1. What is Social networking?
A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on
facilitating the building of social networks or social relations among people who, for
example, share interests, activities, backgrounds, or real-life connections. A social network
service consists of a representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a
variety of additional services. Most social network services are web-based and provide
means for users to interact over the Internet, such as e-mail and instant messaging. Online
community services are sometimes considered as a social network service, though in a
broader sense, social network service usually means an individual-centered service
whereas online community services are group-centered. Social networking sites allow users
to share ideas, activities, events, and interests within their individual networks.
The main types of social networking services are those that contain category places (such
as former school year or classmates), means to connect with friends (usually with self-
description pages), and a recommendation system linked to trust. Popular methods now
combine many of these, with American-based services Facebook, Google+,
and Twitter widely used worldwide
Social Networking Architecture
Social networking is based on a certain structure that allow people to both express their
individuality and meet people with similar interests. This structure includes having profiles,
friends, blog posts, widgets, and usually something unique to that particular social
networking website -- such as the ability to 'poke' people on Facebook or high-five someone
on Hi5.
Profile. This is where you tell the world about yourself. Profiles contain basic information,
like where you live and how old you are, and personality questions, like who's your favorite
actor and what's your favorite book. Social networks dedicated to a special theme like music
or movies might ask questions related to that theme.
Friends. Friends are trusted members of the site that are allowed to post comments on
your profile or send you private messages. You can also keep tabs on how your friends are
using social networking, such as when they post a new picture or update their profile.

2. Friends are the heart and soul of social networking. It should be noted that not all social
networks refer to them as 'friends' -- LinkedIn refers to them as 'connections -- but all
social networks have a way to designate members as trusted.
Groups. Most social networks use groups to help you find people with similar interests or
engage in discussions on certain topics. A group can be anything from "Johnson High Class
of '98" to "People Who Like Books" to "Doors Fans". They are both a way to connect with
like-minded people and a way to identify your interests. Sometimes, groups are called by
other names, such as the 'networks' on Facebook.
Discussions. A primary focus of groups is to create interaction between users in the form
of discussions. Most social networking websites support discussion boards for the groups,
and many also allow members of the group to post pictures, music, video clips, and other
tidbits related to the group.
Blogs. Another feature of some social networks is the ability to create your own blog
entries. While not as feature-rich as blog hosts like Wordpress or Blogger, blogging through
a social network is perfect for keeping people informed on what you are up to.
Widgets. A popular way of letting your personality shine through is by gracing your social
networking profile with web widgets. Many social networks allow a variety of widgets, and
you can usually find interesting widgets located on widget galleries.
Emerging trends
As the increase in popularity of social networking is on a constant rise, [31] new uses for the
technology are constantly being observed.
At the forefront of emerging trends in social networking sites is the concept of "real-time
web" and "location-based." Real-time allows users to contribute content, which is then
broadcast as it is being uploaded - the concept is analogous to live radio and television
broadcasts. Twitter set the trend for "real-time" services, wherein users can broadcast to
the world what they are doing, or what is on their minds within a 140-character
limit. Facebook followed suit with their "Live Feed" where users' activities are streamed as
soon as it happens. While Twitter focuses on words, Clixtr, another real-time service,
focuses on group photo sharing wherein users can update their photo streams with photos

3. while at an event. Facebook, however, remains the largest photo sharing site - Facebook
application and photo aggregator Pixable estimates that Facebook will have 100 billion
photos by Summer 2011. In April, 2012, the image-based social media
network Pinterest had become the third largest social network in the United States.
Companies have begun to merge business technologies and solutions, such as cloud
computing, with social networking concepts. Instead of connecting individuals based on
social interest, companies are developing interactive communities that connect individuals
based on shared business needs or experiences. Many provide specialized networking tools
and applications that can be accessed via their websites, such as LinkedIn. Others
companies, such as Monster.com, have been steadily developing a more "socialized" feel to
their career center sites to harness some of the power of social networking sites. These
more business related sites have their own nomenclature for the most part but the most
common naming conventions are "Vocational Networking Sites" or "Vocational Media
Networks", with the former more closely tied to individual networking relationships based on
social networking principles.
Foursquare gained popularity as it allowed for users to "check-in" to places that they are
frequenting at that moment. Gowalla is another such service that functions in much the
same way that Foursquare does, leveraging the GPS in phones to create a location-based
user experience. Clixtr, though in the real-time space, is also a location-based social
networking site, since events created by users are automatically geotagged, and users can
view events occurring nearby through the Clixtr iPhone app. Recently, Yelp announced its
entrance into the location-based social networking space through check-ins with their
mobile app; whether or not this becomes detrimental to Foursquare or Gowalla is yet to be
seen, as it is still considered a new space in the Internet technology industry.
One popular use for this new technology is social networking between businesses.
Companies have found that social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are great
ways to build their brand image.
Social impact
Web-based social networking services make it possible to connect people who share
interests and activities across political, economic, and geographic borders. Through e-mail
and instant messaging, online communities are created where a gift economy and reciprocal

