Should Firms Create Their Own Social Networks?

Several times in the past few years, I've been asked the next question in one single form or another:

"We want to get involved with the social networking scene [web 2.0] - should we start our personal social network revolving around our brand?"

The clear answer is an invariable and resounding "No." Bad idea for a few reasons. First, you have to know como comprar servicios de redes sociales and then your target is generally folks who're computer savvy and already are involved in at least one social network (Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Flickr, Amazon, eBay, Yelp, LinkedIn, etc.), and adding more social support systems to their mix only convolutes things. Additionally, all of those previously discussed social support systems revolve around an action. For Facebook and MySpace, it's connecting with friends. YouTube and Flickr are for sharing videos and photos, respectively. Amazon and eBay are for buying and selling things. Yelp is for reviewing services. LinkedIn is for developing your professional network. All action words. Never try to duplicate these social network services without a similarly simple and effective action that online consumers desire to take. Services like Ning, permit you to create your personal social network, but revolve around interests - essentially friends on Facebook - without offering any real value to its members. Why re-invent the wheel?

With that said, establishing your firm within each of these social support systems (or any network that makes sense for the brand) is just a fantastic idea for developing your web presence - especially as it costs so little. And additionally it is, ahem, something which Socia Light Media is rather good at.

However, in case of Group M, creating a social network may possibly not be such a bad idea. Well, sort of. It's not just a social network; just posing as one. Mspace (a play on MySpace) is truly a "training program that mimics social support systems to create digital skills" for their 3,600 employees. The interactive media company has a variety of shops with separate digital experience and talent and wished to tie everyone together to disseminate that knowledge and experience. They positioned 10 fake people as experts, behind all of which was a real person at Group M, to provide online lessons in fields including digital media processes, strategy, planning and buying, ad serving, and search and analytics, all delivered via video, audio, and games like crossword puzzles (which may be downloaded as podcasts).