Social Media
10 Different Websites You Can Use to Promote Your Company
By Hannah Lang and Toni Smith
Pros: Businesses frequently use Facebook to interact or affiliate with businesses and organizations.
Cons: This site is blocked in several countries, and there are privacy concerns.
Pros: Businesses have the opportunity to create verified accounts, it can be accessed through an app or online, tweets can be promoted, and businesses can take advantage of the trending topics feature.
Cons: Tweets are limited to 140 characters, fake accounts, blocked in several countries, accounts are easily hacked.
Pros: Multitude of related apps, easy user interaction with companies and celebrities, use of hashtags.
Cons: Only available on smartphones, privacy controversies.
Pros: Can be connected with other social media sites, business pages, ability to follow other users or certain 'boards' of interest
Cons: Users have to be invited to join, most of the users are female
Google+
Pros: Connects to Gmail and YouTube, links to other social media accounts, ability to organize people into lists or groups, Google Hangout video conference service
Cons: Mostly male users, very similar to Facebook, government censorship issues
Tumblr
Pros: HTML editing, use of an URL, tags, can send fan mail, very customizable
Cons: Adult content, anonymous messaging, copyright violation controversy, spam
Vine
Pros: In-app camera, stop-motion, used for journalism, has been successful with advertising in the past
Cons: Only available on smartphones, adult content
YouTube
Pros: Easy to use, can express creativity, free, accessible, videos can be shared on other social media sites
Cons: Public, explicit content, privacy issues, and copyright infringement issues
Pros: Available in multiple languages, contact network, employers can make job opportunities available
Cons: Have to pay for a premium account, spam, can be overwhelming
MySpace
Pros: Recently redesigned, mobile app, new owner as of 2011 (Justin Timberlake)
Cons: MySpace users have declined steadily, many suggesting its demise.