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Online social networking is becoming incredibly
popular day by day. It attracts
millions of Internet users every day since
social networking sites such as Facebook,
Friendster and MySpace can be used to serve many
purposes. Business people use
social networking sites as a marketing tool
while university administrators use them
as a tool for communication with students and
staff. One of the most famous social
networking sites is Facebook as proven by
statistics in a report by Alexa.com, a web
information company based in the United States.
Facebook ranks first among the 100
top sites surfed by Malaysians. There are
several advantages of online networking
inclusive of cost,
credibility and connectivity, but
it is time
consuming! Cost matters to most people.
Therefore, using online social networking is the
best
way to communicate with people in the world
since it is cheap. In a social networking
site, an entrepreneur can scout out potential
customers and target markets with just
a few clicks online which cost less and adds a
boost to
conventional advertisements
and promotional strategies. For example, a film
producer spends thousands of ringgit
to produce an advertisement about his movie.
Then he spends a lot more to advertise
his movie on television. However, by using
social networking sites, the advertisement
can be advertised at a minimal cost. It will
also allow him to get
immediate feedback
and comments which can be tremendous. For a
business person, this is the best way to
move forward whether on a budget or not.
For personal users, social networking sites
can be used to keep friends and relatives
close. By posting a status on Facebook wall,
friends who are studying in Melbourne,
for example, will know what you are doing in
Malaysia without incurring cost.
This
is much cheaper than making a phone call which
can be rather expensive. If there are
photos to be shared with friends, you can just
upload them and then tag your friends no matter where they are. They will receive
immediate notification of the uploading. So
this saves you from printing photos and mailing
them to your friends. Further, it may
take weeks for photos to reach your friends
overseas. Thus with online networking,
you do not have to spend a lot of money to keep
in touch with friends and relatives.
In business, gaining customers' trust is very
important. That is why many
companies, no matter how big or small, have
created a social network page to make
sure they can post information about
their products or answer queries. If you are able
to gauge
your customers' interest on both the personal
and professional levels, you
will definitely gain their confidence. As long
as you do not push your customers too
aggressively, you will do well online.
Having an online social network account also
helps you build new connections.
You become friends with people who have other
friends. You may get connected
virtually with friends of friends by searching
your friends' lists. You may also create
your own web of connections that can give you
leverage if you play your cards well. As
long as you give as well as receive, your 'new
friends' will most likely stick with you.
These connections are valuable in the long term.
However, being an online social networking
user would just be a waste of time if
you are not into technology. This is because you
have to become an active member of
the community and spend a lot of time building
up your reputation. The key to social
networking is to enjoy and have fun whether you
are doing it for business or for other
purposes.
For personal users, being online on social
networking sites without discipline
and control can create problems. According to
studies conducted by researchers in
the United States, users who do not control
their online activities, especially on social
networking sites get addicted to these social
networking sites. Hence, a mother might
neglect her children and household chores or
school-going children do not complete
their homework all because
they want to be online, 'update'
their status on the
Facebook wall and comment on others' status.
In conclusion, it is up to you to consider
whether you would like or dislike to be
a user of online social networking sites by
weighing the pros and cons of online social
networking. However, if you choose not to be
a user and do not have a Facebook
account, do not blame your grandchildren if they
do not call you up to ask after your
welfare. So what are you waiting for? Start
Facebooking now! |
