The Ultimate List: 40 Social Networking Sites Specifically for Small Business, Entrepreneurs, and Startups
We all know of the huge social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. They’re great for large scale connections and discussion.
But, as entrepreneurs and small business owners sometimes it’s nice to connect with other like minded individuals in a smaller, more focused setting.
If that sounds like what you are looking for in a social network, the below list is for you.
We’ve scoured the Internet looking for social networking sites specifically for small businesses, entrepreneurs and startups, and found 40 we feel are worth a look.
1. LinkedIn
LinkedIn, The grandaddy of business social networks. LinkedIn strengthens and extends your existing network of trusted contacts
2. Meet The Boss
Meet the Boss is a business networking tool for business executives around the world, across all vertical industries. Content is all in English.
3. PartnerUp
PartnerUp is an online networking community that entrepreneurs and small business owners use to find the expertise and resources they need to start and grow a business. Members can connect with potential partners, advisers, and business resources.
4. Qapacity
Qapacity is a business-oriented social networking site and a business directory founded in March 2008 and launched in February 2009. User are given a set of tools to promote their business online, to keep their clients and business partners up-to-date with their work and to reach new clients.
5. Ryze
Ryze.com is a free social networking website designed to link business professionals, particularly new entrepreneurs.
6. Talkbiznow
Talkbiznowis a comprehensive interactive business networking site for business professionals.
7. XING
XING is a social software platform for enabling a small-world network for professionals.
8. Yelp, Inc.
Yelp is a local business review and talk networking site, including user reviews and recommendations.
9. FledgeWing
FledgeWing is an online community aimed at entrepreneurial university students launched in February 2009.
10. The Funded
TheFunded allows entrepreneurs to research, rate, and review venture capital sources worldwide
11. Cofoundr
Cofoundr is a private social network for entrepreneurs, programmers, designers, investors, and other individuals deeply involved with starting new ventures.
12. Perfect Business
PerfectBusiness helps entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses. Our resources include easy-to-use tools and resources, plus a network of entrepreneurs
13. Biznik
End your isolation and invisibility with Biznik, the local, independent entrepreneurial community where collaboration beats competition.
14. StartupNation
StartupNation provides real-world business advice to people who want to start a business and who want to grow their small businesses.
15. Entrepreneur Connect
Entrepreneur Connect is the social network where small-business owners can create a profile, explore the community, share ideas and make connections. This site is not intended for mass self-promotion, but rather should be a positive destination where entrepreneurs can exchange real advice and make lasting connections.
16. Young Entrepreneur
Young Entrepreneur Forums – your online discussion forum to share and talk about Entrepreneurship
17. Blogster
Blogsteris a resources for free weblogs. Offers tools, tips, and opportunities to share.
18. Konnects
Konnects is a social media platform that is embedded on the site of an online newspaper or publication to bring engagement to the organization’s site.
19. Upspring
Upspring is a business networking, local Internet marketing, local advertising, product promotion, and online marketing services
20. Fast Pitch
Fast Pitch is a Social Network for Business Networking Professionals to market their business, press, blogs, events and networks.
21. E.Factor
The E.Factor is a vibrant, global community for Entrepreneurs. E.Factorhelps you build your business, find financing, network with like minded entrepreneurs
22. BizToo
BizToois a Global Co-Operation and Social Network of entrepreneurs worldwide. BizToo helps entrepreneurs make the contacts
23. Go Big Network
Go BIG Network helps connect companies with investors.
24. Black Businesswomen Online
A Social Network for Black Business Women and Women Entrepreneurs
25. Networking for Professionals
Networking for Professionals offers online networking and business events. Get Connected today, both online and in the real world.
26. Spoke
Spokeoffers on-demand business to business contact information for sales people, marketers, and recruiters enabling Sales Lead Generation, and Business List building.
27. Ning
Ning is an online service to create, customize, and share a social network.
28. Unstucture.org
Unstructureis an open discussion platform for business professionals, bloggers and contemporary thought leaders to discuss and debate action ideas that would aid the evolution of business. Unstructure consists of an online discussion forum (where you are currently), an annual physical event and a book of insight and action ideas for businesses of the future.
29. Home Based Business Network
The Home Based Business Network is an online community and resources for starting a home based business, featuring home business profiles, blogs, forums, videos, ideas, and more!
30. Freelance Face
The Freelance Face is the freelance social network. By freelancers, for freelancers.
31. Blellow
Blellow is a community with a focus on productivity. It’s a place for freelancers and professionals to collaborate, find work, and solve problems
32. StartUp
StartUpis a fast growing small business, startup, social network.
