What is Professional Networking Sites?

Social networks connect people at low cost; this can be beneficial for entrepreneurs
and small
businesses looking to expand their contact bases. These networks often act
as a customer relationship management tool for companies selling products and
services. Companies can also use social networks for advertising in the form
of banners and text ads. Since businesses operate globally, social networks can
make it easier to keep in touch with contacts around the world. One example of
social networking being used for business purposes is LinkedIn.com,
which aims to interconnect professionals. LinkedIn has over 40 million users
in over 200 countries (source: Latest LinkedIn Facts)

Professional Networking Sites

Sign up with these online networking communities as a company or as an individual
to take advantage of recruiting opportunities, cross-promotional events and more.

1. LinkedIn:
   LinkedIn is a popular networking site where alumni, business associates,
   recent graduates and other professionals connect online.
2. Ecademy:
   Ecademy prides itself on “connecting business people” through its
   online network, blog and message-board chats, as well as its premier BlackStar
   membership program, which awards exclusive benefits.
3. Focus:
   Focus is a business destination where business professionals can help each
   other with their purchase and other business decisions by accessing research
   and peer expertise. Most importantly, Focus provides open, quality information
   for all businesses that is freely available, easily accessible, and community
   powered.
4. YorZ:
   This networking site doubles as a job site. Members can post openings for
   free to attract quality candidates.
5. Xing:
   An account with networking site Xing can “open doors to thousands of
   companies.” Use the professional contact manager to organize your new
   friends and colleagues, and take advantage of the Business Accelerator application
   to “find experts at the click of a button, market yourself in a professional
   context [and] open up new sales channels.”
6. Facebook:
   Facebook is no longer just for college kids who want to post their party
   pics. Businesses vie for advertising opportunities, event promotion and more
   on this social-networking site.
7. Care2:
   Care2 isn’t just a networking community for professionals: It’s touted as “the
   global network for organizations and people who Care2 make a difference.” If
   your business is making efforts to go green, let others know by becoming
   a presence on this site.
8. Gather:
   This networking community is made up of members who think. Browse categories
   concerning books, health, money, news and more to ignite discussions on politics,
   business and entertainment. This will help your company tap into its target
   audience and find out what they want.
9. MEETin.org: Once
   you’ve acquired a group of contacts in your city by networking on MEETin.org,
   organize an event so that you can meet face-to-face.
10. Tribe:
    Cities like Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, New York and Chicago have
    unique online communities on tribe. Users can search for favorite restaurants,
    events, clubs and more.
11. Ziggs:
    Ziggs is “organizing and connecting people in a professional way.” Join
    groups and make contacts through your Ziggs account to increase your company’s
    presence online and further your own personal career.
12. Plaxo: Join Plaxo
    to organize your contacts and stay updated with feeds from Digg, Amazon.com,
    del.icio.us and more.
13. NetParty:
    If you want to attract young professionals in cities like Boston, Dallas,
    Phoenix, Las Vegas and Orlando Fla., create an account with the networking
    site NetParty. You’ll be able to connect with qualified, up-and-coming professionals
    online, then meet them at a real-life happy-hour event where you can pass
    out business cards, pitch new job openings and more.
14. Networking For Professionals: Networking For Professionals is another
    online community that combines the Internet with special events in the
    real world. Post photos, videos, résumés and clips on your online profile
    while you meet new business contacts.

Niche Social-Media Sites

Consider linking up with one of these social-media sites to narrow down your
business’s target audience. You’ll find other professionals, enthusiasts and
consumers who are most likely already interested in what your company has to
offer.

1. Pixel
   Groovy: Web workers will love Pixel Groovy, an open-source
   site that lets members submit and rate tutorials for Web 2.0, email and
   online-marketing issues.
2. Mixx:
   Mixx prides itself on being “your link to the Web content that really
   matters.” Submit and rate stories, photos and news to drive traffic
   to your own site. You’ll also meet others with similar interests.
3. Tweako:
   Gadget-minded computer geeks can network with each other on Tweako, a site
   that promotes information sharing for the technologically savvy.
4. Small Business
   Brief: When members post entrepreneur-related articles,
   a photo and a link to their profile appear, gaining you valuable exposure
   and legitimacy online.
5. Sphinn:
   Sphinn is an online forum and networking site for the Internet marketing
   crowd. Upload articles and guides from your blog to create interest in your
   own company or connect with other professionals for form new contacts.
6. BuzzFlash.net:
   This one-stop news resource is great for businesses that want to contribute
   articles on a variety of subjects, from the environment to politics to health.
7. HubSpot:
   HubSpot is another news site aimed at connecting business professionals.
8. SEO
   TAGG: Stay on top of news from the Web marketing and SEO
   (search-engine optimization) industries by becoming an active member
   of this online community.

General Social Media Sites

The following social-media sites provide excellent opportunities for businesses
to advertise; promote specials, events or services; and feature published, knowledgeable
employees.

