videos and comment on the videos. If you’re looking to build your community base, the different social networks are a good place to start.

Social networks aren’t necessarily topic specific. Thousands of conversations take place each day among the different cliques and sub communities. Businesses and individuals have the opportunity to establish groups and/or pages within these networks, and many do.

The problem with having groups and accounts spread across all the different social networks is that it can drive traffic and conversation away from the main website, and keeping up with dozens of different networks can prove challenging.

Still if you’re looking to grow a personal or business brand or drive traffic to a website, it’s a good idea to have active accounts with many of the larger social networks, such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

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