Facebook, Myspace…Most of us have heard of these websites at some point. What these sites, and others, have in common is that they are used for social networking.
With social networking websites, users can create a profile that allows them to connect and interact with friends, family, colleagues and others with similar interests. Through these websites, users can share pictures, post videos and send messages to one another.
Social networking websites have become beneficial for companies in marketing their websites. Companies can create profiles and market their brand or product on social networking sites, utilizing them in much the same way that users do.
Myspace has been a great marketing tool for musicians, allowing them to promote their music. In much the same way, at PlattForm has created Myspace profiles for our educational clients. We seek out friends by searching Myspace for current students and alumni and request their friendship. We post pictures of the school, students, classrooms, etc. We can post blogs, messages, news, and communicates with our friends, and keep them up to date with the school, all through the Myspace profile.
Facebook works in a similar manner. PlattForm can create profiles for our clients; however, instead of the typical Facebook profile that asks users to fill out their favorite movies and books, we create business pages. These pages contain information that’s more relevant to a business, such as hours, parking and location. Also, instead of having friends, the page has fans, which can be reached out to. Fans on Facebook are sought out in the same manner as Myspace, searching for current students and alumni, inviting them to become fans.
The obvious website marketing benefit in utilizing social networking is the links we place on the profiles that link back to clients’ websites. Other benefits take more effort, but are equally valuable in the long run. For our clients that have blogs, we can import them into their profiles. Each time a new blog is posted, it will show up on their user profile, allowing friends and fans to read the post. We have also utilized these profiles to post pictures, videos, news and events, all of which can be shared with friends and fans, who can post comments, on these items allowing interaction on the profile.
Social networking has been a great way for PlattForm to help our clients communicate with students and alumni. Once connections have been made, we ensure that we keep up with our profiles, by posting blogs, pictures, and news regularly. We constantly seek out friends and approve friend requests. Social networking profiles are yet another way to put the school name and brand out there a little more, and connect with those that matter most to our clients: friends, fans and students.