1. Compare Infobase Limited
Social Networking Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Online social networks unify individuals sharing a common interest, or one or more types
of relationships like friendship, employee-employer relationship, fan clubs, kinship,
etc. Members of a group interact, share thoughts, or work for a cause. Nowadays
corporate entities are using online social networking as a tool to reach to their
consumers and prospects. Consumers get a common platform where they directly
interact with representatives of a company. Popular social networking platforms
include:
· Blogs
· Facebook
· Flickr
· Hi5
· LinkedIn
· MySpace
· Twitter
· YouTube
The social networking accounts are usually handled by PR team members. They will be
prompt in answering to the queries, reaching out to the potential customers and
giving away latest information about the company. The greatest advantage of this
media is its interactive nature. This virtue fetches great credibility on the products
and services of a company. The PR team can help the management in either help
fixing up a deal, replying to query, catering to an aggrieved customer, reaching out to
the potential customers, letting the stakeholders know the status of the company or a
particular project, and sharing the joy of success etc. Social networking if used as a
tool of marketing can help the company generate great deal of revenue as well.
Discounts, offers, packages etc can be updated over social networking sites, which
will reach the consumers in minutes. It plays an important role in Reputation
management as well. There are instances where in companies were made to
apologize publicly after posting socially inappropriate content. Café Coffee Day had
a tough time after tweeting over Mahatma Gandhi, and hurting the sentiments of
Indians. They had to apologize in public in less than an hour to cool down the storm.
Social networks also reveal how organizations interact with each other. These interactions
may include informal connections that link executives together, as well as
associations and connections between individual employees at different
organizations. Hence it is very important to be very cautious while interacting as well
as giving away information.

2. Compare Infobase Limited
Social networking started with Bulletin Board System (BBS). These were online meeting
places where users communicated with a central system, and with other users using
messages; they could also download files or games. BBSes were popular for two
decades starting from 1980s. CompuServe, another avenue for social interactions
was developed during late 1980s. It allowed its members to share files, send private
messages and access news and events. AOL (America Online) was the first to give
shape to social networking sites. It had member profiles and member-created
communities. Yahoo at the opposition had Amazon ready, which dealt with selling of
books online.
In 1995 a social networking site that fits our perception came in to existence,
Classmates.com. This site enabled people to locate their old school or college
friends. This site was followed by many others including SixDegrees.com.
AsianAvenue.com, and BlackPlanet.come etc. Later, the milestones in the history
of social networking were laid by Friendster (2002), LinkedIn (2003), MySpace
(2003) Facebook (2004) and Twitter (2006) in 2000s.
The future of Social Networking seems bright in terms of competition, as there
are many other social networking sites coming up, focusing on increasing
demand in help maintaining interpersonal relationships and growing
technologies. Varying interests of people, their diverse nature and at the same
time the global phenomenon named globalization makes people to have profile in
various social networking site. According to Gina Bianchini, CEO of Ning, “In ten
years we’ll see millions of social networks for every niche, need, language,
location and passion,” she said. “I disagree that people want a single profile–they
want to have identities for different social networks.”