A couple of years ago, the term ’social networking site’ would have drawn blank looks from all but the technologically savviest of us. Now, websites such as Facebook and MySpace have a global currency to rival brands such as Coca-Cola and Nike.

Initially frequented by teenagers and university students, the sites are increasingly popular among people of all ages. Recently, the average age of users of Facebook was found to be 32.

The publicity potential is huge. Most celebrities have spotted an excellent avenue for self-promotion. According to a recent study by JupiterResearch, 33 per cent of European online advertisers plan to launch their own profiles on social networking sites in the next year.

And charities, quite rightly, want a piece of the pie.

Many have already got in on the act. There are countless unofficial groups dedicated to charities on Facebook but the organisations are now taking the initiative and creating their own online ventures.

Oxfam has a new online charity shop which hopes to raise £2m a year. Currently over 50,000 donated items are available, along with goods such as Fairtrade chocolate and coffee, jewellery and other gifts.

Everyclick provides an online fundraising platform where users can donate to or be sponsored for any UK charity. Everyclick is also a search engine which donates 50% of its advertising revenue to charities, chosen by the user as they search the web.

Charity blogging has also seen big growth. Oxfam has its own blog on MySpace, while visitors to Second Life, Actionaid’s networking site, can tour WWF’s virtual conservation island.

The Royal British Legion has taken advantage of the power of social networking and has created a virtual poppy for Facebook users. Although the poppy badge does not directly earn the charity any money, they hope it will spur people on to make a donation.

Google has also developed an application programming interface called Opensocial, which will enable the creation of Facebook-like applications, including charity badges, on any social networking site. Everyclick provides its users with a ‘widget’ which can be added to any website, through which people can search and donate directly to the charity chosen by the user.
In short, many different methods, one aim.

Brand Control

But where there are benefits there are risks.

Networking sites can also be used to quickly spread misinformation and negative publicity, and there is always the chance people will bypass institutions altogether and locate beneficiaries themselves, recently noted in the Guardian.

Nate Elliott, senior analyst at JupiterResearch, issues the following words of warning: “As it stands, most European advertisers are jumping on the engagement marketing bandwagon without truly understanding which tactics represent the most appropriate and effective use of their marketing resources.”

Will it work?

Research suggests a more personalised approach is effective at converting awareness to giving. A recent survey by Harris Interactive revealed that 61 per cent of people gave to charities because a personal connection asked them to make a contribution.

And there is an element too, however subconscious or subdued, of wanting to flaunt your goodness, as well as ask people to share in it, which should give charities hope.

If you are an Internet marketer then it is important to understand the latest technologies used on the web. You should have a clear understanding of Web 2.0. You can improve your sales through social networking and social bookmarking.

Web 2.0 is a concept or a term used to describe the evolving changes with the World Wide Web today. It defines the trends of the new technologies and web design used to enhance creativity, share information, and create collaboration for users. Web 2.0 has forged large web-based communities like social networking sites, blogs, wikis, and even folksonomies. The term Web 2.0 is also considered to be the new version of the World Wide Web. There are no technical specification changes but changes in the way people do things on the web with their design of sites and how to capture the users.

Web 2.0 has four different levels which embody the principles. The four levels include level-0, level-1, level-2, and level-3. Level-3 is the most Web 2.0 oriented and only exists on the Internet. The effectiveness is derived from inter-human connections from websites like eBay, Craigslist, Skype, Wikipedia, and more.

Level-2 of Web 2.0 works by the use of applications. They can be used on or offline but gain the most advantages when used online. Flickr is known to be a level-2 site. This is a community generated tag and photo database that allows people to share their information.

An example of level-1 Web 2.0 is Google Docs & Spreadsheets. A common one used for music is iTunes because it has the ability to store music and purchase music. Level-1 applications work online and offline but gain many features when they are used online.

Level-0 applications are the true Web 2.0 trends that work excellent offline and online. These include things like MapQuest, Yahoo, and Google Maps. However, mapping applications can also be considered to be level-2 when users need to go back online to add contributions to the sites.

Web 2.0 sites allow users to be interactive and not only retrieve information they are looking for. This means that people can build on the facilities of a site. The websites today provide networking which allow the users to run applications through their web browser. Users practically own the data on a site and can exercise control on a website.

