Social Networking in Review

After blogging and exploring the world of social networking and product promotion for the past few months, I rest assured that this catch-all craze is more than just a passing trend. People everywhere are not just concerned with sharing what they are doing, these people logging in are just as concerned (if not more) with learning what everyone else is doing. As more networks open up daily, aggregators emerge, and web browsers with integrated social networking capabilities become more readily available, it is clear that social networking plays a large role in many peoples lives, and that this role will only continue to grow.

Through my research, in just these past few months I have found myself growing fonder of social networking. Previously, I held one account: Facebook, and decided that was enough to fuel what in my mind I considered an already "unhealthy" addiction. Since then I have become much more enthralled by so-called "niche" social networks that cater to my various interests and have discovered that aggregators are a great way to organize networks and help people understand your core interests according to the communities to which you belong. I have become particularly involved in one social networking community that I believe to be one of the most genuine "communities" on the web: Newsvine. On this network I get to post articles of my own while reading and discussing news and issues of debate--being a politics minor, this really piques my interest--and I accordingly gain stature among the community when my contributions are voted up "The Vine" by other members.

The role that online communities play has already been noticed by many corporations. They have discovered that while social networks can serve as a valuable tool in tracking audience feedback and buzz about their brands, they can also be a medium for promotion and viral communication. A lot of the time it's not about how your brand is there, it's simply about just being there. So much awareness is generated through simple images and dialogue. Second Life is a great example of just that. However, creating a way for people to interact with your brand on a consistent basis is really the best method of promotion and building brand image.

That's why communities that are hosted by the brands themselves are not entirely a bad idea. Politicians like Barack Obama have caught onto the benefits of such communities, and corporations like NBC will be reaping the rewards not just in promotion, but audience research as well when it launches its community-based project in June.

However, some consumers take brand interaction one step further. The influence and importance of consumer-generated content has never been more important. Websites like YouTube, Revver, Ziddio, Panjea, and numerous others have quickly grown in popularity and the proliferation of content has exploded. While obviously not all consumer content is branded, we're seeing a growing amount of content that is, and some corporations that are even soliciting this type of content. Success stories related to consumer-generated work are not rare either. The guys at EepyBird have even forged their successes to build a successful company!

And of course, let's not forget about the promotional power of the blogosphere and podcasting. Bloggers have the power to say whatever they want, and oftentimes have influence over a sizeable number of people. I don't think it's rare for viral, word-of-mouth marketing campaigns to begin at this level of Internet communication. That is why it is so important for corporations to figure out just how to get their brand or product out there to be talked about, and more importantly to be talked about in a positive manner consistent with the image they want to present.

So, how do they go about telling bloggers about themselves? Is it okay for members of a company to enter the blogosphere and social networking communities themselves? What are the perogatives?

While I will not claim to be an expert on this entirely, I have run across a few opportunities and become familiar with some of the guidelines for corporations taking social networking into their own hands. First of all, there are services that send press releases to influencers communicating in the world of Internet 2.0. There are also websites that help users build story "trails" to direct interested parties toward particular research or commentary concerning their brand. Obviously social bookmarking sites are also a great way to keep people up-to-date about your brand or company. Sometimes companies also feel the need to comment on their brand or product themselves. When speaking to Google, Seth Godin gave some great advice about not only the importance of following a permission marketing philosophy in all tactics, but also how to talk about your brand to bloggers and consumers in social networks. Basically, the just of his commentary said this: If people are talking about your brand or product, it's okay for you to respond and say something, but always identify yourself first. It's important to use integrity in whatever you do, otherwise if you're "found out" you'll have lost much more than you ever gained.

As I stated before, social networking is no where near its full potential. The communities themselves and the concepts behind them will only continue to grow and influence other aspects of our lives as time progresses. Some communities track what people are doing all the time: Slifeshare is an extreme example, Twitter another. I honestly don't think it will be long before these features become numerical and we begin to get statistics on how many people are doing what and how often are they doing it. Eventually, features like these will be integrated into the stores we shop, and the places we visit: for example Wal-Mart tracking the top items sold in the store vs. the nation for the day, the month, the year, ect. The opportunities for expansion are endless. The sooner corporations learn how to use these media to their advantage the better.