Social Networking

I think Social Networking has gone a long way and it still has a long way to go. I know for a face that many corporations keep in touch with their "fan" through the usage of Facebook and MySpace. One example I know for a fact is regarding HBO. I am currently interning there and I know that HBO has close to 35 Facebook Fan Pages for various shows and movies they release. It has 4 pages alone for True Blood, its hit series, and the fans number close to 800'000. HBO uses these Facebook pages to post programming updates, ask opinions from fans, post new merchandise links, post discounts and coupons to its online store, and post images as well as videos in order to engage the fans even after the show is over. It is primarily used in order to create marketing buzz around the show even after the show is over and also to make revenue from selling merchandising items. It also serves as a great way to keep a dialogue with the fans and allow them to voice their opinions in regards to vital issues. HBO reviews these websites and then gains important insights into how the fans feel about what is going on. It also keeps the communication going between HBO and its fans.

The benefits of these technologies to the society is that people are able to stay more connected to people in their lives that they might have otherwise lost touch with. It also allows for people to share information, such as videos and pictures, with many of their friends and family. I also think it serves as a good way to get away from daily life and escape into a more peaceful and fun life. Some people are also able to communicate better with others over the internet and build lasting relationships on these social networking sites. Of course the "dark side" is that people can get either carried away with spending time on these websites or these websites can become platforms for potential crime.

I think in the future social networking sites will be pose even greater opportunities for marketers and various organizations in order to maintain their relationship with their audience but I also think these websites will be more closely monitored by the government in order to prevent crime. I also think these websites will act as great ways to build and maintain relationships on the professional level, as the NPR article points out! As mentioned in the article LinkedIn has "a network of 8 million professionals"- and that is a great starting point in finding a job!