Social Networking

How I think Social Networking has taken over!

There are over 400 social media and social networking sites online,these include the likes of Facebook, Bebo, Flixster, MySpace and Hi5. A social network focuses on building online communities of people who share interests and activities or are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. Up until the past few years no one has asked about or used online social networks and today, some people cannot live without them! I for one, am not one of those! OK, fair enough I got a Facebook and Bebo account at my own leisure and I have a Twitter account because of my course work. But some people just go over board with their social networking accounts, spending hours on them everyday and having to go online everyday just because they "have to check their Facebook account", and I don't know what it is with others that go online every half hour to update their status; "I've just ate a take out with my boyfriend, now we are sitting down to watch the Xfactor" and after this " we enjoyed the Xfactor soooo much, we are now watching, The Hangover on DVD"...... Who cares!!! Many people nowadays can't live a day without checking their Facebook!

On the up side Facebook and the likes are very handy for anyone to keep in touch with friends and family. I know for sure that if it wasn't for Facebook or Bebo I wouldn't be able to keep in touch with a lot of my friends in other countries. Especially after spending an Erasmus year abroad with many friends in different countries it is great to keep in contact with them through Facebook. For businesses, I believe social networks are a great way to market their business. It is cheap and also when connected with the right people its a good way to conduct business, meeting new clients, updating existing customers and promoting new products/services.

Any type of Virtual Community holds three different rules; 1) you are dealing with real people, 2) makes it easy for people to contribute to the community 3) gives people something interesting to respond to.

So in conclusion, at the moment I feel social networking has taken over but for how long more?? Nobody knows... From the "boom of Bebo" to the "boom of Facebook". What social networking site is next or is there any at all??