Understand how social networking is evolving, which users are found in what networks and how to engage audiences as this medium starts to come into its own.
Social networking is not a trend; it has been around since about the same time as gossip. Using social networks to extend a brand message isn't new either -- since the 1950s, this phenomenon has been written about, studied and incorporated into marketing campaigns. What is new, however, is the technology that supports multiple ongoing relationships, the instantaneous sharing of personal information anywhere, anytime, and the adoption of these technologies by a wide swath of users.
Online social networking, once the purview of technically savvy early adopters and those who grew up with laptops instead of typewriters, is moving into the mainstream, and will evolve. At the same time, the vanguard moves onward, incorporating social media into new aspects of their lives and providing brand marketers with new platforms to inspire conversations. Savvy marketers must understand how social networking is evolving, which users are found in what networks and how to engage this ever changing media in order to successfully employ the tools at their disposal.
Social networks are in constant flux
One simple fact in the evolution of social networks is that an element of exclusivity is desirable. As networks evolve, the users do as well. Facebook started almost 5 years ago, available only to college students, and grew quickly, due to a combination of great functionality, an open platform and a privacy-oriented friending model. Within a few years, it opened its doors up to any user, and began enabling brands to promote themselves online as well.
Inevitably, as the platform opened up, the perceptions of the users changed. In one interview of teenage social networking users, a participant said, "The moment my little sister joins Facebook, I'm gone." Another user, a mom, expressed similar sentiments, "My kid would never friend me, he'd be mortified." The takeaway is that research is necessary for marketers planning a social networking campaign: what is the particular demographic on the targeted network, and what trends can be seen in their evolution over time?
