The mass spread of social media networks have easily made these platforms the new form of communication. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter or Foursquare, the average American spends some part of their day on one of these sites.

Businesses have started to tap into the social media industry as a form of promotion and as an alternative to reaching out to their customers. Companies are now inviting consumers to be their friends on Facebook or follow them on Twitter to receive information about the company and new products or services.

While many large companies have a handle on their social media strategy, these tools can be pros or cons for smaller businesses. The larger companies hire people to update their statuses and profile page of Facebook and send out posts on Twitter. On the other hand, small companies are usually doing this in-house.

When small business owners are not able to separate their personal lives from their business lives, being too social can create a problem. When you are active in the social world, try creating separate Twitter and Facebook pages for business and personal use.

Many new entrepreneurs use social media networks to advertise their business, but fail to realize that some messages can decrease their clientele and possibly hinder potential consumers.

Publish -Use as a marketing channel to post links to the company’s webpage, press releases or a promotional site. You can also use it to promote corporate accomplishments, but be sure not to brag or boast too much.

Set Boundaries – Even posts coming from your employees are important. Encourage your staff to also create personal and professional pages. If they  tweet about your company and also send out personal messages that may not be politically correct, this could weigh heavily on your company’s reputation.

Communicate - Communicate within the company, especially if there are different regions that may be working on the same project. Your followers will view your communications and feel like they have a closer connection to you, your company and your team.

Listen – Programs like Social Mention can be used to track what people are saying about the company. You can use the information you find to interact and further develop your company and build your reputation.

With these tips, you should have a complete understanding of how to effectively use Twitter for your business.