Klout: you are still going to need a social media strategist after using this tool, but Klout can show you how influential you are and things that you may be doing wrong.

Flipboard for iPad: Flipboard is a very fun tool to use for business owners who want to keep up with the latest developments in their worlds right on their iPad.

Tal.ki: adds a dynamic forum to your website, which your visitors can log on to using their social media accounts on Twitter or Facebook.

Rank Speed: combines results from the blogosphere and twitterverse and lets you do a sentiment analysis for results in your niche.

ClickMeter: you can’t have a social media strategy if you do not keep track of the links that you post to your accounts. ClickMeter (which is used to detect click fraud too) is just the tracking tool you’ll need.

Getting the most out of Twitter for your business is more than just posting links and communicating with your prospects. Tracking and analyzing your efforts should be at the top of your agenda too.

You don’t have to be a designer or pay a huge amount of money to get a custom Twitter page designed for your business. If it’s not your core competency, there is no reason not to outsource it. Here are 5 places you can pick up high quality premium Twitter backgrounds:

Twitr Backgrounds: the service has been used by many top Twitterers around the world. It promises your very first design in just 3 days. Businesses can always send back their designs for modifications to get the design that is perfect for them.

Twitart: they not only offer custom Twitter background, they also offer Twitter Avatar design too. Offer some of the best designs we have seen on Twitter.

Social Identities: your one stop shop for all your branding needs. It offers Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and landing page branding services.

Tweet Designs: this website offers Twitter, avatar, and Facebook design services. It is certainly worth checking out (though I prefer the first two).

Tweet With Style: it offers more affordable custom Twitter backgrounds for your business profile. Unlimited design changes and 48 hour design delivery are big positives.

Always check the previous works of the company you intend to work with to make sure you are signing up for the right service. Paying $50-$100 for a Twitter background may seem unnecessary, but it does make a big difference.

The social media world is expanding fast. Just a few months ago, there were a lot of people who were skeptical about Twitter and Facebook. Now you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who hasn’t heard of these services. There are plenty of ways to start a business on these sites. If you take time to get yourself familiar with the API offered by Twitter and Facebook, you can create real solutions that people want to use. You obviously have to identify a need and provide value with your service, but these APIs can be easily utilized to create killer products for social media sites such as Twitter.

Twitter is growing really fast, which is why starting a Twitter-based business makes sense these days. If you know someone who knows the API or can hire someone to write code for you, the sky’s the limit on what products you can make for Twitter. Here are 10 Twitter business ideas to get you started:

• Local Services: creating geo-based Twitter solutions is nothing new. But the market is still not saturated. No matter where you are around the world, you can create a Twitter-based service and attract Twitter users in your area. Or you can go for it all and create a craigslist-like service for Twitter.
• Status Update: creating a software solution that makes it easy to update multiple social media accounts in one shot is still one of the best ways to gain some traction in this business (e.g. Pinging service).
• Desktop Clients: we have over a dozen of desktop clients that let tweeters tweet from their PC more effectively. At the same time, there is always room for innovation in this area (TweetDeck).
• Analytics Tools: social media analytics is gaining traction slowly and more people will use SM analytics solutions to measure ROI for their social media campaigns. The sky’s the limit in this area. You can go for simple, freemium services or create premium analytics solution (with the proper investment).
• Automation Tools: there are a lot of businesses and individuals that prefer automating parts of their social media campaigns. Targeting them could be lucrative (TweetAdder).
• Account Management Tools: letting people manage their account more efficiently on Twitter is yet another way to make money on Twitter. Though make sure you figure out your business model before going online (Hootsuite).
• Mobile Apps: offering a mobile solution for iPhone, Android, and other top mobile platforms is yet another way to build business on Twitter. It’s not as hard as it looks as long as you have the right developers.
• International Twitter Solutions: have you seen tweeters who talk in foreign languages on Twitter? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could develop a solution for them to help them tweet and connect with others more effectively (e.g. a Twitter translation service)?
• Twitter Training: what if you don’t want to write code? You can still make money on Twitter by letting others know how to get started on Twitter. You can also offer backgrounds, buttons, and all kinds of little solutions and monetize on the side.
• Twitter Portals: if you are into building content portals, why not use Twitter to build more dynamic ones? Lots of content to take advantage of.

As you can seen, building a business on Twitter is not that hard. You obviously do want to pay attention to business 101 concepts, but as long as you identify a need that is not being addressed in your niche, there are plenty of opportunities to make money on Twitter.

Your take: please share your Twitter ideas here.

Twitter has not yet rolled out the feature yet, so not everyone can take advantage of the lists. But the lucky ones who can will see a new number next to their number of followers. That number will show the lists that you are included on. Obviously, the more you are listed, there is a good chance that more people find you more useful. So lists are essentially #followfriday on steroids.

If you are a small business owner, hoping to gain some traction on Twitter, lists are godsend for you. They allow you to classify the people you are following under different lists and engage them more effectively. You can create public and private lists of people who may be interesting to your business or those who are talking about your business or niche. You can then decide on the message you want to communicate with each and every list.