33. Ecademy
Ecademy offers online networking for business, offline networking events and global networking groups.
34. Focus
Focus is a business destination where business professionals can help each other with their purchase and other business decisions. Share expertise in functional areas of business. Numerous categories – small business, HR, Finance, Sales, Marketing, Etc.
35. JASEzone
JASEzone is a professional community where you can find potential clients and business partners.
36. Ziggs
Ziggs is a professional connection portal. They have in one index over 1 million profiles.
37. Black Business Space
Black Business Spaceis a commUNITY of business owners, and entrepreneurs.
38. Jigsaw
Jigsaw offers an online business card networking directory. Easily establish contacts with each other.
39. YouNoodle
YouNoodle is a place to discover and support the hottest early-stage companies and university innovation.
40. Raise Capital
RaiseCapital is the premiere online destination for entrepreneurs to showcase their business ideas and capital needs directly to investors.
Bonus Site:
Once all that hard work networking pays off, you’ll want to join:
Affluence.org
Affluence.org is a private social network where wealthy individuals connect, share information and engage in meaningful conversations. Affluence.org also provides exclusive, high quality content and advice from experts on subjects such as art, technology and travel.
Membership in Affluence.org is free but requires a verifiable minimum household net worth of $3 million
Your Turn
Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments below.
I agree with the number 1 ranking for LinkedIn. It’s one of the best out there.
GMAT Preparation MBA Coaching´s last blog ..International MBA program vs Indian MBA read ISB Hyderabad
I think the first one is workable, that is linkedin.
great list of networks am in a few of them, but I do like LinkedIn the best.
Joe´s last blog ..1 Chuks
The impact of social network is a subject that is continuously growing – and to some extent, online marketers are at disagreement unto the effect it has on rankings; particularly Twitter and Facebook.
Although they are nofollow, correlative tests have been done by SEOmoz which indicate Facebook shares have an effect – regardless, within my time, Squidoo is certainly an network which is certainly recognised as beneficial from a search engines perspective – Competitor analysis has continuously shown that an authoritative lens helps those sites ranking within the top 3. My squidoo lens on industrial supplies is a prime example of applying an effective social networking strategy that achieves results.
Wow,
Thats a huge list of social networking websites. Linkendin and Yelp has helped me a lot. I feel these are the best.
mobile affiliate profits´s last blog ..Welcome to Mobile Affiliate Profits Blog Dot Com
Thank you for sharing this exhaustive list. I have just been using LinkedIn. I will try my luck with couple of other websites you have mentioned.
Cheolsu´s last blog ..Airtel Login
This is an excellent list. Right now all emphasis seem to be on facebook and twitter but quite frankly – I’m not sure it is appropriate for every business.
I’ll be evaluating those you provided to see which might be better suited for us.
Alex´s last blog ..Why Social Media Should Be A Part Of Marketing Strategy
IBO Toolbox should not only be on this list, but ranked highly. You can connect with associates, advertise on the wall, chat, share screens for presentations, get your blog posts published to a variety of sites through IBO, post videos, and more. It’s definitely worthy of this list!
Taylor Theis´s last blog ..Embracing HostGator
Thanks for all of these sites mate, I wouldn’t have even known that some of them exist! I’ll certainly be using them to promote Mobile Affiliate Profits!
Mobile Affiliate Profits Review´s last blog ..What is Mobile Affiliate Marketing?
This will help me extend my network I have used like 5 of these before
I found you on google search! Thanks for the list great job.
It is great business social networking site. Many Thanks
Very nice blog. I have got best information of business.
There are hundreds small social media networks that most people are unaware of their existence, thanks for sharing some of them
Web Opportunities´s last blog ..Networking for Freelancers
http://www.rocware.com is a new social business platform. It lets you create online b2b product catalogs and then connect with customers to share the catalog privately. The catalog is then connected to the Purchase Order process, which basically makes it really easy for customers to place orders.
thanks for this list of social networks for start bussines =)
nice informative blog
Great list of social networks
Other than Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter and Yelp, I had no idea that there are so many interesting social media sites. Thanks for sharing this list.
Pretty comprehensive list. But most of them are timewasters, not worth the effort
Paul´s last blog ..The Search for Superior Knowledge
Good list, but you’ve forgotten OfficeArrow.com, where there are hundreds of thousands of small business members. http://www.officearrow.com
http://www.ibcontact.com is a new business network for business people and professionals.
