Blog Social Networking
It's almost impossible to be a college student in 2020 without having any type of social network profile. When the Internet became accessible everywhere and companies created technology innovative enough to have a small computer in your hand, social networking skyrocketed. One of the most prominent social networks is Facebook.
Initially, Facebook acted as a way for friends to stay connected with each other despite the number of miles that separated time. Now, Facebook and other social media networks can be and are used for more than constant connection.
Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, told Clive Thompson of the New York Times, that "News Feed is central to Facebook's success." The addition of News Feed to Facebook created discussion and helped start trends. It allowed for businesses to interact with customers, and for customers to stay updated with anything new that came out from the businesses. Businesses were able to increase their brand awareness through Facebook, which in return boosted their sales.
Aside from its marketing benefits, social networking can be used to increase customer service. Instead of calling a customer service line for help, customers can use direct messaging to get instant solution to the problem they're experiencing. This helps businesses increase customer satisfaction and saves the customer time.
Like all things social media has both its benefits and disadvantages. Some benefits include worldwide connectivity, professional growth, and increased human interaction. However, social networking could also result in a decrease in human interaction. In "Antisocial Networking?," Hilary Stout talks about how children teens communicate more through technology than face-to-face. The article includes a study from the Kaiser Family Foundation, who discovered that Americans between the ages of 8 and 18 spend 7 1/2 hours a day on average on an electronic device. This increase usage in electronic devices and social networking has resulted in detrimental situations such as cyber-bullying. However, many argue that the benefits of social networking cancel out these disadvantages.
For the future, I believe technology will only continue to increase its presence in humans's lives. This will definitely result in the development of more benefits and disadvantages, but hopefully the pros will outweigh the cons.
SOURCES:
Antisocial Networking? by Hilary Stout, New York Times, May 2, 2010, p. ST1. Available at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/fashion/02BEST.html
"Brave New World of Digital Intimacy " by Clive Thompson, NY Times, Sept 7, 2008 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/magazine/07awareness-t.html
Initially, Facebook acted as a way for friends to stay connected with each other despite the number of miles that separated time. Now, Facebook and other social media networks can be and are used for more than constant connection.
Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, told Clive Thompson of the New York Times, that "News Feed is central to Facebook's success." The addition of News Feed to Facebook created discussion and helped start trends. It allowed for businesses to interact with customers, and for customers to stay updated with anything new that came out from the businesses. Businesses were able to increase their brand awareness through Facebook, which in return boosted their sales.
Aside from its marketing benefits, social networking can be used to increase customer service. Instead of calling a customer service line for help, customers can use direct messaging to get instant solution to the problem they're experiencing. This helps businesses increase customer satisfaction and saves the customer time.
Like all things social media has both its benefits and disadvantages. Some benefits include worldwide connectivity, professional growth, and increased human interaction. However, social networking could also result in a decrease in human interaction. In "Antisocial Networking?," Hilary Stout talks about how children teens communicate more through technology than face-to-face. The article includes a study from the Kaiser Family Foundation, who discovered that Americans between the ages of 8 and 18 spend 7 1/2 hours a day on average on an electronic device. This increase usage in electronic devices and social networking has resulted in detrimental situations such as cyber-bullying. However, many argue that the benefits of social networking cancel out these disadvantages.
For the future, I believe technology will only continue to increase its presence in humans's lives. This will definitely result in the development of more benefits and disadvantages, but hopefully the pros will outweigh the cons.
SOURCES:
Antisocial Networking? by Hilary Stout, New York Times, May 2, 2010, p. ST1. Available at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/fashion/02BEST.html
"Brave New World of Digital Intimacy " by Clive Thompson, NY Times, Sept 7, 2008 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/magazine/07awareness-t.html
Great post ! I enjoyed your business application and how industries can use social networking to connect better to consumers.
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