Lists will also be very helpful for people who get their research done through the social media. Whether it is finding interesting content to read or researching a specific niche, you can easily do it with lists. Let’s say you want to see what people are talking about as far as laptops are concerned. You can easily create a private list of people who talk about laptops (and provide value in the process). You can then check your list on a daily basis to find out the latest blog posts, news, and developments in that world. You could have done that through Twitter trends and some 3rd party tools. With lists, you can easily get it done.

As you can see, lists are going to be very helpful for startups and small businesses that want to get the most out of Twitter. They are easy to create, free to use, and help you manage information more effectively. There is a lot of information and data to look at on these social media sites, and as a small business owner, you should have better things to do than going through the information for hours. With Twitter lists, you can manage your Twitter information more effectively and get more done in the process.

Paul Dunay has done such a wonderful job with his presentation on this topic, that everyone should take time to go over his recommendations on this subject.

1. CafePress: I have talked about CafePress and how you can make money from it in the past. By using Facebook, you can sell products on Facebook and put more money in your pocket. Here is the app that lets you do just that.

2. AppBank: lets you create your own Facebook app and make money online that way. You can create your own viral app and make money from ads.

3. eBay: a lot of people are making lots of money from eBay. If you happen to be a power-seller and have mastered the art, you can’t afford to not use Facebook to your advantage.

4. Garage Sale: a cool little app for Facebook that lets you create your e-garage sale event online and sell your items to your friends and those who know you.

5. My Merch Store: if you have used Zazzle in the past, you are going to love using My Merch Store to host your own stores on Facebook and start making some money without taking on too much risk.

Whether you are creating your own product and want to market it on Facebook or just want to gain more exposure for your existing business, there is no reason Facebook can’t help you. And the above 5 methods are by no means the only ways you can make money on Facebook. As long as you are creative and can think outside the box, Facebook is your goldmine.

Twitter is one of the fastest growing Web 2.0 properties around. Everyday, thousands of people join Twitter and millions of tweets are posted. When you have a fast growing community, you have the potential to make a lot of money. As long as you are there at the right time with the right product, there is no reason you can’t build a business on Twitter. Twitter API is a great way to start building a service for Twitter, but that’s not the only way you can make money on Twitter. With that in mind, here are a few ways to build your business on Twitter:

1. write free applications for Twitter.
2. write a paid application for Twitter.
3. sell backgrounds for Twitter.
4. create training courses for Twitter.
5. be a match maker on Twitter.
6. be a job finder on Twitter.
7. help others find internships on Twitter.
8. Promote affiliate products on Twitter.
9. Make money with your links on Twitter.
10. create account management services for Twitter.
11. offer Twitter analytics.
12. write an innovative URL shortening service.
13. write an iPhone app for Twitter.
14. write a Web 2.0 mash-up with Twitter.
15. create a Wordpress plug-in
16. create a Twitter friendly community theme for Wordpress (MU).
17. build a “yellow pages” service based on Twitter.
18. help companies build their online reputation with Twitter.
19. offer Twitter (social media) consulting.
20. sell your products.
21. throw Twitter auctions.
22. throw non-profit events on Twitter.
23. network with super-connectors.
24. Build JVs.
25. drive traffic to your blog.
26. help others go green.
27. make money rotating ads on your profile.
28. create a Q/A mashup.
29. build a video-Twitter service.
30. let people go over 140 characters.
31. build a Twitter chat system.
32. create a niche Twitter portal.
33. sell Twitter scripts.
34. write a book!
35. create a video-cast.
36. build a radio-show around Twitter.
37. build exclusive membership sites.
38. create a social shopping portal.
39. offer free services and go viral.
40. offer horoscope on Twitter.
41. become a c-level job resource.
42. create a medial portal.
43. create a legal Twitter mash-up.
44. offer fitness services on Twitter.
45. write a trend analysis app.
46. create a retweet software suite.
47. build an innovative Twitter client.
48. create a movie portal based on Twitter.
49. sell shirts on Twitter.
50. raise funds for a great cause (twestivals).
51. build a troll hunter service.
52. create a productivity tool.
53. build an image/file/video service.
54. provide security services.
55. come up with new product ideas.
56. survey your current customers.
57. poll your followers for new product features.
58. build an automation tool.
59. build corporate Twitter management suites.
60. create voice services for the community.
61. add Twitter to your sales pages.
62. advertise on Twitter.
63. offer tutorial on Twitter API programming.
64. create an expense management service.
65. become a tweet-up coordinator.

Did I miss anything?

