The fast growth and increased popularity of social media sites has impacted the lives of just about every Internet user – and just about every business that has an online presence. Networks like Facebook, Twitter and the blogosphere reach millions of people every day, making them a valuable tool for organizations all over the world. But the question is: Are these sites helpful to small businesses? If so, how has social media assisted you in connecting with customers and even your company’s own employees? And if not, are there tools your competitors are using that you should consider? How do you ensure that you are using proper security measures to protect against social network-related threats?
Think back 10 or 15 years. How has communication changed for you in the workplace? Would you ever have thought that you’d use your mobile phone to edit documents or send e-mails? What about social networking?
Most small business owners probably never expected that consumer technology would come to the forefront of their business lives. However, small businesses have come to find that social networking can provide a genuine competitive edge. Social networking helps business owners identify and forge deeper ties with customers and business partners. While this is good news for ambitious small businesses, there is also a downside. Social networking has made small businesses a target for cybercriminals hoping to steal important company information, spread malware or drain a business’ online bank account.
Symantec has created a survey to find out how social networks have impacted small businesses so far. Be sure to take the one- to two-minute survey by clicking on: http://bit.ly/b3hZ7c. We will be finding out information such as which social networks have been most helpful, whether small businesses are setting up social media policies for their employees and if these sites have had any negative impact. We will post the results, so stay tuned.