Socail media is where we now look to to make friends

Nearly 20% of us now rely on the value of social networks to meet new people and maintain relationships. Is this a worrying statistic or simply just an evitable shift as more activity moves online?

Many reasons could have caused this:
Increase in social network sites and forums
Sophistication of digital 3D social spaces such as second life and lively
Credit Crunch curbing consumer spending in social environments
Rise in living costs
Change in online surfing attitude and behaviour
Lack of confidence to meet people face to face
Geographical barriers due to increased mobility
Smoking ban driving people out the pubs and public places

But what will this do for society? Will we all become introvert computer nerds, scared to go outside because god forbid we may have to interact with humans rather than our keyboards!

I admit this may be taking a bit too far but I have started to row concern after reading an article in the metro reporting than a third the residents of aptly named Barking depend on their internet connection for a social life! (according to a poll anyway so there is hope that statistics can be wrong)

So what does this mean for brands? If more of our interactions are going online, brands need to follow. I would of thought raises the hope for them to be accepted by consumersas friends and interacting with them if people are spending more time on the net, more time doing shopping online and more willing to talk to strangers.

Having an online prescence in therefore more important than ever as you no doubt already know.

Persona offer excellent online marketing, branding, web design and development for anyone who is looking to improve their online profitability.
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Facebook News Flash

This video highlights the superficialness of social networks. Is this a true representation of what its all about? Leave a comment to have your say

Social Media Explained

I've become quite a fan of Common Craft's plain english videos on you tube. This one for example manages to explain the whole concept behind social media in a quaint way using ice-cream, a rather appropriate example for the summer. Follow this link to check it out.

Warning: possible side effects include a strange craving for pickle flavoured ice-cream.

Social media Addiction

Obsession with social media has been picked up by Moserious who felt compelled enough to rap about it. Check out the video on youtube via this link and find out if your an addict.

One day will we wake up to find we invest all our time conduct on social networking sites and reading each others blogs and end up forgetting about the real world? I hope not. It's a bit of a mission to keep up with all my accounts but nothing can beat a day next to a lake with your mates and a bbq on the go or is that just me?