Socialnomics, Part 1

How important is social networking in today's business world?  Knee jerk response would say it is very important for web start ups, but maybe not as much for well-established businesses and corporations.  And what about the mom-and-pop store over on Main Street?  Should they focus energy on wiring their business into the world of twitter, facebook, and YouTube?

Well, consider this: if facebook were a country, it would have the third largest population on the planet.  And consider that within 5 seconds of finishing this post, I will have "shared" the link on my facebook page - it will show up on almost 900 of my friends' newsfeeds with the click of one button.
  

I am currently devouring two books, Socialnomics: How social media transforms the way we live and do business - by Erik Qualman & Six Pixels of Separation - by Mitch Joel, the President of Twist Image.  Both books expose, and make blatantly obvious, the need for EVERY business in the world to plug in to social media: to not do so is putting yourself at a deliberate disadvantage.  Marketing has never been so easy and fast.  

It is not a matter of "giving in" to some fad that is occurring.  Social Media is here to stay; it has fundamentally changed the way the Western world functions.  And that cannot be argued against.  

I will be doing a periodic Socialnomics blog series over the coming weeks with commentary and personal insight, so check back regularly for more content on this fascinating subject.  You may be very surprised at just how "plugged in" we are to one another.