Understanding the Power of Social Networking

Lately the explosion of social networking sites is being touted as the next way in person to person communication. Just think it wasn't that long ago when the rotary telephone was the king of communication for about 30-40 years. In just 2-3 years online networks of people have grown at an exponential pace.

What I would like to hopefully get across today is the power of using social networks. Unlike mailing or telephone, most people that use social networks are more available than ever before. In the past staying in touch meant sending a letter or giving a phone call. It was very difficult to keep up with large groups of friends, acquaintances and colleagues from the past. Now all you have to do it to add those people to your social network and you can contact, track their activity or simply stay in touch. Anyone over 25 years old, has probably 2000 or more people that have interacted with since birth. Can you image that gradeschool friend that moved away in the 3rd grade that you always wondered what happend to them? Using a social network could have let you stay in touch with them all this time no matter where they were in the world. As long as they had a computer and logged in to that network periodically.

Secondly, social networks can put you in touch with others of like mind or interest. Maybe you are in the polictical movement or have an interest in certain kinds of cars, or music or a sport or hobby. You can, though your current friends and contact find others with similar interests. This can also be used as a business contact tool for getting in touch with new potential customers.

Right now I"m reading a book called 33 Million People in the Room, How to create, Influence, and Run a successful business with Social Networking. This book goes over the power of just 25 people in a room that could potentially connect you with 33 million others. The way this works is mind boggling, but it follows the 6 degrees of separation theory. That you are connected everyone in the world removed from 6 other people. This is why social networks can grow at an exponential rate.

You will also learn about the various social network sites, and how to use them. The author will give advantages as well as disadvantages of using each of the listed sites. I feel this book is a must read for anyone who is just starting to use one of the social networking and trying to figure all this out.

In the short couple hundred pages you will understand really undstand if using social networking to build your business is right for you. (It really should be)

My current social networking favorites are Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter. I have also used myspace in the past, but it seems more geared towards music groups than anything.

You can connect with me via social networking by checking out my pages.
http://www.facebook.com/michaelEsparks



http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsparks


http://www.twitter.com/lubedirect






Michael Sparks-Entrepreneur