1. Wikipedia:
   Besides creating your own business reference page on Wikipedia, you can connect
   with other users on Wikipedia’s Community Portal and at the village pump,
   where you’ll find conscientious professionals enthusiastic about news, business,
   research and more.
2. Newsvine:
   Feature top employees by uploading their articles, studies or other news-related
   items to this site. A free account will also get you your own column and
   access to the Newsvine community.
3. 43 Things: This site bills itself as “the world’s most
   popular online goal setting community.” By publicizing your company’s
   goals and ambitions, you’ll gain a following of customers, investors
   and promoters who cheer you on as you achieve success.
4. Wetpaint:
   If you’re tired of blogs and generic Web sites, create your own wiki with
   Wetpaint to reach your audience and increase your company’s presence online.
   You can easily organize articles, contact information, photos and other information
   to promote your business.
5. Twitter:
   Is a social networking and micro blogging service that allows you answer the
   question, “What are you doing?” by sending short text messages
   140 characters in length, called “tweets”, to your friends, or “followers.”
6. Yahoo!
   Answers: Start fielding Yahoo! users’ questions with this
   social-media Q&A service. Search for questions in your particular
   areas of expertise by clicking categories like Business & Finance,
   Health, News & Events and more. If you continue to dole out useful
   advice and link your answer to your company’s Web page, you’ll quickly
   gain a new following of curious customers.

Credits: www.insidecrm.com, www.wikipedia.com, http://ceoworld.biz http://www.youneeditall.com, http://www.webredesingpro.comp
B2B Social Media Websites Integrations

External Blog RSS URL: http://infotechusa.wordpress.com
Twitter Account URL: http://twitter.com/infotechusa
Facebook Account URL: http://facebook.com/infotechusa
LinkedIn Account URL: http://www.linkedin.com/in/webdesignerny
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/1webmaker
For more information about social media networking, SEO tips, tricks, social media good practice, online tools, how to market your site and if you are looking for web site design and development agency visit New York Web Design Agency Website

What is eCommerce and Shopping cart software?

Electronic commerce, commonly known as (electronic marketing) e-commerce or eCommerce, consists of the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks. The amount of trade conducted electronically has grown extraordinarily with widespread Internet usage. The use of commerce is conducted in this way, spurring and drawing on innovations in electronic funds transfer, supply chain management, Internet marketing, online transaction processing, electronic data interchange (EDI), inventory management systems, and automated data collection systems. Modern electronic commerce typically uses the World Wide Web at least at some point in the transaction’s life cycle, although it can encompass a wider range of technologies such as e-mail as well.

A large percentage of electronic commerceis conducted entirely electronically for virtual items such as access to premium content on a website, but most electronic commerce involves the transportation of physical items in some way. Online retailers are sometimes known as e-tailers and online retail is sometimes known as e-tail. Almost all big retailers have electronic commerce presence on the World Wide Web.

Electronic commerce that is conducted between businesses is referred to as business-to-business or B2B. B2B can be open to all interested parties (e.g. commodity exchange) or limited to specific, pre-qualified participants (private electronic market). Electronic commerce that is conducted between businesses and consumers, on the other hand, is referred to as business-to-consumer or B2C. This is the type of electronic commerce conducted by companies such as Amazon.com.

Electronic commerce is generally considered to be the sales aspect of e-business. It also consists of the exchange of data to facilitate the financing and payment aspects of the business transactions.

What is shopping cart software?
Shopping cart software is software used in e-commerce to assist people making purchases online, analogous to the American English term ‘shopping cart’. In British English it is generally known as a shopping basket, almost exclusively shortened on websites to ‘basket’.

The software allows online shopping customers to accumulate a list of items for purchase, described metaphorically as “placing items in the shopping cart”. Upon checkout, the software typically calculates a total for the order, including shipping and handling (i.e. postage and packing) charges and the associated taxes, as applicable.

Timeline
1979: Online shopping was invented in the UK by Michael Aldrich.
1982: Minitel was introduced nationwide in France by France Telecom and used for online ordering.
1987: Swreg begins to provide software and shareware authors means to sell their products online through an electronic Merchant account.
1990: Tim Berners-Lee writes the first web browser, WorldWideWeb, using a NeXT computer.
1992: J.H. Snider and Terra Ziporyn publish Future Shop: How New Technologies Will Change the Way We Shop and What We Buy. St. Martin’s Press. ISBN 0312063598.
1994: Netscape releases the Navigator browser in October under the code name Mozilla. Pizza Hut offers pizza ordering on its Web page. The first online bank opens. Attempts to offer flower delivery and magazine subscriptions online. Adult materials also become commercially available, as do cars and bikes. Netscape 1.0 is introduced in late 1994 SSL encryption that made transactions secure.
1995: Jeff Bezos launches Amazon.com and the first commercial-free 24 hour, internet-only radio stations, Radio HK and NetRadio start broadcasting. Dell and Cisco begin to aggressively use Internet for commercial transactions. eBay is founded by computer programmer Pierre Omidyar as AuctionWeb.
1998: Electronic postal stamps can be purchased and downloaded for printing from the Web.
1999: Business.com sold for US $7.5 million to eCompanies, which was purchased in 1997 for US $149,000. The peer-to-peer filesharing software Napster launches. ATG Stores launches to sell decorative items for the home online.
2000: The dot-com bust.
2002: eBay acquires PayPal for $1.5 billion. Niche retail companies CSN Stores and NetShops are founded with the concept of selling products through several targeted domains, rather than a central portal.
2003: Amazon.com posts first yearly profit.
2007: Business.com acquired by R.H. Donnelley for $345 million.
2008: US eCommerce and Online Retail sales projected to reach $204 billion, an increase of 17 percent over 2007
 

There are several type of shoping cart solutions open source and paid.

We are not affiliate with any of shopping cart.  We can design and develop eCommerse website using almost any existing shopping cart software.  We can create, customise and promote your ecommerce business.

11th eCommerce Summit in Atlanta, GA early June 2009