Ecademy – Free Social Networking for Your Business

The biggest story of the decade is the impact that social networking has had on business. Because it’s free and immensely popular, social networking has become an unexpected boon for business. Even my local bank has a page on Facebook. One sleeping giant in the social network scene is a powerful resource called Ecademy. You would think with a name like this, the site would only offer training. But Ecademy is so much more.

Let’s start with the basics. Social networks allow people to get together and socialize in specific groups, like they would in a community or a neighborhood. Networking traditionally has been conducted in person, especially in a work environment, or through professional and educational groups. These days, networking has moved online. The Internet is frequented by millions of people who want to connect with other Internet users, develop relationships, conduct business and form mastermind groups.

When it comes to social networking, there’s no doubt that there are a few venues that dominate the market. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn certainly come to mind. But there are hundreds of these networks, many of them designed specifically to promote your business. Taking advantage of sites like Ecademy.com can give your business a distinct edge.

Ecademy has been online since 1998. This business network site boasts 12 million contacts with more than 300,000 unique users per month. The people who use Ecademy are mostly professionals making a good income. This certainly has the earmark of success for any online marketer looking to promote their business effectively online. Besides meeting individuals, Ecademy offers the standard networking fare, including clubs, events and business training. As a thriving community, Ecademy is for you if you want to share knowledge, network, and make referrals with other small businesses, entrepreneurs and home workers.

What I like about Ecademy is that its user base is significant, yet it’s still small enough to have the feeling of community. The offering is solid as well. The site is user friendly. Links are easy to find, and the registration process is a cinch to navigate. Ecademy also offers 3 levels of service – free, Power Networker and Black Star. The free membership is robust enough to get any serious promoter started.

For those who want to boost their online promotion efforts, Ecademy also offers an effective advertising program. Partners get business advice and support, learning tools, networked business benefits, and vendor targeting.

I did find one drawback to using the site. I found that the relationship between my personal profile and my business page was a bit tricky to figure out at first. When I updated my business profile, it wasn’t clear that I’d actually left my personal profile. Once I got used to their navigation tools, though, it was fairly easy to understand and figure out where I was.

All in all, Ecademy gets the eCommerce Gal “Vote of Confidence”.