Use of Social Media in an Organization

            One of the best ideas for a maturing company is to look at using social media platforms to induce more prospects and sales. This social media process has to be done the right way in terms of customer satisfaction through benefits to the customer for becoming involved in their companies social media activities. There can't be a Facebook, LinkedIn, and Blogger page dropped down instantly, but more of a process of tweeking and experimenting in order to please their audience.
            Many companies have already become innovators of social media tools such as Starbucks 'myideaswebsite' and Dell's 'ideastorm'. Both of these social media tools they set up take all customer feedback and implement the data through to the customer service department for each of their organizations. This is a key form of social media at it's best, bacause it helps Dell and Starbucks improve products and customer satisfaction daily.
     Mr. Steve Rubel advises companies such as Dannon, HewlettPackard, and Microsoft. Mr. Rubel says that he advises these companies that they need a personal presence (which is way different than that of push advertising), and a process of 'shared mutual gain' where the customer benefits and the company benefits. His video discusses the thought process companies must go through to gain customer satisfaction and how much effort he goes through in order to present the value of social media for one's company.
            There are companies that are at a dissadvantage with using social media, such as health care companies, because of all of the privacy issues that come along with it. Fortunately, as social media's presence grows there will eventually be a spot for companies facing privacy issues due to opened up communities created.

Link to video: http://www.steverubel.com/video-the-future-of-social-media

Facebook: Single. Married. It's Complicating.

        Facebook and many social media platforms are free and easy. This is an easy way to get your name out 'their' as a person and/or company. Some companies aren't as suitable for social media sites such as Business to Business fields who don't have to 'jazz' any of their product up for other business's. However, if there is a reason for a company to start their own Facebook page, they should deffinately do so. Companies should not jump the gun with the process of creating social media page to ensure they make it accordingly for the public. Facebook has been on top and sure-passed Myspace in the past, due to some better features like easier access to photos and a status bar.
         Facebook stole the gold for the relationship status toolbar. Many girl's/boy's have spent endless hours wondering why their boyfriend/girlfriend changed their status to 'single.' I think that the worste one is 'it's complicating'. What does that mean? Why are there so few of options for relationship status when 'it's complicated' is in the bunch?
            Relationships have been ruined by people saying that they are 'with' to someone, and then their actual boyfriend/girlfriend leaves them, because they believe the other person isn't faithful. However, recognize how real the relationship toolbar has gotten.
             Not to mention (but I will), how fanatic people got about the 'friend' icon. I had my grandparents asking me why I hadn't added them yet! Plus, it's so easy to become a friend with someone. It is just clicks away.
          Facebook has really over-thrown any other social media platform yet to come. Their is a small majority of people who do not have a Facebook page, but it is a small group compared to the majority. Facebook has shown everyone that social media exists and it's staying here.

Can Social Media Become too Much?

Technology is moving so fast, and it's amazing looking back to 5 or 10 years ago when it was starting to really catch on when considering the growth of the internet. Our internet has gone from website numbers in the double digits to enormous levels of websites that have been created to touch every possible subject matter that someone could think of to search.
Not only has the internet been successfully updated with many technological advances, but even more capabilities have sprung forward within the last couple of years called social media. Social Media connects the world in more ways than ever imaginable. This is done through way of Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, etc. to stream through the internet in a 'social' way of introducing yourself to billions of people around the globe while sitting on the couch with no one personally around. Not only is their just Facebook, but also tools like Foursquare, Groupon, and Digg.
My ultimate question is can this source of social power become overwhelming to our society?
There seems to be so much information streaming in that it seems like our society should be robots with computing so much miscellaneous knowledge and know-how.
Or, is this the biggest move our society has done as a people to further the educational resources that we receive from communicational endevors?
         Libraries have become less significant, because the internet has become an excellant secondary resource that has changed our means of gathering research. Social Media has connected social relationships among people, and has become an excellant business resource. Social Media is a new way of doing things and is growing rapidly. We will just have to see how wide-spread this tool will be taken.

Can Online Communities Be valuable to the players?

Second Life

       Melanie Fudge has many concerts that she creates on Second Life and is a solo singer. Her name in Second Life is Mel Cheeky, and has a huge fan base in real life due to her performances in Second Life. She went from playing the few songs that she knew for an hour to 50+ self written songs. Melanie grew a fan base from her many concerts she eventually grew on to perform.  This social media tool is very interesting, because you can build anything and become famous for doing so within the game. A 9/11 shrine was created to show dedication to the loved ones lost throughout the 9/11 travisty. 

       Internet users can live alternate lives through their avatars, and one of the various ways play is you can create business corporations and be the head boss. Someone can achieve recommendations from employers if they prove to be a great bussinessman from Second Life credentials to Real Life career opportunities. Not to mention all of the coinage they produce from their production through gaming. 

     The disadvantage of Second Life is that there is a lot of sexual activity growing within the game, and this is causing the game to lose value due to it's explicitness.

Does anyone else have any input on Second Life or any other online communities?

http://www.melcheeky.com/