Test your business idea for cheap. If you are an entrepreneur that’s just starting out, launching your business’ Web presence in a social network could be a great first step before launching a fully developed Website. Social networks are often free to use and the best ones even offer e-commerce tools for cheap. Take a quick peek at the top social networks and you will find entrepreneurs of every stripe using the networks to understand and break into their markets.
Create a buzz, get feedback. Social networks are great places for polling an audience and getting a product or service airtime that it would not otherwise get. MySpace for example has been a true blessing for unsigned bands. They are able to create profiles with pizzazz, upload their music, share it for free and even sell it; with a big enough following of “friends”, they might even hit the jackpot and get signed.
Tap conduits for your product or service. If you are not a band then things might not work the same way for you – at least not on MySpace. The issue is not whether or not social networks are relevant to your business – they are, and if you don’t have a strategy for using them then you are bound to be a few steps behind the competition. But most businesses can take a lesson from the way bands are using MySpace; if you are trying to reach an audience that could shuttle your product to your goal (for example ‘kids to parents’, ‘fans to record deal’), then using a social network profile as the anchoring Website for a special project could be a great fit for you.
An online marketing professional should be able to help you understand your options, make the right choice, and guide you to success.