A Web 2.0 site encourages users to participate and as they do, they add value to the site applications. Traditional sites limited users to being able to read information and become a part of a mailing list for newsletters. The Web 2.0 interface on websites have an interface that is rich and user-friendly. They might be based on Ajax, openlaszlo, or Flex. Many of these sites also have social networking features too.

User participation gives web surfers the freedom of adding to sites their input and their collective intelligence by participating in online discussions, forums, postings, and more. This makes a site worth going back to because the users have their own name on the site and they have their own place on the site which is branded by them.

When you have a Web 2.0 website that allows users to brand themselves into the site and collectively join others in discussions and things that interest them, they are sure to return. This not only generates traffic but it generates repeating users. These are people who feel they have an ownership in the website too.

It’s no secret that we’re going through a global recession.  Companies and private citizens alike are suffering dire financial distress.  Far worse than the unemployment and foreclosures is the increase of abuse and suicide.  People need a lifeline NOW.  They also need a place to vent and seek solace.  Luckily, a new site has launched that offers that free financial help through online social networking.

IAmVeryBroke.com was developed in response to the urgent state of current monetary affairs.  The recession has been responsible for countless job loses and financial hardships that have thrown many families into dire straits, sometimes with the worse possible consequences.  The IAmVeryBroke website has set out to change that.

The company’s goal and mission is to be a place of refuge for those burdened by economic crisis.  The Home page has a statement that seems to sum up the philosophy and intention of the site pretty clearly.  It defines itself as, “A social network where you can express your financial challenges while bringing comfort to yourself and others”.

IAmVeryBroke.com’s vision for the site takes in all facets of financial stress:

Depression and despair Volatile emotions Sense of isolation Feelings of helplessness

Through the use of free online social networking, people can connect with others going through the same or similar experience via email, chat, story sharing, blogs and voice messaging.  They are also able to ask other users questions or get advice from those who have ‘been there, done that’.  Future plans may include trained financial, addiction and psychological advisors.

The IAmVeryBroke.com website has a five star rating function for each profile.  If someone is being helpful or offering information, other registered users can assign a rate of how valuable the help is.  They can choose from one to five stars with five being the highest rating.  A list of the top 15% by user ratings is constantly updated and shown as the best ‘go to’ people to ask for advice.

Perhaps most importantly, the IAmVeryBroke’s free social network offers people a means to vent.  The site has a feature they call the IAmVeryBroke.com vent line.  Anyone wanting to get something off their chest can call and leave a voicemail message, which is displayed on the website and on YouTube.  The feature is meant to reduce the stress, anxiety and anger that can result in harmful situations.

The IAmVeryBroke site is a valuable resource for anyone who can use some free financial help through online social networking.  The site is gaining popularity and will help relieve the stress of many in these financially difficult times. If you or anyone you know needs this kind of support, please take advantage of the IAmVeryBroke.com services and sign up today.

For More Information:-  http://www.iamverybroke.com

Free Financial Help, Broken Friendships, Broken Friendships

Facebook is one of the most popular social networking sites and it has millions of registered users. With this in mind it is no wonder that individuals and businesses use it to make money and boost their profiles. So what can Facebook marketing be used for?

Facebook ads are one of the most obvious forms of marketing on this social networking site. These can be custom made to suit any business and users can specify the type of user they want to see the ads. Marketing of this kind can be very successful as it targets the people who are most likely to respond to an advertisement.

Polls can also be a great way to market a business. Anyone can create a poll of any kind and get Facebook users to complete it. These can then have a click through at the end to the businesses site.

Businesses can also use Facebook to send emails to all of the users they are friends with. Using this can be much cheaper than paying for a mass email service and it is becoming a preferred method of marketing. Emails sent in this way are also not going to be caught by spam filters, so they get straight to the recipient.

Information can also be posted on the Facebook wall of a business, thus providing free marketing for that business. Such information can be seen by everyone who accesses the business’s page and can reach a huge audience in very little time.

As shown Facebook marketing is a very cost effective (and cheap in some cases) way of getting information to thousands of users. It is fast, easy to arrange and can get some amazing results for the individuals and businesses that use it. Add to this the fact that Facebook accounts can be set up in moments and it is clear why it is so popular.

