When social networking is going to be a part of your small business marketing strategy, you're going to want to be sure that you're looking at a wide variety of the right information; in other words, you are going to want to be sure that you are able to get as much out of social networking as you possibly can.

The challenge, of course, is that while there is a great deal of information out there about what social networking is and how it can be used effectively for small business marketing, not all of the information that you read is going to help you to accomplish your business goals. Therefore, the key to social networking is to learn its secrets.

1. Different social networking sites are geared towards different kinds of people. The audience that you find on a page like MySpace where the demographic is mostly younger and entertainment driven is going to be different than on a site like Blog Catalog where business bloggers as well as individual bloggers network to find those who write on similar topics and to learn more about blogging.
2. Different social networking sites have different rules. While it's great to market your business on some sites – to an extent, it is even encouraged – others have a policy that outright states that accounts set up for commercial purposes only will be deleted; likewise, some of the social networking sites that you will come across allow you to have outgoing links from your profile while others do not.
3. Different social networking sites are going to be more comfortable to you than others. Just as you can walk into some restaurants and feel completely at ease and walk into others only to turn around and head back out the door, it's important to establish your presence on social networking sites where you feel like you belong.

Now, none of those statements about social networking and the way it relates to your small business marketing strategy are going to be things that you haven't read before – hopefully, at least. Still, it's important to recognize each of them and how your social networking strategy should be impacted.

First, always make an effort to find two types of social networking sites: you're going to want to be able to connect with and learn from your peers and you are going to want to make sure that you are interacting with your target market so that you can get the word out about products and services that you have to offer. Second, you are always going to want to be aware of the site rules because being banned from a social networking site – or even having your IP address blocked by the sites – is not going to help with your small business marketing campaigns.

Finally, when it comes to social networking sites, you are going to want to be sure that you – or the person who is working to market your business on social networking sites – are comfortable with the site. If the navigation feels clumsy and you can't make connections, it may not be the right site for you. Keep in mind the true secret of social networking: the goal is to build relationships and establish trust, not just to make a sales pitch; if you aren't comfortable, it's going to be a lot harder to make a connection.