The Internet is vast and you want consumers to find your product or service, so targeting your message delivery to key locations is critical. How to find those key locations? Fortunately, there are many tools that can pinpoint those locations.

3 Tools That Can Help You Connect with Your Audience on the Web:

1. Google Alerts http://www.google.com/alerts – Sends an email whenever a key word or phrase is mentioned in online content
2. Google Blog Search http://blogsearch.google.com – Searches blogs for keywords or phrases
3. Twitter Search http://search.twitter.com – Searches Twitter posts for keywords or phrases

While you are examining your results, look at the content and format of your competitor’s messages and how their message compares to that of your company. Can your message meet the same needs as those supplied your competition? Can you exceed the value provided by your competition?

By using solid research, you can begin laying the foundation for crafting and delivering your message to where it will be most effective and deliver positive results.

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Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and that means Love is in the air. Celebrate the holiday by updating your website with one or more of the following ideas:

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More businesses are beginning to realize the need for having a presence on today’s social web. William Baker, a professor of marketing at San Diego State University, surveyed 1,600 executives and discovered that firms that rely heavily on external social networks scored 24 percent higher on a measure of radical innovation than companies that don’t. In addition to getting your company noticed, social networks can serve as a recruiting tool and a resource for learning from like-minded professionals.

With more social sites being unveiled always daily, it may be difficult to decide on which ones you should join. It is important to dedicate your time to social network’s that have an established user base and members that are in your target market.

Here are some of the more prominent social networks your company should consider:

1. LinkedIn: Connect with alumni, business associates, recent graduates and other professionals connect online.
2. Facebook: Advertising, event promotion and company profiles.
3. Twitter: Microblogging site that helps you gain exposore to your target market. It is also useful for staying in touch with customers.
4. 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.
5. Focus: Provides open, quality information for all businesses that is freely available, easily accessible, and community powered.
6. Xing: “Find experts at the click of a button, market yourself in a professional context and open up new sales channels.”
7. Care2: If your business is making efforts to go green, let others know by becoming a presence on this site.
8. Gather: 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. Ziggs: Join groups and make contacts through your Ziggs account to increase your company’s presence online and further your own personal career.
10. Networking For Professionals: 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.

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