One of the quickest, easiest and cheapest ways to generate website traffic today online is through the use of online social networking sites. The traffic you can get is very targeted and can be long term or residual traffic if set up right. Many of these sites can also provide your website with backlinks from these powerful authority networks which pass along there page rank to you, which will help your website gain popularity in the search engines.

Types Of Online Social Networking Sites

There are many different types of sites that you can sign up for and utilize in your marketing arsenal. Some of these websites give you the opportunity to advertise for free on their networks cheaply and also offer affordable paid advertising spots for increased targeted traffic to your business website or blog.

Other online social networking sites are simply share sites where you can share websites you like with other members or upload videos to watch. These social bookmarking sites are like browser bookmarks except you are storing them online and they can be viewed by the public. Sometimes these bookmarks can pass along a nice high PR backlink to either a blog post that you have written or a website you have. After you bookmark it, other people can save it as well in their accounts and share it with others.

Video online social networking sites like YouTube offer users the chance to upload and share videos with the world. Using video is an effective way to get the message out about a product or service which sometimes is hard to write in words. If you are an affiliate marketer you can do a product review with video and give the user a real inside look at what it is you are selling and show things that can’t be done with words.

There are many different categories of online social networking sites, but they all share one thing in common. They bring together like minded people and offer them the chance to share their ideas and thoughts with everyone in the group. Many new and emerging networks are built around niches that target a particular group of people.

The one thing to keep in mind before attempting to use a social networking website for traffic is that if you come across as a spammer, the chances are that you will not get the desired results. It is very important from the start that you right away establish yourself as a real person and offer as much value as possible to the community. Doing this will ensure that you maximize your time and your efforts will be rewarded greatly.

Increasing traffic to your website has become difficult in recent years due to the growth of a number of websites offering similar products and services. If you want to attract more people to your website, you can try out and install social networking software, which is networking software that allows users to interact with their friends, family members and business associates.

Cheap Investment Option

Investing in social networking software does not mean that you will have to redesign your existing website. The software can be installed on any type of website, be it a commercial or an online community website. Investing in social networking is relatively cheaper than employing any other form of Internet marketing strategy or tools because social networking software investment costs are limited only to the actual price of this software and its implementation. If you install good social networking software, you may not have to make additional investments in marketing your website.

How It Works

People who visit your website will probably register themselves for a membership in your software. They will then send invitations to their friends requesting them to register on your website. With time, this will result in a chain reaction and very soon, your website will see an increase in overall traffic. Increased traffic will most probably lead to a parallel increase in advertising revenues that you earn from your website, as companies prefer advertising on websites that have a large number of regular users. This can be favorable to you, especially if you have a content-based website that is solely dependent on advertising revenues. Increased traffic also benefits commercial websites because the more the number of visitors, the more is the probability that a product or service will be purchased. This means that your website will now earn more revenues, which is necessary for the long term success of your business.

Many online companies have successfully added social networking software to their websites and are reaping the benefits associated with the use of this social networking software. You can also install the software on your website to allow people to find long-lost friends, keep in touch with existing friends, chat with each other, share news and views, share digital photographs, and upload their images.

All these tools will help users to relate to your website, which in turn will help in building customer loyalty (customer loyalty=$$$). This is necessary because your website is not the only one that will be using the software. If you are not successful in building customer loyalty, your visitors are most likely to keep hopping from one website to another until they find the best one. When selecting social networking software make sure that it is fast and has all the necessary tools that will help in attracting and retaining Internet users. This is the key to using this social networking software effectively in order to successfully grow your Internet business idea.

Humans are social animals and have various things to share with each other. But due to deep involvement in work they do not get sufficient time for the same. This is the reason why since a long time people were looking for a kind of facility with the help of which they can interact with their beloved ones according to their own time and preferences.

With the advent of advanced technology it is not that much difficult now. Internet is an incorporated part of sophisticated technology. It offers the facility of online social networking with the help of which one can share his or her feeling with anyone, anytime, anywhere.

