Best Blackhat Forum

The social media audience is huge. According to Nielsen, which
measures people's digital habits, nearly 80 percent of active Internet
users visit social networks and blogs. That's a lot of customers and
potential customers for small business owners to connect and engage
with.

So which social media outlet really helps an entrepreneur reach out
and win clients? The answer depends on who and where those clients are.

"Social media should be about connecting," says social media strategist Hillary Chybinski.
"For most businesses, especially small ones with limited budgets, it
isn't necessary or practical to be everywhere. It's a much better return
for your investment to be on one or two social media outlets and do it
really well, than to be on 10 and do it poorly."

A business owner has to decide which social media venue or venues potential clients are most likely to visit.

Chybinski says businesses with brick-and-mortar establishments may want to investigate Foursquare and offer perks for checking in. Foursquare isn't as likely to be as useful for a strictly online business as Facebook or Twitter might be.

The social media caper

Sherry Aikens is the creative force behind Babypop Designs, an online retailer selling handmade capes for children and adults. She relies on social media to promote her business.

"I would say Facebook converts more into sales," Aikens said. "My
main consumers are moms ages 26 to 42 and they are on Facebook talking
to their friends and sharing information."

Aikens likes the real-time feedback she receives through social media. "'My followers and future customers learn about me and how I do business and they relate to me as a mom and a business owner."

Facebook or Twitter?

"In my opinion, it's important for businesses to be on Twitter and Facebook,"
Chybinski said. "Those are the two heavy hitters. It's not about the
number of likes and followers, it's about what you do with those people
who like and follow you."

Aikens displays Twitter and Facebook logos at the top of her custom-cape website.

"I think Twitter is like a cocktail party at a club that is hopping. Facebook is like a town block party." She says she composes messages differently on the two different sites.

"Twitter is easier for me because a tweet stays in the stream for a few seconds and
I don't get hung up on the message," Aikens said. "A Facebook message
sits on your wall longer until you post again, so I feel a need to put a
lot of thought into what I say."

Chybinski says business owners shouldn't stress about postings.

"You don't need to post constantly all day," Chybinski said. "Once a
day to Twitter and to Facebook, if meaningful, will be fine."

Social media success

To find business success online through social media, it's important
to know where the target audience is being social. Americans spend more
time on Facebook than on any other online site. Visitors to LinkedIn are
three times more likely than other Internet users to have post-graduate
degrees. And teenage girls hang out in large numbers on Tumblr.

Once a business owner gets a feel for where the clients are, the next
step is to create a clear social media strategy with a defined message
and style.

"I think the key is to be authentic," says Aikens, the cape creator.
"It's not just about broadcasting your message. Interaction is key."