Top Social Media Networking Sites for Business Use

The spread of internet use has been a boon to all forms of business networking - it's no longer the case that you have to wait to make business contacts at events and conferences, you now have the ability to connect with multitudes of people without even leaving your home. Now the difficulty comes from knowing who you actually want to connect with! But, using the internet can also assist with this pain point - you just have to know where to look.

Here then are the 3 best business networking apps and websites to network with other like-minded business professionals.

1. Linkedin

LinkedIn has 61 million senior-level influencers of which 40 million are the decision-makers. Considering that Linkedin positions itself to be a platform for professional networking, there is a lot of untapped potentials available here.

Unlike other social media companies, you should strongly consider Linkedin for networking because instead of personal posts and animal memes, you’ll encounter professionals wanting to connect and discuss business-oriented topics with other professionals and organizations.

Entrepreneurs, long-standing professionals, and people just starting their careers have taken to Linkedin to seek out focused discussion and applicable knowledge. If used the right way, your Linkedin profile can be a great boost to your business.

Thinking of jumping into Linkedin if you haven’t already been using it to grow? Dip your toes into Influencer marketing - promote yourself as a thought leader and innovator by sharing the wisdom you’ve compiled throughout your career, and you’ll be able to grow by:

• Expanding your target audience
• Increasing your number of followers
• Expanding your networking channels
• Promoting your brand

Use a varied mix of content, using written posts in combination with videos and pictures to grow your credibility and establish a reputation as an influencer. Gaining an audience on Linkedin can help you gain confidence and access to alternate revenue streams you had not yet utilized.

LinkedIn’s system of ranking and exposure for thought leaders analyzes the following metrics: post and article engagement as measured by likes, comments, and shares. Your “publishing activity” (posting) will affect the growth of your follower base. Even if your goal is not to become Linkedin famous, focusing your efforts on recognition can allow you to become influential in your market, which can then result in better leads and better business performance.

2. Facebook

No list regarding networking is complete without Facebook, having once taken the world by storm, it can still be said to be the most connected social media website in the world. While many of the platform’s earliest adopters may have begun exploring different platforms, Facebook is and shall still be a viable business resource, regardless of your industry.

But, when using Facebook for business, you have to know your audience. There is less of an emphasis on professionalism when compared to Linkedin. Facebook has rolled out many different products and offerings to cater to business-oriented users, such as business-specific profiles and pages. The core of Facebook, however, still can be seen as making personal connections.

For personal connections, Facebook has continued to grow and iterate on different methods for the utilization of data, meaning that accessing Facebook can come with a loss of privacy. Ultimately, no complete social networking business strategy is complete without Facebook seeing as its level of adoption is so high.

3. Meetup

Meetup is an interesting online platform that allows users to connect in regards to similar interests and was originally constructed to have some sort of in-person meeting component. Meetup can be the platform for you if you are interested in forming more personal connections regarding a specific topic. Meetup allows you to designate specific criteria regarding meetings you would like to participate in.

You don’t have to wait for someone else to organize events either, you can create your own and invite other professionals to your interest groups/events.

Overall, the platforms above are great avenues to expand your horizons and gain additional revenue streams. SetSchedule is fascinated by the process of professional networking, so much so that professional networking is an integral component of the newest version of the SetSchedule app. Have you created your SetSchedule account yet? Contribute to the discussion in your local area, share your knowledge, and grow your business! Sign up here if you've yet to do so.