Virtually everyone has biz cards in their pocket, but many small biz owners and their employees are still hesitant to hang out their digital business shingle. They could be losing business to others who are easier to spot when customers search for information. 

Why bother? The more fully engaged a business is in the social media landscape, the more visible they are to search engines and ultimately, potential customers or influencers that can impact growth.

Think of a website as your capital and the social media platforms you engage as your embassies. The social sites cater to specific audiences and then have the ability to connect messaging back to your most important on-line presence.

Which social media platforms to use depend on the nature of the business. However, there are three that must not be ignored.

LinkedIn is mandatory as the go to place for presenting today’s digital business card, CV and (often over looked) a sense of who you are as a person or a business. Yes, more and more businesses have LinkedIn accounts as well.

Be sure to customize the LinkedIn URL and fill out contact information. In the summary, tell the reader something that gives them a sense of your personality and passion.

There’s a reason Twitter has set up an IPO and is positioned to score big. It is being used by millions as a resource to communicate, share expertise and join the conversation.

Google+ may seem redundant, especially to Facebook users. But Google is the biggest player in the search engine space and favors its own portal.

Every day one hears about the new cool social space that is gaining traction. We can go there. But let’s start with the basics so that everyone knows your open for business.