If you are involved in everything small business, BizSugar is the best place to get your stories and updates buzzed. This blog post is not a review; it’s an endorsement.
I’ve been with BizSugar since May 2010. Simply put, it has helped me grow my business, as well as enhance my business websites’ reputation. Interested to learn more? Read on.
What is BizSugar?
BizSugar was launched in 2007 by DBH Communications, Inc. and was later acquired by Anita Campbell of Small Business Trends LLC in 2009. Just in case you have never heard of her, Anita Campbell is a figure I look up to; she is one of small business authorities who has influenced me in my choice of web properties. She is the reason why I establish blogs in small business niches (including this one!)
BizSugar is technically a social bookmarking site for small business niche. But if you are involved deeper into it, it’s actually a vibrant community. As a community of small business bloggers, professional and owners, it’s a great hangout place for like-minded people.
BizSugar helps you gaining exposure and credibility
My top stories on BizSugar
I initially use BizSugar’s services for my article promotion – I submit my small business blog posts and hopefully, other members like them and vote for them.
My blogs enjoy a healthy incoming traffic from BizSugar, and I know the traffic is ultra-targeted. Moreover, BizSugar boosts my blogs’ credibility, helping me establish a much-needed reputation (and we all know that in the online world, reputation’s importance is magnified.)
BizSugar enables you to network with small biz people
Now, BizSugar is more than just that for me – although it’s not your kinda Facebook-ish social site, its members are experts and leaders in small business. I have met new online friends (Shawn Hessinger, Ti Roberts and Heather Stone, to name a few) – and mingle with small business leaders, including Anita Campbell herself.
You can actually have a meaningful conversation on stories shared, and the ratio of comments-per-post is very healthy.
BizSugar focus on community and growth
Business-wise, I know growing BizSugar is a real challenge. Growing the user-base (real users – spammers are not considered as ones) is challenging. But even more challenging is on how to make it profitable.
I am a website builder, and in the past I have established 2 social bookmarking sites pretty similar to BizSugar (one in small business niche, and another one in travel niche.) I end up selling both, and the last time I checked on them, both are already gone. I barely made anything from them, and what the sites have earned is on-par with the expenses of the sites.
And if you are following the website flipping trends like me, social bookmarking sites are proven to be notoriously difficult to generate revenue. They are not that difficult to build – just use CMS like Pligg; what’s difficult is, again, generating revenue, let alone profits from them.
My once-favourite social bookmarking site for finance niche, Tip’d, was shut down (it’s now repurposed to be a job site.) Digg.com, the pioneer, has passed its prime; the popular Blokube.com is for sale on Flippa (website buying and selling marketplace) – and unfortunately doesn’t get any bidders due to the ROI issue; the list can go on and on – the bottom line, it’s very challenging to grow a social bookmarking site, indeed.
How does BizSugar thrive? They actively seek partnerships; they do conference; they keep the noise very, very low (low quality stories were taken off) and ultimately, they have lots of endorsers like me 🙂
Takeaway
If you are a small business owner, blogger, professional or evangelist, I strongly recommend you to visit and get involved in BizSugar. This site will help you bolster your Inbound Marketing campaign, enhance your brand reputation and – who knows – get you new clients!
