Twitter and Facebook-Social Networking

Twitter and Facebook are just two social networking sites that are taking the Internet by storm. Both sites have so much to offer, and they also have so many users as well. Both of these sites have just exploded with many applications, and a person can do so much on these sites that people may need in their everyday lives. Let me explain a little about both of these sites and how they work.

Facebook is a way to connect with people you know, from the past or the present. It can also be a way to network with other people around the world as well. A person can upload pictures and videos, create photo albums, play online games, invite people to events such as parties or weddings, and people and businesses can invite people to join groups or become fans of their pages, too. A person can also make status updates to let their friends know what's on their mind. Facebook is free for anyone to join and it has over 300 million users worldwide.

Twitter, on the other hand, works a little different. Twitter lets others know what people are doing, and also, lets others know what's going on with them, too. Twitter accounts can be linked to cell phones, web pages, or IM services such as Yahoo Messenger, which allows the user to send and receive messages to and from others. The updates that are sent to people are known as tweets. Like Facebook, the site's free to join, but only has over 70 million users.

These social networking sites aren't just beneficial to everyday people. They are also helpful for businesses and organizations as well. They can help promote a business, or, can help create employment. An example would be with Twitter's TwitJobSearch. In the N.Y. Times article, "Twitter Could Become the Unemployed's Best Friend", Claire Cain Miller explains how jobs are now being posted on Twitter. In Miller's article, co-founder of WorkDigital William Fischer, who also created TwitJobSearch, also explains that "in the last month, 340,000 jobs have been listed on Twitter." Fischer says that Twitter is a "faster, cheaper, and easier way to recruit employers." TwitJobSearch scans Twitter for job postings by paying attention to content in which employment-related keywords appear. An example would be if a company is looking for a secretary. The search engine would categorize any openings for a secretary position.

Facebook also helps with marketing businesses. Kermit Pattison wrote an article in the N.Y. Times titled, "How to Market Your Business With Facebook", and explains that a large number of small businesses use Facebook to find new customers, build online communites of fans, and to figure out which demographic to reach out to. Pattison mentions that small businesses shouldn't just market or sell, but they should be more interactive and engage with fans as well. They should also listen to what fans are saying and can pick up ideas on how to improve their business.

Facebook also helps with big businesses and companies as well. Companies such as McDonald's and Montain Dew are among the top 50 companies that use Facebook best to help with their business. McDonald's ranks 23rd and Mountain Dew ranks 18th. To view the complete list, go to:

http://www.thebigmoney.com/articles/-big-money-facebook-50/2009/11/30/big-money-facebook-50

An example of a company that uses a Facebook page to help their company is Audi. Audi has a page on Facebook where anyone can join a discussion about the future design of its cars. This page would be especially useful if some of those fans will actually buy a new Audi coupe.

Twitter and Facebook definitely relates to the Long Tail because it has resources for all people who just socialize, and for those who are networking to make their business or company better. For companies and businesses, feedback from fans on these sites are readily available for them to see, thus they can make improvements and adjustments accordingly. They're also a democratizing tool as well because they can advertise and promote their business freely on these sites. Social networking sites are just one chapter in the future of the Long Tail and how media and technology are advancing daily.

The following photos were taken from flickr at the following sites from the following users using Creative Commons:

Twitter Logo map 09 by: the next web
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thenextweb/3346248321/

Facebook Logo by: Laughing Squid
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laughingsquid/986548379/

Information in this blog found at the following links:
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/25/twitter-could-become-a-recruiters-best-friend/?scp=6&sq=twitter&st=cse

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/business/smallbusiness/12guide.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&adxnnlx=1267985714-3mtj5TvrridIMMmRb8vaDA

http://onlinepublishing.suite101.com/article.cfm/what_is_twitter_and_how_does_it_work

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/TheBigMoney/top-50-facebook-companies/story?id=9203825