There are a large number of people who value their money much more then anything else. This is really a very good thing. Most of them wish they should get such kind of outstanding facility for free! For the first time it may look impossible but it is definitely not for the internet. There is availability of many sites on the internet which prefer to offer free online Social network to their users. This service also includes the facility of downloading, broadcasting and video sharing on mobile sharing on mobile phones.

Obviously, most of the users understand the real worth of services that are offered for free. None of the site will offered best possible services to their users. If you are among those users then you are right to some extent. Free online Social network may not offer you services which can highly match up with your anticipations. But it is not common with all the sites available on the internet.

There are few of the sites which have entered in the market with a user oriented objective. They believe in offering best possible services to their users regarding free online chatting and video sharing. Like all the other free online Social network sites their objective is also to avail good traffic and revenue but only after offering full service and satisfaction to their users. One such social networking site is Dimdix.

If you are becoming the member of this site then it is fully assured that you will avail a unique experience of online social networking. Most of the online users prefer this site for networking mainly because of the services and facilities offered by it.

Some of the unique services and features offered by this site include video sharing on mobile phones, online forums, live maps, etc.

When it is about free online Social network offered by Dimdix then video sharing has its own importance. With the help of this site you can broadcast videos of various memorable events from your mobile phones.

You can easily avail the services offered by this site through your computer and most of the mobile phones. The features offered by this site do not depend on any kind of GPS system to detect out ones current location.

Due to these outstanding features only this site does not require any kind of publicity to declare its presence in the market. Because of its strong support and dedication only it is presently maintaining a strong goodwill in the market.

Dimdix is a social networking site which you can really depend upon and stay ready to avail long lasting services and fruitful results. 

Thailand would not have been known as land of smiles and the land of traditional song if not for its womenfolk, whose graciousness and ability to remain placid and cool-hearted amidst vicissitudes make them stand out.

These days, perhaps as welcome respite two years after Thailand has been hit by political and economic turmoil following the toppling of Prime Minster Thaksin Shinawatra, majority of Thais are combing online social network and Music Search Engine sites not only to express their views on national issues but also to widen their social spheres.

In most cases, the disarming traits that characterize Thai women also happen to be the ones attracting new online friends for them. Balancing tradition with assimilation of modern technology trends, Thai women (and men, too) may be seen having a heyday picking up new friends and ideas through online communities.

While the online social network is all the rage, though, the unwary is bound to discover that it can imperil just as much as it can enhance lives. How so? It is not so much the unrestrained use. The main problem stems from divulging personal data (which may be protected by website hosts like online shopping sites, but open for public viewing in social media networking sites if users do not limit access) that lets those with ill intentions gain access to them. Disclosing one’s real age with photo, gender, phone number, email address, name of school/company and even one’s residence are a no-no, unless there is total guarantee these will be held confidential.

Despite all their risks, online social network continue to attract hordes of users. The sharp uptrend in Thai women subscribers displaying much enthusiasm for new electronic media as a means to expand their social network may partly be attributed to their innate love for fun, or sanuk. Moreover, the Thais are also known to derive pleasure from group activities. The more friends and group activities, the merrier. For a great number of Thai women who still adhere to age-old notions that women must be submissive to Thai men, there is certainly a liberating sense of freedom attained in being able to express themselves through a forum or discussion board offered by social networking communities.

Times are a-changing and as an increasing Thai women now hold sway over household finances and even business ventures, the online social network emerges as a major preoccupation. The vast benefits include linking up quickly with existing friends, family and business associates, their friends, or friends of their friends who may offer aid for both trivial or emergency matters by way of useful advice, or they may help further business interests.

Topping the list of benefits of the online social network and music search engine is the cathartic way it can appease the day-to-day or even long-term worries, concerns, and angst of women, in Thailand and elsewhere in the world. Indeed, users of online social networks may be said to have spurred a phenomenon, gauging from the way many blogs, music talk, music search, chat rooms and discussion boards have sprung up and gained wide acceptance and participation Update your knowledge and discover the joys and thrill of connecting with your friends or other people from whom you can learn something from. A worthy site to browse and sign up to is http://www.kartakhu.com

Social network sites in some cases can be considered the ‘duct tape’ of the global communications community. What had once hit the internet scene as an online ‘location’ for the ‘younger’ generation to communicate socially is now big business.

