Online Business Networking, is it for you?

You no longer have to wait for the next industry party or conference to network. Take your networking plan online with Web 2.0 sites including LinkedIn and Facebook.

Online business networking is an increasingly important part of any business. Entrepreneurs, business managers, recruitment specialists and marketing professionals are using online Web 2.0 sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook to establish business contacts and to locate talent for their organisations. The lines in the social media world are fast becoming blurred between social and professional networking.

Online Business Social Networks

For professional networking and recruitment, LinkedIn is the platform of choice. LinkedIn is a business social networking tool that allows members to maintain a list of contacts that they know and trust in business. Members can make new connections and re-connect with past contacts and colleagues. LinkedIn has over 135 million members making it the number one professional online business networking site today.

The best online business social networkers are connected into the wide fabric well beyond their personal boundaries. Online business networking involves the building of relationships and the interactions of people. They are genuinely interested in the people and what they are thinking. These people seek interaction because they are curious about other people and their ideas.

The modern online business networker uses social networks in addition to traditional networking. These networkers make regular blog posts and contributions in forums such as LinkedIn Answers and Yahoo Answers. These people usually write regular blog post articles that are informative and thoughtful. These business networkers have a pay-it-forward philosophy rather than a what’s-in-it-for-me way of thinking.

These are the people that are always looking for ways to help other people. They learn and are looking for ways to pass it on to help others. The best networker rarely expects a personal pay off. This makes them a natural magnet for people wanting to join their network.

Business networking is a communications skill based on human interaction. The same rules apply to both face-to-face and online networking.

To learn more about how to leverage online business social networks to work for your Digital Marketing Plan, contact WSI Globalnet today.