LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook are the most popular social networking sites for small businesses. However, there are few new social media sites that have popped up that offer an opportunity to engage on another level with your niche target customer. Using these four different apps can also help you run your company more effectively. Here are the 4 Social Media Apps You Might Want to Check Out For Your Small Business.
Vine
Vine is a video-sharing app on Apple’s iOS platform that allows users to post and share six second video clips. Launched in 2013, users can utilize hashtags for the topics of their videos in the same fashion that people use hashtags on Twitter to follow conversations. Vine is the #1 free app in the U.S; businesses are beginning to use this app in grassroots projects to showcase their products and build a buzz around new announcements. The video sharing app caters to those viewers with short attention spans, so it may be just what you need to target a young demographic.
Path
While the goal of most social networks is to expand your connections, Path is the opposite, existing as a private network for only your closest contacts and business colleagues. Path is an iPhone and Android app that documents your daily activities. Path allows users to check-in to document their daily movement while also posting multimedia content. This app is similar to Foursquare. By having users check in at your business, you’ll gain free advertising as patrons of your business broadcast their activity to their respective social circles. You can also post pictures of your products on your own page.
Yammer
Yammer is a social network that’s entirely focused on your business. In order to join your business’s Yammer network, an applicant must have a working email address from your company’s domain. You can also allow suppliers and customers to communicate with your company. You could use Yammer as an intranet to communicate with your employees or team to post schedules and update internal information or organize events for your company. This eliminates long email chains while enabling a cohesive chat.
Bump
Bump was conceived in August 2009, in an effort to answer the question, “Is there an easy and safe way to contact someone if you don’t know their email or phone number?” This crafty app allows users to share files by tapping their phone with another user. The settings are user-managed. You set the rules to determine what BUMP experience is right for you. You can share pictures, videos or voice messages. Texting is disabled using the BUMP app, and no personal information can be shared. A voice prompted messaging assistant can be accessed by any smartphone to enable BUMP’s “eyes-on-the-road,” hands-free, communication platform. This could be used within your small business to easily transfer files and contacts. Bump could eventually eliminate the need for email. Right now, it’s a good tool to work efficiently on the go.
Social Media On Paint Roller Button courtesy of Idea go / www.freedigitalphotos.net
Which small business social media apps have you discovered?
This was very helpful! I wasn’t aware of the various networking sites other than LinkedIn that I can use for my business. I’ll definitely be looking into Yammer. Thanks for the article!
Nice list…but it seems like the only thing you updated from this reprinted article is the year on the Vine plug.
Firstly, I like the info you provide but if you don’t have time to be accurate on your article reprints, don’t repost and tweet them.
Vine-is now available on Android. It is not only iOS app. And although Vine is a great alternative, you failed to mention instagram’s add on of this very service. (Been available for about two weeks. Um, try to keep up.)
Path and Yammer deserve honorable mention but neither are at that point of being a social power tool for a small biz (IMHO). Pinterst released some very effective tools for the small business owner and has a broader reach than the two aforementioned. Not only can you create an intimate user experience for your business with Pinterst, you can engage in real time with each customer and find out why they love your service.
Now, I’m trying to figure out why on earth you’d mention Bump. Not only is Bump irrelevant since the onset of NFC technology, it is a horrible way to share info as it has not perfected it’s service arcoss all mobile platforms. What works on iOS, performs horribly on Android, Windows and BB. I’m wondering are you even using these apps you are recommending?
Two apps I found that work wonderful at least on iOS and Android are Zello and Zoom. Zello is a old chirp like system that allows the user to create groups and host chats directly with group members. This could be used wonderfully to host a customer feedback session or product info launch. Zoom is a better way to have conferences or pod talks with clients and blows Skype out of the water. If you truly want customer interaction, these are the apps to use.
Nothing grinds my gears more that a person who promotes services they don’t really use. Just because the apps you mentioned above are “the-in” apps doesn’t mean they are great for small biz. Hopefully, in the near future, these types of list you provide will also host your own personal use with them. My hobby is being User 1-so be aware of what you post. Someone may just call you out on it. JS…