Perhaps everyone moved too quickly coining Facebook and Twitter social media platforms businesses must monopolize or go home with. Maybe truly pragmatic marketing messages cannot be pushed across hashtags or wall posts where individuals would rather discuss viral fight videos and relationships gone awry. Nonetheless, businesses have formulated marketing plans indicative of business longevity, albeit through Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter, the trifecta of social platforms.
What many businesses haven’t done, however, is truly researched all possibilities which merited throwing 10 more exacting, societally fresh steaks towards lead hungry marketers, investment entrepreneurs and anyone tired of talking about mindless drivel.
7. (tie) Technorati / Business 2 Community
Wait. Blogospheres and social discussion platforms cannot possibly provide social media juice worthy of investing time towards my business’ end marketing plans. Crucial business decision making mistake #1.
Technorati, by nature, provides aggregation of news via blog feeds, offering twists on stories much like Mashable (only older) and provides businesses visibility when Technorati throws your ‘Authority’ high enough to merit front page love. Business 2 Community features the brightest minds around social mediadom and business worlds writing endlessly great content readable by masses. Teetering around Alexa #1700 and #3000, respectively, for quite some time, many people seem to forget that business blogs are rewarded beyond recognition through Technorati and Business 2 Community, effectively drawing a tie. And, at zero cost.
5. 43 Things
Those who’ve been ridiculed on Facebook for having realistic goals, whether weight loss related or business startup funding driven, can flock towards 43 Things which exists solely so your goals can stay alive, too, except this socially driven network, 3 million members strong, is truly peers pushing peers. Have marketing goals for 2013? The community will collectively help you to achieve them.
4. Ryze
Older than Facebook, more privileged than LinkedIn yet alarmingly more exacting in targeting specific business contacts than both combined. Born in 2001 and offering perhaps more true socialization opportunities for business professionals, Ryze is currently accepting one new membership and one paid membership each day to alleviate robotic signups. Perhaps one of your better business platforms still around, and offering true networking at its finest.
3. PROskore
One major point we found interesting about PROskore is how they’ve become 200,000 members strong based off your professional background, business reputation and enlightening information about how you rank amongst true professionals around the world. Once you’ve joined PROskore, you’ll be amongst elite members who’ll help your reputation soar, increasing your customer base much quicker than conventional social networks.
2. Fundology
An interesting psychosomatic error committed by financial professionals seeking investment opportunities or seed capital – or purchasing surplus debts – is finding leads where they’re currently hot and active. In steps Fundology, offering direct connections to investors, brokers, closers, dealmakers, debt buyers and anything else financial which can be freely discussed. This Chicago based social networking powerhouse has quickly become the hub where businesses needing funds, funds needing invested and investors needing Tylenol can head for social goodness and intelligent financier access. Thanks to founder Kison Patel, proprietor of FIEXE and established commercial real estate professional around Chicago, this social network will skyrocket.
1. Xing
Without being pretentious, we’re assuming you knew this was coming here. The grandpappy of all social networking paradigms around, Xing has survived Twitter, Facebook and whomever else wanted to step inside the socially available boxing ring. 11 million members worldwide may seem sluggish by today’s standards, yet consider this: leads, friends and business connections made through Xing are truly connections, not people Tweeting terrible bar jokes after work. By numbers alone, humans can access more viable – not just physically present – leads from Xing than most anywhere else outside LinkedIn. Guess what B2B relationships bring? Shared customers, my friends.
Stepping Outside The Norm
Doing business where millions of customers hangout does make sense, as does harvesting potential leads from those places. Unless you plan on spending hours of otherwise unavailable time finding people to connect with, these seemingly effortless social networks will definitely bring leads, in larger numbers, for B2B businesses seeking truly comfortable relationships instead of engaging in popularity contests only well-branded companies stand to win.
If you like conversation, meaningless videos of kittens interacting with Fido and your best friend’s girlfriend complaining about her sleep deprivation, head down to Facebook. Those seeking truly societal usefulness may reference the above 6 sites today.
