The great thing about social media is that there are so many enthusiasts out there who can give good advice. I recently came across this succinct piece in a Virginia newspaper, answering a question from a small business owner: ‘How can I drive more attention to my Web site without breaking the bank?

The writer identifies six essential platforms, and the specific role played by each: Linked In, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, blogs and Twitter. He usefully provides a link in each case to help find out more, for example: A great article titled “10 Ways to Make Money with MySpace” can be found at http://www.doshdosh.com/10-ways-to-make-money-with-myspace/

Anyone who wants to get a quick sense of the possibilities could do worse than follow up the links.