The newest trend these days in business is social networking to publicize a firm. The days of having to have a site for validity are years past now. the new things is, you almost have to have a Facebook site for your firm. There are not many businesses that don't have a website; and if I can't find one, I would no doubt not choose to do business with them. I foresee in the not to distant future a commerce environment where if they can't see your business's Facebook wall, they probably won't believe that you are an authentic business. I began a blog and a Facebook wall for my company, for the most part to provide a way of bringing attention to the business, and to generate backlinks to raise up my Google rating. Truthfully, I do not care if anybody goes tos these pages, they produce links that nobody can "not approve", and there is very little upkeep to them. Am I taking full advantage of the power of "Social Networking"? Perhaps not; but the large-scale question is, does anybody truly care? I can understand people clicking "Like" for their favorite movies and bands, etc. What I can't understand is why some companies assume that anybody would want to go to their social walls? I get some traffic on my site; but the only people who were kind enough to sign up are some of my own partners and family. I was commuting around with a colleague recently, and we passed a car wash with an electric sign compelling us to join their Facebook page. Are you serious? Even if it was the world's best car wash, even if you are disturbingly strict about having a clean car, why in the heck would you take the time to become a follower of a car wash? A mere two or three years ago, you would never have seen that familiar blue icon. Now, it seems to be very popular. Most magazine articles display it, and many television commercials now offer you, very optimistically to "like" their wall. My soap is only soap. I like it because it gets me clean, and it has a pleasant smell; but do I owe them loyalty to the point where I will sign their site, and start getting trash in my own social page? Do I want my friends and co-workers to know what bar soap I use? It is not that I have anything to hide; but really, must those in our outer circle of associates know just about everything about us? If you are auto shopping and decide to know when a new vehicle comes out, it makes sense. If your favorite restaurant or bar uses their page to announce specials and to circulate coupons, that might make sense. A lot of items just do not lend themselves to social advertising. Pretty much anything that you would find at a grocery store is a poor candidate for social network marketing. If I had a buddy who took the time to add "Gain" to their Facebook page, I might need to "un-friend" them. If my prediction comes true, there will be no escaping the progress of social networking. It will go on to be as ever present as every other form of marketing that has gone in and out of style. Of course, I am guilty as well because I make use of social network advertising; but as I mentioned before, I truly do not care if my business has a million friends or just the three dozen something that I currently have. I could be wrong; it would not be the first time. If I go on to see there is more than a vanity purpose to this type of advertising, I may have to change my opinion; but I do not really expect that it will transpire.
Article Source: http://www.articlecontentprovider.com/articlesubmit
Social networking is everywhere in the last couple of years; but is it really worth the work.
Brent Tan
Please Rate this Article
5 out of 5 4 out of 5 3 out of 5 2 out of 5 1 out of 5
