Well, I thought I’d start out my posting on social networking by giving a brief description of what it is or should be. I apologize if this is elementary for some of you, but I wanted to give a brief overview and then delve deeper into some current issues (like the Motrin scandal).
According to everyone’s favorite, Wikipedia, a social network is a social structure made of nodes (which are generally individuals or organizations) that are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as values, visions, ideas, financial exchange, friendship, kinship, dislike, conflict or trade. Again, what the heck is that?
Let’s break it down. I’ll use Facebook as an example because it was the first thing I used when I began my foray into social networking and I still think it’s the simplest. Facebook was first started as a site that bound people together by a major common interest: the college or university they were attending at the time. In this example:
Social Structure = Facebook
The specific type of interdependency = University of Florida or Florida State University or University of Central Florida (A college or university)
Facebook (and other social networking sites) is a tool that connects people to others with a common thread of interest. It’s basically an online club or group. And that’s how I like to look at it, an online club with limitless possibilities and one that you can attend from the convenience of your home or office or anywhere you are connected to the internet.
Much like an actual club with actual meetings, social networking sites will only provide as much as you give to it. For example, if you are a member of FPRA, but never attend, than you probably aren’t getting that much from it (Ahem, there is a Professional Development Luncheon THIS FRIDAY, cough cough). It works the same way with social networking. The more you are online, meeting people and conversing, the more you will get out of it. Now what exactly can you get out of social networking and how do you actually do this? Well, I think that’s a perfect topic for my next post.
For now, I leave you with homework. I will be creating the CWC FPRA Facebook blog this week. I invite you to sign up for Facebook, join the CWC FPRA group and start social networking! Also, visit around to a couple of social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, etc.
Melissa Filipkowski
Social Networking Butterfly
Melissa Filipkowski is an account executive at CAP, a brand marketing and public relations agency in Sarasota, Florida. She holds a M.S. in Business Management, a M.A. in International Business and an B.S. in Public Relations.
