Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter offer a great opportunity for small business to connect with new and potential customers. Not to mention, they are free to set up, so they offer a great way for companies to cut their costs.
Facebook fanpages present a forum for customers and businesses to communicate. Consumers can post about their experience with a product or service, they can even share pictures. Businesses can post about promotions, contests, updates, and based on the content the post, they can draw in new fans.
For small businesses that don't have the means to advertise on a wide scale, Facebook allows companies to tailor the audience who receives their internet advertising. Companies can focus on relevant demographics for their ads. By doing so, their ads gain value, without spending money on print or television ads that may not reach their target market.
Twitter acts as a live conversation. Messages of 140 characters or less are very focused. Twitter is especially beneficial for small business internet marketing, because small business can directly connect to customers who are tweeting about their products and services. It's also beneficial for small businesses looking to connect with larger business in it's relevant field. Twitter presents small business with the opportunity to build direct connections across physical boundaries.