4. altruism are encouraged through cooperation. Information is particularly suited to gift
economy, as information is a nonrival good and can be gifted at practically no cost.
Facebook and other social networking tools is increasingly the object of scholarly research.
Scholars in many fields have begun to investigate the impact of social-networking sites,
investigating how such sites may play into issues of identity, privacy, social capital, youth
culture, and education. Several websites are beginning to tap into the power of the social
networking model for philanthropy. Such models provide a means for connecting otherwise
fragmented industries and small organizations without the resources to reach a broader
audience with interested users. Social networks are providing a different way for individuals
to communicate digitally. These communities of hypertexts allow for the sharing of
information and ideas, an old concept placed in a digital environment.
In 2011, HCL Technologies conducted research that showed that 50% of British employers
had banned the use of social networking sites/services during office hours.
Uses for Business organization
The benefits to marketing via social networks are numerous and largely gained at a very
low cost. Through social networks, you can:
• Increase product and brand awareness
• Increase web traffic
• Improve SEO
• Increase customer loyalty
• Increase success of new product launches
Increase Product & Brand Awareness
Marketing on social networking sites will increase awareness by increasing the online
presence of your products and brand. A recent iProspect Search Marketer Social Networking
Survey revealed that 48% of search marketers proactively place content on popular social
networking sites to drive traffic and create brand awareness2. When your company forms a
group or
organizes a promotion on a social networking site, the membersare reminded of your brand
and website with every interaction.Since the customers are deciding what groups they want
to join and what information they want to receive, this information is usually positively
received.

5. Increase Web Traffic
Communications, recommendations, and other postings on social networking sites often
contain web links. If your company is mentioned and a link is included, these postings drive
traffic to your site, increasing brand and product awareness. Due to the makeup of social
networking sites, these links are naturally targeted to potential customers that are
interested in your company, products, or services.
Improve SEO
As mentioned previously, when your company or product is discussed online, the content is
most often accompanied by web links. The more links to your content, the higher your
ranking in search engine results, resulting in more people reading your content.
Consequently, social media marketing campaigns
should be an integral part of any Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. Search
engines weigh the value of each link in context, and as they relate to your website. As a
result, links from social networking sites have more value, because they appear completely
natural to the search engines — users are sharing content perceived as valuable and then
linking back to that content. Not only are these links more valuable than paid links, but also
they are significantly less expensive. Additionally, sites such as reddit, Delicious, Digg and
others enable the sharing, tagging and bookmarking of news, articles, postings, and other
information. When a piece of information is marked by any of these services, it will be
visited by others and will show up searches. The more your content is marked, the higher it
is ranked by search engines.
Increase Customer Loyalty
If done correctly, promoting your company or products by building a social network can
greatly enhance customer loyalty. If your participation is consistent and honest, adds value
by supplying useful content, and appears personal, it will greatly enhance your company’s
reputation while building trust and
credibility. Offer help first, and promote your products only when asked and when
appropriate; otherwise your attempts could be considered spam.
Increase Success of New Product Launches

6. Social networks provide a unique opportunity to survey the relevant community on their
products wants and needs. The community can guide and participate in the product
development process. Giving them a voice in the process can increase loyalty and guarantee
success when a new product is launched.
How to Build Your Presence on Social Networking Sites
1. Advertise using banner or tower ads
2. Blog
3. Form and moderate groups
4. Share newsworthy articles and videos
5. Create a member profile that directs traffic back to your
company’s website
6. Post relevant company events and jobs