Speaking of mainstream...

Is social media getting more mainstream?

Vertical Leap Blog Tue, 25 Sep 2007 12:38 GMT +0000 by Kerry Dye

Those of us in the internet industry are very aware of social media. We use Facebook, StumbleUpon and Delicious. We know what Digg is and how it affects traffic. But how about the rest of the country? Outside of the technical professions and the universities, how is social media actually seen or used?

If you are a member of the so-called "Millennial Generation" you probably can't live without your messenger, social networking and internet connection. But if you are not, if you are Generation X or a Baby Boomer, then all of this is quite likely to be a foreign language. The adoption in these demographics is much slower, and the penetration of even the names of these high traffic, high volume sites is actually very low (try asking your Mum or Gran to join you on Facebook!).

Therefore it is interesting that the BBC news website has added social media icons to the bottom of its news stories. As one of the most widely read websites in the UK, this could make a real difference in the visibility of these sites to a different group of people.

My Take

This is what the beginning of a major trend looks like.

Wednesday September 26, 2007 - 06:15pm (EDT)

Social Networking For Business Goes (More) Mainstream

Social Networking For Business Goes (More) Mainstream With Microsoft, Google Moves From: Best Small Business Marketing Blog

Today, the Wall Street Journal reports that Microsoft is eying a 5% investment in Facebook for...hold your seat... close to $500 million, valuing Facebook at close to $10 billion. Writes WSJ:

Some industry executives believe the Internet today is facing the sort of turning point that the computer-operating-system sector confronted two decades ago: Whoever controls the technology platform for buying and selling online ads could hold tremendous power over the Internet industry for years to come -- much as Microsoft was able to use its Windows operating system to shape the personal computer.

For small businesses, advertising into social network sites could soon become a key marketing strategy. Social network sites not only have large numbers of users, but they have groups and hubs of users or "friends" making them potentially a perfect venue for the type of viral, word-of-mouth marketing that small businesses crave.

Google is not to be outdone in the social network market, however. Rumors have it the search giant is planning its own major move within weeks, basically aggregating all of its Internet properties -- including search, email, photos and social network site Orkut -- into a new social networking hub.

That's just one more reason for small businesses to keep their eye on the marketing opportunities in the social network area.

My Take

Small business benefiting from social networking... What a concept. And what a great fit - allowing them to exploit their strong local relationships and to cut the high cost of their ineffective, mass media advertising.

It is just a matter of time before a creative combination of business processes is employed in a non-obvious way

Wednesday September 26, 2007 - 12:12pm (EDT)