Enterprise Nation

What is social networking? Why is it the most efficient way to remember your favourite websites? And how can you use it to make yours the favourite of potential customers and clients?

In the same way that your web browser (Internet Explorer or Firefox) allows you to 'bookmark' or 'favourite' a website for returning to later, social bookmarking allows you store, organise and search your list of favourite websites from any computer connected to the Internet. Because it hosts your list on the web it allows you to do even more with your bookmarks, like share them with other users.

Del.icio.us

One such social bookmarking service is called del.icio.us and, like others, it incorporates elements of social networking, so you can connect with other bookmarkers, see if you have bookmarks in common and visit websites on their recommendation.

Along with search engine optimisation, social bookmarking can be used to make your website more visible. The more often a website is submitted or tagged by other users, the better chance it has of being found.

Digg.com

Similar to social bookmarking, social news websites like digg.com are another way to promote your home business website. Powerful especially for bloggers, Digg collects the most interesting stories from around the Internet, voted for by its active (and vocal) community. You may have seen a "Digg it!" button beside blog posts. Click that and your vote will be counted and the blog post will climb up the list of links on the digg.com home page.

For your home business website

The "Digg button", and similarly functional del.icio.us buttons, can be added to your website to make it easier for visitors to bookmark your pages and essentially promote and recommend them to potential customers.

• del.icio.us
• Digg.com
• AddThis - Social Bookmarking sharing widget