Small business in Australia at least, if not the world, is proving slow to embrace the social media marketing phenomenon, but take note; there will come a time where your absence from the “Google Check” will be a hinderance to you and or your business obtaining finance.

Social media, by its nature, is a linking of people known to each other.  More and more it is becoming the norm that a credit manager’s first action when presented with a loan application is to search for that individual and business on-line.  They are looking for 2 things: 1) evidence that you have been bad or of poor character (avoid pictures of yourself holding guns or hanging out at Raves) and 2) whether they know anyone that you know – ie is there someone who can vouch for you as a person of good character or alternatively do you associate with known ratbags.

You will never change your friends (that’s unfriendly and shallow!), so if your friends are ratbags, then you at least need to pre-empt a credit manager’s concerns by showing that you are good in other ways (ie good at what you do).

Consider bolstering your Google profile with some articles that demonstrate your expertise in your field.  Even if no-one reads them, they are there when someone searches for you and they give you credibility.  Equally as important though is to have a LinkedIn and Facebook profile.  Without these you run the risk of looking out of touch to a credit manager.  Even if you don’t actively use them, show that you are up with the latest ways.  Don’t give the credit manager reason to think you are anything but a great banking customer!