Professional social networking website to boost communication

Social networking is a phenomenon that refuses to die down. After clogging our social and personal lives social networking has made its way into our professional lives as well. And no, not just for business use or social media agencies, but used in agencies worldwide. First was social network for personal use and leisure. Then came social networking for brands to spread their message and reach their target audience. And now there are professional social networking websites which are used for communication in business enterprises and an organization's use of social media, internally and externally, to unite folks who share similar business interests or activities.

Many companies are going for internal social media to boost communication and help interaction amongst employees. It is fast becoming a cultural thing in many agencies. Information retrieval, communication and collaboration are a crucial part of any organization’s culture and growth. Growth, productivity and originality—the three holy grails for any organization—require ongoing commitment, communication and association among employees and between employees and their customers and this is facilitated by professional social networking website.

Enterprises are fast implementing such networks in their internal process to increase collaboration and internal flow of ideas and work requirement. It helps in tip sharing amongst employees and understands what drives them and also make a better and fun work-place. Many social networks are homemade- i.e designed and implemented in the organization itself. Many others prefer to go for programs that are designed outside. Since it is social media for business, it facilitates interests and topics that people love to discuss thus increasing business networking. Agencies use social media to trade internal information among team members thus keeping them motivated.  

Use of social media in workplace, for work purposes, is a huge hit amongst many top players in the market as well as small time companies, especially start ups. The advantages of implementing an enterprise social networking platform are incredible, but many organizations are unclear on the best path to take. It helps to reduce email use and increases efficiency in teamwork which in turn helps to improve internal collaboration processes through debates. In business network international it promotes corporate culture and enhances internal knowledge management by improving version control of work documents.

It is important to progress towards a corporate culture with significant and strategic thinking and this can be done with social media. The huge chunk of companies are mainly focusing on a more holistic approach and this is the major benefit of professional social networking website. They are here to stay and they come with benefits that you cannot deny. 

Benefits of social network for professionals.

Social media has grown into a great phenomenon across the world. More and more people are now turning to social media for connecting with their friends across the globe. Businesses too have found professional social networking sites to be effective tools in building their brand’s reputation and recognition value. This is because social media is convenient and easy to use and also is more effective as compared to traditional advertising and marketing methods.

However, for young entrepreneurs the motive of promoting their business on social media is building and sustaining an online audience. If you are a young entrepreneur who wants to cash in on the opportunities that social media offers here are a few things on how social network for entrepreneurs can help you achieve your goal:

·         Highlight the cause

One of the common mistakes that most entrepreneurs do is focus only on their organisations and not on the cause of their campaigns. What these entrepreneurs do not realise is that highlighting the cause lets people to connect more easily with the brand and holds more recall value than the details of the venture.

·         Focus on achievements

While promoting your business on professional social networking site, keep in mind that while highlighting the efforts of the person behind the foundation is a good thing. But it is also important that you highlight the achievements and endeavours of the organisation. If the focus is always on the person, your audience’s attention will move from the cause you are trying to promote to the person who is being highlighted with every post.

·         Competition vs. collaboration

With more and more organisations vying for visibility in the online space, you are sure to face tough competition. One smart way to deal with this situation is to collaborate with the competition and start a joint dialogue that attracts attention of the audience and benefits all stakeholders.

·         Focus on Engagement

For most people, the number of likes on a page determines the success of an online campaign. However, to sustain an online community it is important that there is engagement between the brand and its audience. By engaging with the audience, you build and sustain their interest, which is crucial for the success of your enterprise.

Besides using the social media for creating more visibility for your business, it is also important that you maintain a social network with professionals. With social networking you can easily find new opportunities and stay updated with regard to the industry. 

Growth of social networking in India.

Social media has given the world a new form of medium to communicate and stay connected. More and more people are registering with social media websites all over the world. While for some it serves as a means to connect with friends and family who live far away, for others it is the best way to stay updated on business, current affairs etc. According to a survey done by eMarketer, a US based independent market research firm, India has recorded the second largest growth in social media networking in the world. Social networking in India has taken a new turn as it has roped in fans and followers in large numbers. Also, according to the study by eMarketer, the number of social media users in India showed an increase by 37 per cent in 2013.

Why is social media marketing so popular?

The increasing popularity of social networking in India is because of the number of benefits offered by these sites. Besides being a platform that connects people, social media is an ideal forum for marketing for most companies. Here’s a look at why social media marketing is so popular:

1.       Increased brand recognition: Visibility on social media will ensure that it is viewed in a large amount by users and hence, this will result in more brand recognition of your company or product.

2.       Higher conversion rates: Every post that you make on social media platforms is likely to induce a reaction. Every reaction may result in a site visit and possible conversion and every positive reaction result in conversion. Some of the popular Indian networking sites include Shtyle.fm, Yahoo Buzz, Ibibo, Yahoo Pulse, etc.

3.       Higher brand authority: The more people will talk about you on social media, the more likely you are to get new consumers. Also, with more and more people mentioning you on social media, your brand gets more authority, thus attracts more potential customers.

4.       Decreased marketing costs: Social media can help you cut costs on advertising and marketing your brand. Even digital marketing is less expensive than those on the traditional media. Plus with more and more people now adopting social media, you get more visibility. Apart from popular social media networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook, there are several other new social networking sites that have become quite popular in India.