Social media that is completely customizable wants to be your central hub for everything.

clipped from www.techcrunch.com

Since you see it every time you open your web browser, a good start page is key. Google has a pretty good option with iGoogle, which is highly customizable. But as social networking continues to rise in popularity, an increasing number of people just have something like Facebook as their main page. ZooLoo is kind of like iGoogle meets Facebook.

When you set up your ZooLoo account, you are given a dashboard which contains customizable widgets just like iGoogle. But you’ll see along both the top and bottom of the site elements that lead you to the more social aspects. Along the bottom, is your Facebook-style chat bar and options area. At the top of the main page you’ll find the tools to control your site and manage your media (pictures and videos).

The freemium model hasn’t exactly taken off in the traditional social networking market. But ZooLoo gives you some things that are a bit more like an online office service, such as calendaring.

The internet is an invaluable resource for today’s businessman and customer. The businessman can project his product, his service to the consumer. The consumer can easily find products and services not only in their area, but globally that would not have been previously found. Businesses can blossom without a location or a staff. All that is needed is an idea, management and a way to be found. You’ve covered the idea, and surely the management. You crave to be found. There are of course many ways to promote your website and services. The internet is more interconnected than ever, and taking advantage of that is simple. Social networking is a phrase often tossed around that can help you out. It is not good enough to have a website anymore; you must be active on various social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and Hub pages. These sites will allow customers to interact with you on a daily basis. With Twitter, you can update your clients regularly, whether it’s press releases, updates, or even daily tips. Daily tips are a great way to get customers to keep coming back. It will also allow users to explore what else you have to offer, and leave a positive opinion in his mind of your services. With exploration, the user will be able to find services they never expected or knew you had. Also it will allow the user to come back if he needs further products or services. Daily tips will also show the quality of your services and products. If the user finds them helpful, they will surely come back for more. Facebook is a great way of making business connections on a casual and personal basis. Conversations are built with your peers in the industry, as well as partnerships can be formed. It is a great way to network yourself, to find new experts that you can combine your talents with it. It is also a great way to slip your business in and allow others to learn about it. Customers can also ask you questions on a quick and more personal level. It is also a great way to establish a question and answer section. Facebook also has the ability to create “fan pages” in which individuals can support a certain idea. This is also an excellent of gaining support from the masses, and allowing them to display it. These fan pages can work for your business. Displayed support will attract more people to become curious to what you offer. Fan pages also have the ability to send out updates to all fans, as well as create question and answer sections and contact information. Along with this social networking, it is important to work in several mediums. Videos allow people to gain information quickly and with many ways to grab the attention of the viewer. Information will be absorbed through sound and images. Facebook has a quick and easy way to create videos. Other tools, such as Youtube are ways to spread word of your website. Often videos are spread virally, as users pass them directly to each other, with a high recommendation. StumbleUpon is a toolbar that allows users to recommend websites to other users directly or indirectly. Users click through websites, and yours could be one of them. Through this medium, you will become part of the viral marketing movement that is swiping the internet.

Here are some considerations for small businesses who are still unsure as to why it is important to establish a strong online presence:

“ Social media – blogs, social networks,
consumer-created video – is a longterm
trend that is changing how brands
must communicate with their customers.
Marketers and PR professionals must
change their business practices from
creating compelling communications, to
having a bi-directional conversation with
consumers and becoming great listeners
and active participants in the word-of-mouth
brand dialogues.” Andrew Bernstein, President TNS Cymfony

“ So few decisions are
made without any input
from online research, from
choosing a new home or a
school for our children – the
input of the internet into the
decision making process
makes it one of the most
important influencers in our
life choices.”
Barry Lemmon, Global Head of
Retail & Shopper Insights, TNS

Indeed, as 8 out of 10 people say,
they use the internet as a source
of information and more than 3 in
5 specifically research a product
or service prior to purchasing.

Looking in more detail at particular
purchases, (both online and offline) and
the relative contribution of the internet
to the process we see that:
Of those who had bought a holiday gift in
the previous 4 weeks, 86% thought
the internet played a crucial or
important role in the process.
• More than three quarters of those
who had bought a PC stated the
internet was similarly important. Only
7% said they didn’t use the internet
at all in the process.
• The Chinese continue to stand out
in their internet use and behaviour.
No less than 99% of our Chinese
respondents said the internet played
a role in their purchase of a PC
and 98% a role in the purchase of
a mobile phone. In general, they
appear to utilise the internet in their
purchases more than any other
nation that we surveyed.

Source: Digital World/Digital Life by TNS Global

TNS is a global market information and insight group.