Social networking or social media is heading towards a more business friendly environment. The bigger social media sites were generated with the individual in mind. The features of the current social media networks may not only be ineffective for businesses but also detrimental to developing strong business contacts. These social networks may cause businesses to lose money because they may be too open for businesses to use for everyday business.

A business networking system must be close ended. For a business social network to be effective, it must be like a real Rolodex. When a business meets another business for the first time, they do not want to show off their whole Rolodex on the first meeting. Unfortunately, this is how most of the bigger social networks have built their platform.

Most of the users can see each other in their "friends" and "followers" areas. This can cause some businesses to lose their competitive advantage based on the relationship they have with another one of their business associates. For example, a business may have spent months searching for a wholesale distributor of a certain product. This distributor may be delivering that product at an unbelievable discount that the business can use to generate a great amount of revenue. It would not make sense for a business to reveal who that distributor is to everyone they meet. However, this is exactly what happens in most social networking sites. The full contact, "friends," and "followers" list is revealed to anyone who becomes a friend or follower of a business.

Generally, any update that any person makes on the regular social media networking systems will push down the updates from any other user (this includes other business entities and potential consumers). This fact alone can mean that a business may miss an important piece of information from a vendor or even a client who wants to make a buying decision. Any information by any person can and will be pushed down by any update in the major social media networks and this is a massive problem for businesses. A business needs a clean social network where contacts cannot see each other unless designated by the business and the stream of communication can be controlled to the point where only pertinent information is seen by the business and not mixed with personal information from personal contacts.

A business owner will likely own more than one business. This means that having one social media or social network profile is not an option for most businesses. Every business needs to be treated as a separate business and have its own profile. This allows a business to avoid a phenomenon called "piercing of the corporate veil" where a business is legally associated to each other by not properly maintaining the borders between two or more businesses. This means more assets can be at stake when a company has legal troubles. Having separate accounts for social media can be very useful for this boundary between businesses and avoids future problems that have to do with litigation.

In the future, social networks will be created with business use in mind and personal use as an afterthought. This change will allow businesses to make better use of the social media systems and allow them to have different profiles and keep contacts from seeing each other on the systems. These businesses will be better prepared for developing contacts through the internet and create a global marketplace that is better suited for the needs of business owners everywhere.

Scott Buendia consults for Bizbuilt.com. All the views and tactics in this article are tactics and ideas of the author; they do not necessarily represent the ideals, beliefs, or trademarks of Bizbuilt.com. Visit his card on Bizbuilt here.

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1. reciprocal action or relation

2. a mutual exchange of commercial or other privileges

When introducing new customers to the concept of social media for business, many customers want to approach social with a tremendous caveat of full control and minimal reciprocation. This opens a can of worms, because the entire point of social media and Web 2.0 culture is to create a web of reciprocity - a mutually beneficial and rewarding relationship that allows businesses, customers, peers and others to connect, communicate and listen in a welcoming space. Businesses reluctant to reward fans or followers with a connection or acceptance creates the same kind of barriers that are experienced in traditional advertising - the corporate monologue that says "we are speaking and you must listen and obey."

This is not social media. Social media is just what it sounds like - socializing with others who have found their way onto the internet. This relatively new way to communicate requires a mutual relationship - if someone is reaching out, they most likely expect you to return the favor. You don't have to listen to everyone on the internet, but giving your online friends a gesture that tells them you're listening can help give your business a positive reputation online. Alienating potential fans by refusing to extend a hand in return could create some ire among your fanbase.

Before you think about diving into the social stream, ask yourself a few questions to get yourself on the right path:

How connected do you want to be to your audience? Honestly - Ask yourself this a few times to determine how involved your company wants to be online, because once you dive in, there is a certain level of commitment required to maintain that presence and manage your reputation properly.
Do you prefer avoiding or ignoring bad reviews? Honestly - Many companies say they welcome criticisms, but when the time comes, they are first in line to click delete. Which company type are you?
What would you do with criticisms and feedback from your customers? Honestly - If a customer offers their less-than-favorable opinion, what will you take from it? Will you use that feedback to better tailor the customer experience? Will you set the feedback aside and continue things the way they've been going?
Do you have an interest in really getting to know your customers so you can offer them better services and products? Honestly - Do you care about your customers needs, wants and desires? Do you want to ask them questions about life, hobbies or other topics that are meant just to connect and not always sell?

If you've looked at the above questions and feel prepared to connect, welcome. Social media has been waiting for you! If you're still on the fence about the level of commitment involved in connecting socially online, I recommend you sit back and think about the pros and cons of both use and avoidance before investing any time or money on social media.

Danica Jones is the Social Media Director at Quantus Creative Internet Marketing, a tech start-up located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has been active in social and online communities for over a decade and counting and enjoys helping customers discover the magic of Web 2.0. For more questions about how Quantus can optimize your online presence, call us at 918-794-2758 or visit http://www.quantuscreative.com/ today!

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