Corporations and businesses of all sizes and industries are gradually learning how to tap in to social media to expand their brand, improve their image, and build a relationship with past, present, and future customers. By consistently sharing news about their business with the public, business owners open up another avenue of communication with the general public.

As long as this new point of contact is carefully managed, the results will be positive. Individuals will follow your business, share posts with others, and discuss your business more. Think of social media as a source of free advertisement and marketing. Unfortunately, some social media networks simply aren't worth the effort. The two with the biggest number of users are Facebook and Twitter, and each has their own pros and cons.

Twitter: Focused Marketing
Twitter is the second most popular social media network in the United States, and for good reason. It has an easy to read newsfeed and a very large following. The site introduced the use of "hashtags," which allow posters to tag to relevant topics. For example, a record label can tag a band's name and the band's new album so that users who want to find out more about either of those two topics on Twitter will see the post. You can respond to posts your business is tagged in. You can also "retweet" other posts about your business and track when users tag your business.

Facebook: More Users and More Flexibility
Facebook is the current leader in the social media industry. Nearly one billion people around the world use Facebook on a daily basis. By creating a page on Facebook that users can "like" and "share," your business can develop a lasting positive image and advertise special sales and events. One key benefit to Facebook is that individuals from all demographics use the site. People of all ages use Facebook to keep up with friends, family, famous figures, and their favorite restaurants or businesses.

Another advantage to using Facebook over Twitter is that posts are unlimited in length. It's easier to see images posted and links attached to the post. If your business is in an industry that impacts and markets to a large target audience, then Facebook is a great place to reach out to them.

How Advance Funds Network Can Help Your Business
Advance Funds Network can help your business build capacity to optimize your business's use of social media. Small companies may not have the immediate funds necessary to develop or create a marketing strategy using these powerful tools. We can help businesses expand by providing short-term loans and other financing needs.