Posted: April 9, 2009 | 11:37 ET
File Under: Online | Social Media

Much has been written about the social media "Big Three": MySpace, Facebook, and now, Twitter. These are just a drop in the bucket, though, when you consider the sea of social sites that exists and continues to grow. Some--like Classmates.com, Bebo, and Flixter--might be familiar, while others, though popular in their own right, may not yet have made it into your regular rotation.

While most the larger social sites were designed for consumers first and marketers second (if at all), many offer corporate applications--polling customers and sharing corporate and personal insight among them. There are even those that cater exclusively to the business sector (beyond LinkedIn, of course). What follows are three social services that deserve your attention for what they're able to offer your business and your customers, and how they promise to enhance your company, both inside and out.



This social service is aptly named, as it's all about talking. Yammer is similar to Twitter in that it's a micro-blogging application that allows users to post updates on their activities and view what others post as well. But Yammer--dubbed "an enterprise version of Twitter"--has a corporate focus; users form private groups by corporate email address, so what they're "yammering" about is generally work-related.

"Working from home on further PowerPoint deck revisions. Will be back on site in the AM," and "Just got back from client meeting with great feedback on new project. Great work, everyone," are the types of messages you'll see posted to your corporate Yammer account. Users can create department or project-specific groups, as well as "follow" (as with Twitter) any chosen users within their company to track their status updates.

In addition to improving internal communications and productivity (no more searching high and low for that missing guy from accounting who you didn't know just took an early lunch), Yammer can help simplify corporate infrastructure as well as acclimatize new employees to the corporate hierarchy. When they sign on, new users are invited to identify their superior and those who report to them, and that information is placed in a public "Org Chart" for all other employees to see. Users can also post files, images, links, RSS feeds, and more.

Although Yammer can be used free of charge, businesses can opt to gain control over administrative rights and security features, at which point they must pay $1 USD per month for each user within their corporate Yammer network. It seems a small price to pay for connecting colleagues through this useful and user-friendly interface.



Familiar with Digg? Meet its cousin with corporation applications, Pligg. This open source (and therefore free to use) content management system can be employed to create a social community, or in the case of businesses, add social networking features to your company network or intranet. Instead of posting articles or links to news stories one does on Digg Pligg users can post things like new ideas, for anything from new products to meeting protocol. Their suggestions can be ranked and voted up or down in popularity by other users.

Noteworthy features of Pligg include common interest groups, the ability to send private messages, and user profiles that can be customized to each individual user. Incorporating a tool like this into your company's internal communications can help to generate fresh ideas, promote a sense of community, and encourage employee participation toward a common goal. Who knows, your own next big idea might just earn you a promotion.



Ever dream of having your own social network? Ning can make that dream a reality with its customizable social site software. Although Ning is largely used by consumers who create sites like "Choppertown Nation" and "Gamer Moms Club," it can also be used by businesses for such purposes as self-promotion, client relations, or, for advertising and marketing agencies, to generate interest in clients' products and services (much the same way that you would develop a Facebook Page for a client's new product as part of their overall online marketing strategy).

A business can create a Ning site around its brand or product segment, while a small business can develop one around a niche area of interest. In both cases, the site facilitates discussion and provides another channel through which marketers can monitor consumer interest in and feedback on their brands. A Ning-based social network can help you maintain a personal connection with your customers and clients through customer relationship management, while also growing and protecting your business reputation through online customer service efforts.

Ning provides users with promotional tools to help them get the word out about their social network, and tends to rank well in search engines like Google--a bonus for driving site traffic. Although the basic service is free, users must pay a monthly fee of $24.95 USD if they desire premium features such as the ability to control the third-party advertising that would otherwise appear on their Ning site.

Countless social sites and services offer similar benefits to Yammer, Pligg and Ning, but these are a good place to start if you're new to the space and eager to try your hand at manipulating social media for corporate use. Invite your employees and customers into the conversation, and you'll be amazed at where it can take you.

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Tessa Wegert is a veteran Internet media strategist and writer covering interactive marketing and technology. For links to her past articles and columns visit tessawegert.com, or connect with her on Twitter (@tessawegert) and LinkedIn.

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