Vision - March 2009 - (Page 15) “People find these tools valuable because they help them get things done more efficiently,” he says. “Whether it’s publishing their photos, finding photos for their own projects, collaborating on the development of documents, budgets, etc., the ultimate measure of success in this space is use.” Connecting for Business Matt Hicks, a spokesperson for Facebook, says businesses are attracted to social media for the same reasons individual users are: to connect online. “Businesses are just as much a part of the social graph as people,” says Hicks. “These relationships help businesses form genuine connections with the people who care about the business. And since Facebook is a site in which people have trusted relationships, friends can make trusted recommendations to friends (about business and products).” Hicks says Facebook’s fastest growing demographic are users 25 years and older (with more than 70 percent of users residing outside the U.S.). For corporations, this specific user pool is important when it comes to driving sales of very specific products and services appealing to this age group. “Facebook pages allow businesses to build a presence,” explains Hicks. “Any business can have a page on Facebook and users can become fans of the page to express their interest in the product or business.” Using these fan pages, a business can also update users on the latest sales, the newest products and other timely promotions. “Businesses can also purchase Facebook ads,” says Hicks, which allows them to target promotional and marketing messages to specific audiences. “Businesses can target based on age, location, gender, keyword interests from user profiles, workplace, relationship status and education,” he says. “We also offer other types of ads for brands through the sales team.” Hicks says corporate participation in Facebook is especially attractive to businesses promoting technology. “It’s possible to use Facebook ads to target an audience that is interested in their services,” he says. For example, a software company can easily target consumers who have listed interests in computers, video games or programming. “Ads can also be targeted to specific locations, such as those where www.ce.org Social Media 101: The Ultimate Guide to Logging On ith social networking websites designed for everything from sharing viral videos to creating private and public work groups, it can be overwhelming to break into this world. The following is a roundup of popular social networking sites. Blogger.com A site where you create your own blog (or online journal) for posting information, sharing links, answering questions, providing advice and discussing news. CollectiveX.com A network that hosts “group sites” where users can create and network within customized groups privately. Facebook.com A network designed to connect friends and business associates with the opportunity to create groups and fan pages for people, products and experiences. Flickr.com A photo blog that lets users share still images and video through sets, groups and individual pages. LinkedIn.com A network designed to connect business peers individually and within groups and associations. MySpace.com A network to connect friends, businesses and products and also the ability to create and join specialized groups. W Ning.com A platform that allows users to create their own social networks based on interests, friendships, family and business plans. Plurk.com A social journal that lets you share information, updates, photos and news with fellow users. SecondLife.com A virtual reality where you can create your own avatar, connect with other users and visit virtual destinations (Second Life is also being used to conduct job interviews and for fundraising). Twitter.com Twitter is a micro-blog where users can update their status and communicate with other users. YouTube.com A video site that allows users to upload and watch video. technology is a major industry,” he says. HanPerson, a start-up video game designer, recently launched its first product on Facebook in 2008. Within three weeks of launching SumoKhan, a Sumostyle wrestling game, the user base grew from zero to more than 1,500 daily hits, according to Hicks, who says each user spends an average of 18 minutes per day playing SumoKhan on the site. “The benefits are in the relationship,” says Comcast’s Eliason. “Engagement in social media is new. There is no rule book. You have to figure it out as you go along, and figure out what works and what doesn’t work.” Eliason compares social media to a couple of guys hitting the golf course. There are often more deals made on the links than in the boardroom. • March/April 2009 15 http://www.Ning.com http://www.Plurk.com http://www.Blogger.com http://www.SecondLife.com http://www.CollectiveX.com http://www.Twitter.com http://www.Facebook.com http://www.YouTube.com http://www.Flickr.com http://www.LinkedIn.com http://www.MySpace.com http://www.ce.org
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.