Social Media Explained
The explosion of social media has brought with it a slew of new sites with names spelled in ways that would make any English language enthusiast cringe. But if you are willing to look past the misspelling and bad grammar, these sites and applications really go a long way in helping you interact with your customers.
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In a nutshell Twitter.com is a social networking platform which allows users to exchange messages via their web site, text messages through cell phones, and instant messaging services like AIM, Yahoo Instant Messenger, etc. Users can sign up on the Twitter and have their own profile page that displays their latest updates. In addition, users can become “friends” and share these updates with one another, or simply be a “follower” and access the messages posted by the people they follow. Why is it useful? Beyond the fact that Twitter allows you to broadcast your thoughts and share ideas with millions of people around the world, it has become a valued source for information as it is taking place. Even credible news agencies are relying on the updates of “citizen journalists” who share eye-witness accounts of major world events. For businesses, Twitter allows brand managers to gauge the acceptance of their products in the market place by listening in on the conversations of various stake-holders. Also, Twitter provides a powerful networking platform by allowing less formal interaction between buyers and sellers. Top Alternatives |
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In a nutshell Facebook is a free social networking web site that lets users join networks organized by city, workplace, school, and region connect and interact with other people. People can also search for and add friends who are already registered with the site. Key features on Facebook are the ability for people to send and receive public or private messages, update their personal profiles, and share photos, videos, news stories, as well as comment on them. Currently, Facebook has over 200 million users, worldwide, with an average of 120 people in their individual networks. Why is it useful? Businesses and organizations are increasingly using Facebook as a point of contact for customers by creating “fan pages.” When users choose to become fans of a particular product or brand, their entire network of friends is notified and thereby represents the holy grail of marketing: personal endorsement by trusted peers. According to Facebook, more than 6 million users become fans of pages each day. Top Alternatives |
Del.icio.usIn a nutshell People have been bookmarking web pages since the advent of the modern web browser, but free social bookmarking services like Delicious have take it a giant step further. Delicious, also known as Del.icio.us, is a social bookmarking web site for storing, sharing, and discovering web bookmarks. Web users can register a free account with at Delicious and immediately start saving their favorite web pages as they browse the Internet. They can choose to make their bookmarks private or available to other Delicious users to either refer back to later or share. A majority of blogs and web sites feature a Delicious icon to help users bookmark their site or articles to the user’s Delicious account. There are also an increasing number of browser add-ons that have been developed to make saving and sharing bookmarks even easier. Why is it useful? Delicious and other social bookmarking web sites can be a very powerful source of information and reference on any number of topics. Rather than relying on computers (search engines) to find links and web sites relating to your topic of choice, the sites that are bookmarked on delicious are actually cherry-picked by human beings who have found use and value in that information. Delicious also allows users to add descriptions and categorize links by adding multiple tags (keywords) that make the information much eaiser to sift through. As a web site owner, you should ensure that your site bookmark-friendly by adding a Delicious bookmarklet. Top Alternatives Digg |
FlickrIn a nutshell Flickr gives people a simple way to manage and share their photos and video clips with family, friends and strangers (if you so choose) on the Internet. Since Flickr is owned by Yahoo, you can login to Flickr using a Yahoo email address and password and start uploading your pictures right away. Otherwise, registration is relatively straight forward Flickr offers a very thourough and intuitive Flickr help and support section. Why is it useful? Flickr has a wide range of features that appeal to businesses. Among these are the ability to tag and organize photos into a number of different sets and categories and control which users have access to what photos. Flickr also offers a number of ways to upload images to your space – from their web site, by downloading a special uploader to your desktop, or even by emailing them to an email address that is specific to your account. Another useful feature is the variety of widgets and plugins that allow users to embed slideshows or dynamically display thumbnails from your Flickr stream on your own web site. So that when you upload new photos to Flickr, they will automatically display on your site. Top Alternatives |
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In a nutshell Linkedin is a social network targeting business professionals. This community provides a workspace to create a professional profile or resume, connect with others in the community, connect with groups, ask questions, and search for jobs. Why is it useful? Linkedin is an active resource for recruiters and job seekers. Although employment opportunities are a large segment of Linkedin’s appeal it is not just for individuals looking for a job. Business professionals use the site to host their online resume, connect with co-workers, find clients or vendors, and establish credibility through links, answers, and recomendations. The site allows individuals to search for keywords, businesses, or people. Top Alternatives |
Search enginesIn a nutshell A web search engine is a way for people to find information on the Internet, and for businesses to advertise their services to potential customers. Searches are shown on the computer screen as a list with links for users to follow. Search engines reduce the amount of time needed to find specific information and make a direct contact for merchandise and services. Search engines use automated software called spiders or bots, continually sweeping for information, compiling that information for searches and presenting websites that rank high in hits, or visits. This information changes every nanosecond. Why is it useful? As billions of people incorporate the Internet into their lives and shopping habits, and as advertising declines in newspapers, radio and through direct mail, it is crucial for business owners take this medium seriously to increase market share. According to searchenginewatch.com, search engines are the primary way Internet users find information. Top Alternatives Yahoo! Search Bing |
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