With thousands of social networks in just about every conceivable category and many of them boasting millions of users from every country, businesses of every size are realising the benefits that they have to offer. One of the simplest and most effective uses of sites like Twitter, for example, is as a customer relations tool but social networks have other uses too.

1 – Job Hunting

Job boards have been overtaken by sites like LinkedIn and Naymz because these social networks are less expensive for the recruiter to use. For the job hunter they can give greater exposure to more jobs and allow a more personal introduction to prospective employers.

2 – Event Promotion

Local businesses and major corporations can get the word out about upcoming events quickly and easily. Join local groups, connect with customers and encourage your customers to let others know. The viral nature of social networking makes it a massive benefit in organising and promoting an event.

3 – Customer Retention

Winning new business is a big challenge for any business, but so too is customer retention. Effective communication is just one aspect of customer retention and by encouraging your customers to become a part of your Facebook, Twitter, or other social network you can engage them using media that they feel comfortable with.

4 – Online Reputation Management

Whether you’re attempting to build or repair a reputation, social networks are highly effective reputation management tools. Many people use search engines as well as social networks to research a company or individual so creating profiles on various networks can help you to improve or bolster your online reputation.