Combining with the technology of the internet and connecting global online communities, these sites are now recognized for their ability to attract large audiences. The ability to communicate thoughts, ideas, news, or other forms of information within and amongst these various online communities around the world 24/7 couldn’t be ignored.

The popularity of these type sites stem from their ‘casual’ structure which in turn attracted the masses that today are captivated by the many social networks online.
Of course it didn’t take long for marketers ranging from 5th Avenue down to small ‘mom and pop’ entrepreneurs to realize and harness the potential and power of these sites. 

Social network marketing has uncorked a completely new mindset and direction for both the mainstream and small-time marketers. The emphasis on relationship marketing is a strong indication of the unilateral shift in this ‘internet age’ marketing mindset.

The acceptance and embrace of social networks have now spawned sites that cater to an older generation as well as those that focus on working professionals. Whether discussing health issues, current events or business strategies these type sites have revealed an AWESOME POTENTIAL.

Social network marketing today is quickly becoming the online marketing approach of choice due to its ability to develop more personal and long term relations with customers. This relationship marketing really harkens back to ‘the day’ when a handshake could ’seal’ a deal. The value of trust has now been rediscovered on the internet. The irony here is the internet was once considered the MOST impersonal way of communicating since interpersonal contact was minimized due to the technologies involved.

Online marketing seemingly has turned the corner with the increasing use of these type sites as a favorable platform on which to implement many business strategies. 

Growing steadily in use, popularity, and sites, social networks are casting a larger shadow on the internet horizon. Both the business and communication potential these sites possess has now been identified.

Whatever your reasons or purpose may be social network sites seem to be the easiest and most effective means to spread the word. From an online marketing perspective, the growth rate and potential customer base these sites offer is undeniable, too tempting to pass up, and by no means should not be ignored!

Are people making money online? Yes! But the key is recognizing that marketing online is a ‘real’ business! So you would want to treat it as such and make smart decisions which would positively impact your cash flow. Many marketers are still not making the money they want to make, so certainly it calls for some assessment of what products & services you are marketing and what strategies you are using to expand your business & your profits. Too many times this is overlooked

Jay Abraham says, ‘the easiest and fastest way to instantly transform your business results is to change the strategy you follow’. Given that, you would want to take a hard look at what markets you are in and establish whether that market could generate the solid profits you seek

Once that is established, then you work on your marketing strategy and tactics to get the results you are planning on. Plan before you embark on a new business opportunity

How do I choose a business? There are many, many business opportunities online but a great number of them are a waste of time and effort. In addition to that, I wouldn’t advise you to put all your eggs in one basket either. You have to be smart with your marketing and work towards setting up a few sources of income rather than one. But the key is get one stream of income set up and running before you embark on another

Here’s what Perry Marshall recently said, ‘For most businesses, the failure rate is 90%. For “anybody can do it” type of businesses, the failure rate is 99.9%.’ So choose your business wisely and be wary of those businesses that promise big payout for little or no work. Most don’t last 6 months! Do your due diligence and start setting yourself up to win in business

Coach Nadira Haniff of 180DaysToGreatness, recently said, ‘It would take learning new skills and new methods of marketing to give entrepreneurs the winning edge in 2009. The old school of network marketing has become an obsolete dinosaur, yet many companies still teach their distributors only these methods. And we still have veteran networkers, grappling, not only with a changing market place because of new technology; but a new wave of entrepreneurs solely driven by the driving need to generate ‘current’ income today for their families’

And I am sure many of you can relate to that, because creating a current income in today’s economic downturn has becoming increasingly critical to families. And that’s why more than ever, you need to pay attention to the businesses which you become involved with and promote. Your income and your reputation will depend on

Is Social Media playing a part in strategic marketing online? Absolutely!  Social media has become a big player in online marketing because of the ease in which marketers can connect with large numbers of people at the same time. In addition communicating and building relationships are accelerated at a quicken pace so paving the way for an increase in business

Of course, there is a learning curve here also. Facebook and Twitter are big players and command a huge audience. But understanding how to navigate these networks and what works at producing the best results needs to be understood and practiced to get the best results

So don’t hesitate to add social media marketing to your strategic plan. It will be worth the while and effort in the long run