smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

Social networking sites should not be seen as an 'add on' as they are an important communication tool for businesses, according to an expert.

Peter Bradwell from independent think tank Demos, speaking on behalf of Orange Business UK, says in the current tight financial climate applications such as social networking sites can seem like an additional luxury, but should not be discarded by enterprises.

He describes the websites as 'a necessary way of working', saying they are becoming more useful to companies.

'The interdependence between firms now means you have to find better ways of working together and staying in touch and developing that relationship,' Bradwell adds.

The recent Network Citizens: Power and Responsibility at Work report, carried out by Demos, found interlinked relationships help business adapt and grow, with sites like Facebook and LinkedIn permitting this more easily.

Bradwell says companies can also benefit on a recruitment side, as people who want to work for the organisation may approach an employee via this forum.

'You gain huge value on both sides from doing that and that's becoming more important,' he states.

There are currently no comments on this article