Social Media: Business Listings

Social media's biggest asset is its reach: tools that can get people across the planet talking and interacting are invaluable in this globalizing world.  Social media is perhaps the largest, most familiar of these tools, which is probably one reason why, despite its shortcomings and criticisms, businesses cannot afford to ignore it.  In fact, a large (and still emerging) business trend is social media management.

Due to the Great Recession, working from home and online start-ups are already popular options.  Mix the ready-made economic struggle with an overwhelming need for social media and instructions on how to properly use it, and you've got a great recipe for businesses that help businesses become better businesses.  Enter social media mania.  From virtual town squares to data analysis assistance to managing news feeds, social media has brought us all the tools it can to help businesses improve.

Including a digital phonebook.  Unlike QuestDex, Brownbook.net is a phonebook that anyone in the world can add to or update - which, of course, is one of social media's major tenets: unrestricted public access.  Brownbook.net is an online directory of business listings that anyone can access - both business owners and potential customers.  Anyone can post a business and - pending approval of the Brownbook.net team - broadcast services live to anyone with access to the Internet.

Brownbook.net's search engine allows users to locate businesses by type (cobblers, restaurants, pubs, etc.), location (city, state or zip), or most recently added/edited.  Business owners can create detailed profiles with text and graphics of their choice - however they decide will attract the most customers.  Businesses can endorse other businesses, which is, among other things, a professional way to network, and all endorsements present on a profile's page as links to the endorser's site.  The more endorsements, the higher a business's profile ranking on Brownbook.net.  Of course, all online activity must come with some security measure due to the anonymity the Internet affords, so Brownbook.net allows businesses to officially claim their posts.  Any posts made about a business that are not officially claimed will not be allowed to post videos, blogs or other social media, or alerted to updates. The "verified" "stamp" on a Brownbook profile legitimizes it and encourages trust in customers.

Not everyone knows about Brownbook.net, though.  (So, obviously, listing your business on this site should not be your only marketing strategy).  Brownbook businesses are also picked up my major search engines just for being listed in Brownbook, which makes BrownBook seem a lot less exclusive.  Brownbook, then, is a way to help businesses get their businesses listed online so they even have a chance of being picked up by a search engine.  Perhaps that is one of the most important things social media can offer businesses: a break into the all-encompassing online world.

Photo Credit: Brownbook.net