Social Networking

Social networking is the future. There is no getting around this. You may as well get aboard before you are hopelessly behind.

In the future our social networks will merge with our phones (as they have begun to already) and will be the center piece of our communication functioning. Through them we will email, call, video chat, watch TV, text and dare I say virtually live?

Myspace was the first to really catch fire. Myspace is the place for Entertainment types, people who want to showcase themselves, their music, ect and count profile views. It’s a simple format that is open the flexibility, you can keep it simple or make it horribly complex and convoluted, it’s up to you.

Facebook is for the everyday person. It’s not about putting yourself out there, it’s about networking with your friends, family and colleages. Facebook has brilliantly shown us the power and possibility of social networking; playing scrabble with your friends, posting and tagging photo’s viewable only by your family, Fan pages, groups contact info. Facebook is setting itself up very well in the social network driven future of communinication. Facebook offers something a little different than Myspace, it has built on Myspace but there is very much room for both.

People are talking a lot about Twitter these days… what is Twitter you might be wondering?

Twitter is a social networking site on which people ‘Tweet’ what they are doing. While it seems to be stealing all the social networking thunder these days, it is not really a competition to myspace or facebook (except for use time of course). Twitter is great for Politicians, entertainers, news outlets and blogs because it’s not about friends --friends are needy. Twitter is about ‘Followers’. If you like someone/something you follow it. They don’t have to follow you. This is exactly what newspapers/entertainers/Politicians want! They don’t have to be your ‘friend’ (this can be controversial for them) they just want you to follow them.

Twitter is unique though, it is bringing the true postmodern media interaction up to levels that Facebook and Myspace just were not able to. Twitter allows people to throw there media size thoughts (140 characters) to the media as things are happening. Because you can use a plethora of confusing tags you don’t even have to ‘follow’ someone to target a message to them… it truly is genius. It brings people access to TV shows, Celebrities and Politicians like never before. It also allows them to ‘feel out’ their base. Because of it’s practicality and ability to connect it shows great potential.

While I don’t think Twitter is for everyone, and there are a ton of ‘fakes’, ‘follower hungry psychos’ and sales pitchers on Twitter) there is a definite place for it, and I look forward to the future of it. What next? One minute video clips?

In conclusion: Social networking is the future. The sooner you get on the bandwagon the better your seat will be!