Starting an Online Business All-in-One For Dummies®, 3rd Edition

Building Online Networks with Social Commerce

Although online communities are often lumped into the social networking category, they are much more than a social site. Each offers something different and has its own pros and cons, especially when it comes to using them to grow an online business.

In online communities, you interact with people from around the world, thus exposing yourself to virtual strangers. As a result, all these communities and social networking sites have had their share of problems. To reduce your risks, always read a site's policies, privacy statements, terms-and-conditions documents, and general member guidelines. Stay safe!

In its truest form, a social networking site provides a central hub where individuals or groups can exchange ideas, share information, and build relationships. We want to provide a brief introduction to some of the most popular and fastest growing social networks, and give you a glimpse as to why they may be important to you as you grow an online (or offline) business, or look for the next niche business opportunity. Here are the best known (and up-and-coming) social networks:

• Facebook: www.facebook.com
• Google+: www.plus.google.com
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com
• Twitter: www.twitter.com

Most likely, you want to use social networks (or ...