If you sign up during beta period you get a one year free premium membership.
am surprised http://www.1plusall.com is left out of the list
Great list and very useful … just missed seeing my website in there, http://www.wanobe.com, which is a free-to-use questions and answers site for small and mid-sized firms. Pop along and let me know what you think of its usefulness
David Noble´s last blog ..Edinburgh business networks
Marketing plays a very important role in business and these days, one of the most effective ways of spreading information about one’s business is by utilizing social media. With all the available options, would it be wiser to be a part of all or just the best ones?
I could tell how great you are in your field of interest. You could relate in each detail very well. Thank you for spending a time on sharing such informative writings to us. I will bookmark your page and looking forward to read some more of your writings soon.
Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this info. Today bloggers publish just about gossips and net and this is really annoying. A good website with exciting content, this is what I need. Thank you for keeping this site, I’ll be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Can’t find it.
It is really a great list.
Internet marketing solution can’t be complete without social bookmarking. Very useful list of Social bookmarking websites to rank any website and improve traffic.
best noise cancelling headphones´s last blog ..Beyerdynamic HS400 SIGNUM Premium PNR Aviation Headset
Wonderful expectations for a successful business while using these mentioned marvelous network. We know that a social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people. Thanks for nice info.
MikeJohn´s last blog ..Buy Angle Look Kid’s Clothes Online
This is a great list of various networks. I have heard about few of them but most of them are new to me. I looking to start my own business in a small way and this resources will definitely help
Nishadha´s last blog ..Twitter Follower Software to Add Followers Automatically
Apart from LinkedIn,never heard of others before.Are you sure that small business can get some benefits from those Social Networking sites.
Robert@Reverse Phone Search´s last blog ..Reverse Phone Search-Find Any Unknown Phone Number Using a Reverse Phone Directory
I consider Facebook,Stumbleupon and digg best for me.
Recipes with Twist´s last blog ..Pasta with Red bean .
People are going to have to get on board with social networking when it comes to their business. We can all learn something from the dinosaurs… Adapt or be blown away by a meteorite
Nice list
Social networking sites are good source for getting some or big traffic. cant be neglected .
Bux Ptc Sites´s last blog ..Bux Ptc Sites
I’m giving a speech on social networking sites and wish to say a high blogging site. When someone could mention one for me, I’d really enjoy it!.
What an amazing list of social media sites! This is so very useful for social media for small business. Especially new business owners looking for a starting point on their social media. Thanks for sharing.
I can’t believe Diaspora and Enukee were left off the list. Both are major players and privacy based social sites. Good Facebook alternatives.
Diaspora https://joindiaspora.com/
Enukee https://enukee.com
Wow! We had no idea there were so many social networks. Think we’ll have to look in to a few more as the ones we use (LinkedIn, twitter) have certainly helped our fulfilment business by driving more enquiries.
eCommerce Fulfilment´s last blog ..Fulfilment is key for eCommerce success
nice resource thanks for sharing it is more helpful for seo executives …great stuff keep it up..i think you miss digg, stumbleupon,delicious,digo etc….http://www.egsindia.com
I want to suggest that you update your list of social sites with http://www.connectture.com
, it’s a site for business professionals – I found it to be a great resource especially with thousands of relevant business articles.
Herman
I didn’t realize there were that many. And it doesn’t surprise me that LinkedIn was at the top.
Cool list of websites like it.
Thank you for sharing It’s really what I have been looking for a great list of social networking sites specifically for small and startup businesses. Great Job!!
This is great list and helpful to me. thanks for sharing it with me.
Word Templates´s last blog ..Gift Certificate Template
I thought I was ontop of social networking…..I had not even heard of the 4 in your top 5! (obviously I had heard of linked in). I’m going to have to step up my game!
Queenie´s last blog ..chest freezers
This is so great, thank you! As a solo entrepreneur with very little time to do much of – well – anything, I find lists like this one to be incredibly valuable.
Wow..!! Huge list, I am gonna check them one by one for sure.
Karan Lugani´s last blog ..Solution to Auto Shutdown Problem
I think it’s a disservice to not mention Meetup.com on this list. It’s REAL social networking, since you’ll often actually meet the people in real life and make stronger connections.
It’s technically not just for small business, but the fact that almost every city in America has a small business-specific meetup group on there makes it a must for small business owners to look into.
Hood Web Management´s last blog ..Why Links Are Important for Small Businesses
This is so great. I always find such interesting stuff when I stumble onto this site again and again!
I’m going to be sharing this. Facebook here we come!
Real HCG