| Social networking is currently one of the hottest | | | | someone to a party, they’d mail an invitation. |
| Internet trends—and quickly gaining popularity. | | | | If they wanted to share pictures with friends |
| Three of the most popular social networking sites, | | | | they’d make print of their film and put |
| Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, are currently in | | | | together a scrap book. If they wanted to quickly |
| the top 15 most popular websites—both | | | | ask someone a question or tell them some news, |
| globally and in the US. These three websites and | | | | they’d give them a call or leave them a |
| other social marketing movements have literally | | | | memo. |
| changed the way we communicate, do business, | | | | Ten years ago, these daily tasks moved to the |
| and interact socially. | | | | Internet. Emails began to cover many of the |
| Words and phrases like “friend request,” | | | | tasks that would have been mailed, like invitations, |
| “unlike,” a “tweet” have become | | | | bills, notices, fliers, memo’s, etc. Digital photos |
| an acceptable part of our daily vocabulary. The | | | | helped make sending them over email, or posting |
| sharing of news, pictures, gossip, and stories | | | | them to a blog or photo sharing website possible. |
| among friends and acquaintances has become | | | | Still, it required some work to upload attachments |
| instant, on-demand, and more informal and | | | | or create an account on these websites. Even |
| convenient than ever. The definition of | | | | then, getting others to be able to access it |
| “friend” has become anyone you know, | | | | required additional emails and account set ups. |
| or even anyone with whom you’ve at least | | | | Instant messaging and chat started becoming a |
| had a brief conversation—either online or | | | | popular way to communicate, but not everyone |
| offline. | | | | could be online all the time, so it had its limitations. |
| Many businesses are now taking advantage of the | | | | Today, you can do all of these things from a |
| popularity of social networking. There are many | | | | Facebook account. Since nearly everyone you |
| companies and organization that are getting free | | | | know has an account, you can find and keep in |
| advertising, revolutionizing their marketing | | | | touch with anyone you want—no matter |
| strategy, and investing an increased amount of | | | | where they live or how often you see them. You |
| their time and budget to get noticed on Facebook | | | | don’t need to know their phone number, |
| or maintain a Twitter account—something that | | | | email address, physical address, or screen name. |
| would have been unheard of even a few years | | | | You just add them as a friend! You can write |
| ago. Social networking has open doors to gaining | | | | messages, instantly share photos, chat, instant |
| and spreading information that it’s no longer | | | | message, blog, and read and watch everything |
| just considered a silly pastime for college and high | | | | your friends have posted. You can set up events, |
| school students. | | | | causes, and pages, invite anyone and keep them |
| As for the individual, a website like Facebook has | | | | all informed. |
| everything when it comes to communication and | | | | Social networking is starting a revolution and |
| leisure. Consider this comparison of how times | | | | setting new ground rules. And it’s only just |
| have changed: | | | | begun. |
| Twenty years ago, if people wanted to invite | | | | |