Continued from previous post:
Terms like Social Media, Social Networks, Blogs and Online Communities all refer to a
philosophy known as “Web 2.0”, a term coined several years ago to indicate a shift in
user preference and activity towards online self-publishing and content collaboration. Put simply, social networking and social media leverage a system of contributory and
collaborative media and knowledge management tools to put power in the hands of a
community of online users- collaborative networks- vs. in the hands of corporations or
traditional media outlets or institutions.
A Google search for “Web 2.0” turns up more than seventy million hits, the relatively
new Web 2.0 tech conference is one of the most popular today, and the World Economic
Forum in Davos has newly introduced panels on the world impact of Web 2.0. Media.
Coverage of social media and social networking has been extraordinary, with nearly daily
mentions of Web 2.0 in leading business magazines. Time magazine even made “You”
(each individual Internet user) the Person of the Year 2006 to indicate the extraordinary
business and social impact of web-based collaboration.
Social networking is essentially the bringing together of various Web 2.0 communications tools and methods and marrying the collaboration and user-generated content publication they enable within a connected online network. Much of the hype around social networking is attributed to the proven affinity for hundreds of millions of people worldwide for publishing personal information and content in open forums on social networks that are open to the public.
Of the most popular social networks, LinkedIn focuses on professionals, facilitating
expertise requests and business inquiries, and providing job postings and research tools.
Many recruiters use LinkedIn to source from millions of professional profiles. Some companies boast as many as 25% of regional hires through LinkedIn. As recently as March 2008 the LinkedIn Professional Network had more than 23 million members, approximately half based in the United States, with millions of UK, EU and Indian professionals participating as well. MySpace is more oriented towards friends and mutual interests and boasts more than 100 million members in more than twenty countries, making it among the most trafficked site on the web.
Another of the Web’s most popular sites, Facebook was originally started to connect
college students and alumni. In the last few years, membership has grown to more then
75 million spanning 80 countries. Despite the site’s roots, today, as many as forty
percent of users are between 35 and 50 years old. In addition to its social component,
Facebook has appeal to many companies for marketing initiatives as well as recruiting
and employer brand leverage. Its mostly college-educated demographic represents a
critical talent segment, and profile content tends to be more conservative and private.
An estimated fifty percent of employers screen applicants through profiles on popular
social networks9. However, social networking is often frowned on by employers because
content employees publish may be unprofessional and inappropriate to publish in the
corporate public domain. To combat these concerns, popular public social networks are
working to enhance user security levels to facilitate restricted permissions and access
between professional and social contacts and content.
Increasingly, albeit slowly, employees, colleagues, work groups and, in some cases, entire workplaces are self-selecting into corporate social networks. Often sponsored by or set up by corporations in addition to or in tandem with intranet sites, corporate social
networks allow company employees to engage in collaboration and business networking,
acting as both internal and external brand ambassadors through their communications
preferences and online activities.
Some companies are stuck grappling with legal concerns and threats to changes in corporate culture, while only an innovative few are taking important steps to tackle
planning challenges and embrace the new wave of interactive communications. Corporate social networking can provide transparency across departmental, affiliate and even
geographic barriers, allowing the corporate community to connect and facilitate the
identification of internal or external talent for projects, new roles and opportunities, while encouraging collaboration to solve functional problems. It can also be used to create or augment an internal directory, potentially to be linked to existing Human Resources systems. Leveraged correctly, social networking can present a potent marketing and branding mechanism, a virtual water cooler, and a catalyst for enhancements in corporate culture.
philosophy known as “Web 2.0”, a term coined several years ago to indicate a shift in
user preference and activity towards online self-publishing and content collaboration. Put simply, social networking and social media leverage a system of contributory and
collaborative media and knowledge management tools to put power in the hands of a
community of online users- collaborative networks- vs. in the hands of corporations or
traditional media outlets or institutions.
A Google search for “Web 2.0” turns up more than seventy million hits, the relatively
new Web 2.0 tech conference is one of the most popular today, and the World Economic
Forum in Davos has newly introduced panels on the world impact of Web 2.0. Media.
Coverage of social media and social networking has been extraordinary, with nearly daily
mentions of Web 2.0 in leading business magazines. Time magazine even made “You”
(each individual Internet user) the Person of the Year 2006 to indicate the extraordinary
business and social impact of web-based collaboration.
Social networking is essentially the bringing together of various Web 2.0 communications tools and methods and marrying the collaboration and user-generated content publication they enable within a connected online network. Much of the hype around social networking is attributed to the proven affinity for hundreds of millions of people worldwide for publishing personal information and content in open forums on social networks that are open to the public.
Of the most popular social networks, LinkedIn focuses on professionals, facilitating
expertise requests and business inquiries, and providing job postings and research tools.
Many recruiters use LinkedIn to source from millions of professional profiles. Some companies boast as many as 25% of regional hires through LinkedIn. As recently as March 2008 the LinkedIn Professional Network had more than 23 million members, approximately half based in the United States, with millions of UK, EU and Indian professionals participating as well. MySpace is more oriented towards friends and mutual interests and boasts more than 100 million members in more than twenty countries, making it among the most trafficked site on the web.
Another of the Web’s most popular sites, Facebook was originally started to connect
college students and alumni. In the last few years, membership has grown to more then
75 million spanning 80 countries. Despite the site’s roots, today, as many as forty
percent of users are between 35 and 50 years old. In addition to its social component,
Facebook has appeal to many companies for marketing initiatives as well as recruiting
and employer brand leverage. Its mostly college-educated demographic represents a
critical talent segment, and profile content tends to be more conservative and private.
An estimated fifty percent of employers screen applicants through profiles on popular
social networks9. However, social networking is often frowned on by employers because
content employees publish may be unprofessional and inappropriate to publish in the
corporate public domain. To combat these concerns, popular public social networks are
working to enhance user security levels to facilitate restricted permissions and access
between professional and social contacts and content.
Increasingly, albeit slowly, employees, colleagues, work groups and, in some cases, entire workplaces are self-selecting into corporate social networks. Often sponsored by or set up by corporations in addition to or in tandem with intranet sites, corporate social
networks allow company employees to engage in collaboration and business networking,
acting as both internal and external brand ambassadors through their communications
preferences and online activities.
Some companies are stuck grappling with legal concerns and threats to changes in corporate culture, while only an innovative few are taking important steps to tackle
planning challenges and embrace the new wave of interactive communications. Corporate social networking can provide transparency across departmental, affiliate and even
geographic barriers, allowing the corporate community to connect and facilitate the
identification of internal or external talent for projects, new roles and opportunities, while encouraging collaboration to solve functional problems. It can also be used to create or augment an internal directory, potentially to be linked to existing Human Resources systems. Leveraged correctly, social networking can present a potent marketing and branding mechanism, a virtual water cooler, and a catalyst for enhancements in corporate culture.
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