Everybody is talking about the social media these days. Just a few days ago we had Kutcher vs. CNN in the first Twitter challenge. The goal was to reach one million users on Twitter and also contribute to a great cause in the process. The social media industry may be maturing, but there is still a lot of money to be earned. Let’s not forget that as great as Facebook, FriendFeed, and Twitter are, they are not perfect. You all probably remember myspace and its dominance a few years ago. Where is it now? It’s barely holding on. Things change quickly in the social media, and that means entrepreneurs are always going to have the opportunity to make money with their products and services. If you are willing to learn new things and think outside the box, there is no limit to how much you can earn in this industry. With that in mind, here are a few ways to make money online from the social media:

1. Paid applications: writing an application for Facebook and Twitter is one of the best ways to make money online. As long as you provide a unique value, there is no reason you can’t monetize your work.
2. Free applications: free applications can help you get a lot of traffic back to your site and even promote your other products. You can’t beat free.
3. Services: there are many services that you can provide to folks who want to get in on this whole social media thing. You can help them achieve more followers or promote their businesses online. You could teach them how to get started with the social media. Consulting and coaching is one of the best ways to make money in this market.
4. Videos: you can take your service to the next level by creating a video product that shows people how to do things. It’s more than consulting. It’s teaching a lot of people how to get things done.
5. Products: you can always create products that let people do more with the social media. This goes back to item number 1 but these products will address a set of needs. You can create a program that lets people grab information from various social media sites and track their reputation across these networks. The sky’s the limit here.
6. Corporate services: most corporations are still not on board with a lot of things that are going on in the social media. They are proactively looking for solutions that help them manage their reputation and get more out of Twitter and Facebook. What a better way to make money than offering these companies a solution they can work with.
7. Reports: you can always sell reports as long as you provide real value. You can also put together a book if you have gotten real results on sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

There are many other ways you can make money on social networking sites. The sky’s the limit here. You can create all kinds of mashups and get more specific with the above tactics. Social media is here to stay. Why not make

The social media has changed the way people communicate and do business. A few months ago, a lot of people would laugh at the idea of businesses using Twitter, Digg, and other social networking sites to drive leads and increase their business. But if you are still ignoring the social media sites these days, you are leaving money on the table. Sites such as Twitter are amazing channels to reach out to customers, prospects, and even partners and build and expand your business. And best of all, there is no monetary cost for using these sites. You don’t have to pay to build a Twitter profile nor do you have to pay others to follow you. All you have to do is communicate and provide value to others and folks will follow you.

If you are a business owner, you should not live without a Twitter profile. A couple of years ago folks didn’t know about Twitter, and the opportunity wasn’t that huge. But today, folks are searching out for companies on Twitter. They want to contact you. They want to reach out to you. If you are not on Twitter, you are missing out big time. Sites such as Twibs allow businesses to announce their presence on Twitter to the world. There are thousands of businesses already listed on Twibs, and if you are a business owner, you should list your business there as well.

Whether you are an individual or a small business, you can still benefit from Twitter. But Twitter is different from anything you have dealt with. The community is smart and can see through your efforts to make quick bucks. That’s why you should have a real plan to succeed on Twitter. If you are a small business owner, you should:

• Create a professional profile: your profile helps you make a good first impression on your followers. You should take time to write an catchy bio about your business (what you do, …). You should also change your background and put your business and website information as well as your logo on it(read our logo piece here).
• Link to your website: when you create your bio, don’t forget to give your followers a link to follow if they like what you do. I can’t tell you how many small businesses forget to include their contact information on their Twitter page.
• Create your business avatar: your avatar helps you make an instant connection with the Twitter community. You should take time to design an avatar that is attractive and portrays an image of what your business is all about.
• Not be stingy: a lot of folks decide to protect their updates from others. That’s the worst way to approach Twitter. Twitter is all about openness and contributing to the community. By locking up your updates, you are depriving yourself of Twitter’s full potential.
• Update regularly: a lot of small businesses set up their Twitter account, update it a couple of times, and then forget about it for a month. Your business doesn’t stop going on for a month, right? Then, your Twitter account shouldn’t either. You should try to post at least 5 valuable tweets each and every day. That’s really the bare minimum.
• Provide Value: the more you add to Twitter, the more you get out of it. People follow you for a reason. Give them valuable information, and they keep coming back for more.
• Throw Giveaways: giveaways are one of the best ways to go viral on Twitter. People like freebies, so why not give them some to spread your name and brand all around Twitter (see Twitaway for ideas).
• Network with others: don’t be scared to communicate with others and respond to their updates. Twitter is a networking site. It’s a many-to-many communication service. It’s not just about you!
• Know the limits: if you are a business owner, you should know that what you say on Twitter can help or harm your business name significantly. Don’t say anything you don’t want others to hear about in a professional situation.
• Put it all together: if you are involved in other social communities, you should use the twitter tools available to link your twitter account to those sites. Sites such as Friendfeed and Facebook provide you with the opportunity to do just that. By connecting your accounts on multiple networks you can realize synergies and further expand your following.
• Listen!: that’s probably the most important step in your Twitter journey. You’ve got to listen to what others are talking about, what products they are interested in, and what their needs are. Not only you can get product ideas from Twitter, you can address your business’ shortcomings as well. Be a good listener on Twitter, and the sky’s the limit.

Unlike what some businessmen want you to believe, Twitter does matter. It matters for small businesses, big businesses, and individuals. It’s a great branding tool, and it can drive lots of traffic to your website. But you have to connect with prospects/customers, provide value and listen to others to get the most out of Twitter. If you are not doing that, you are wasting your time and hurting your business.

Are you a Twitter believer yet?

For more information on how you can expand your presence on Twitter, read the Twitter Report to find out marketing angles which can help you drive thousands of leads to your business every single day.