There are now over 100 social networking sites and many vary considerably in size and speciality. Social Networking is a very powerful force and represents a staggering movement that continues to grow at an incredible rate. It’s already been with us for several years now and due to the way it’s continually evolving with the times the likelihood is that social media will be with us for many years to come.
Of all the different social networking sites Facebook is currently far and away the largest with a base of over 750 Million people (estimated December 1st, 2011). As the world population just turned 7 billion as at October 30th, 2011 the total number of subscribers to Facebook represents a 1 in 9 ratio figure of people on the planet currently using the Facebook social media site.
Originally Mark Zuckerberg and some friends who shared a common idea started Facebook. He is the CEO and it was co-founded as a private company in 2004 by Zuckerberg and classmates Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin and Chris Hughes while they were students at Harvard University. They were looking to find a more effective way to communicate on campus at Harvard. It was all originally started in his college dorm room. Never would they have imagined that back in 2004, it would turn into the awesome giant that it has become and still continues to grow at a phenomenal rate.
Initially Facebook was used mainly by people looking to socially network with friends, family and newly discovered friends globally. However that picture has changed and this social media platform has now become multi faceted in many different ways. With the advent of the Facebook Page millions of businesses have taken out a Facebook Page and gradually increased both their business profile and their advertising. This has increased exposure and of course revenue for Facebook.
More and more countries have opened up, with cultural and religious tolerances becoming more flexible in several different countries. Freedom of expression has become somewhat easier in these countries where many years of tyrannical rule and suppression has subsided or disappeared. People far and wide are expressing more openly their opinions on a whole wide range of issues. There are many individuals using the likes of Facebook and Twitter to spread their message regarding rallies, meetings, demonstrations, revealing political or religious intolerances and using these social media sites for a whole myriad of other uses.
Social Networking has grown at faster than the speed of light this year as Internet access to the various social media sites has become ever more easier and faster. Devices such as smart phones and ipads are making it all the more accessible. Dedicated access using fibre optic cabling with much greater bandwidth is now more widely available. People’s thirst for knowledge and sharing information is more insatiable than ever.
Using Facebook for your marketing is an effective way of getting increased exposure for your website or blog. The average user on Facebook is said to spend on average 55 minutes per day. This represents a very captive audience. People on Facebook tend to be very dedicated and passionate. They are loyal subscribers.
In the words of Mark Zuckerberg and his colleagues – “It’s not because of the amount of money. For my colleagues, and me the most important thing is that we create an open information flow for people”. “Having media corporations owned by conglomerates is not an attractive idea to me.” He restated these same goals to Wired magazine in 2010: “The thing I really care about is the mission, making the world open.”
Make the world open for your business and create an information flow that people will like and admire for many years to come.
Look out for our more extensive report on Social Networking, which will be published within the next 2 weeks. Unless you are active and using social networking sites on a regular basis then you are highly likely to be missing out on many new contacts in addition to more Online business.
Have an excellent day
Martin Jeszke