Social networking is a significant communications channel and, like the 'Hoover' brand name that evolved to collectively refer to all vacuum cleaners, it is the 'Facebook' brand name that is creeping into everyday vocabulary of the masses ("I Facebook; I'm Facebooking; I'll Facebook you; I Facebooked you"), and as a result, starting to collectively represent an understanding of what social networks are about.
In the UK, Facebook has the greatest market share of all the social networks (with MySpace and Bebo following behind), however, attached to this comes huge proactive responsibilities to ensure that the perception of social networking, as a channel, remains largely positive going forward. The EU agency for network and information security ENISA has already published a paper of security issues and recommendations for social networks (PDF 0.8MB) that Facebook needs to embrace given the responsibility of its leadership position.
Gartner research has reported that businesses have yet to realise the potential opportunities and benefits of social networking that would support corporate communications, both internal and external. Part of this tardiness is down to what Gartner research term 'throwing sheep' syndrome - the superficial (yet popular) 'Am I hot?' widgets typically found on Facebook.
The research found that 38% of PC and mobile phone users connect to sites like MySpace and Facebook via PCs. Single people and teenagers and more men than women came top in terms of usage. The survey revealed that in large part they went online for entertainment purposes or to keep up with friends and family - social activities, therefore, the challenge is harnessing this behavioural usage for a business benefit.
The success of Facebook is its widgets, the viral approach it takes in organically publicising these ensuring compatibility across channels, the member-get-member approach to pulling-in new users, and the sustained loyalty it receives from like-minded social groups with a common interest who return to the network in order to fulfill a need. If businesses embrace these behavioural traits, then the power of social networking as a corporate communication channel can be realised.
RELATED LINKS:
Download ENISA Position Paper: Security Issues and Recommendations for Online Social Networks (PDF 0.8MB)
Cx3 Blog entry: Generation Y communicate, unite and shout
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