Social Media has transformed modern day communication. It comprises a widespread array of internet-based software, tools and interfaces for sharing and receiving details and information. It’s a new age medium that depends upon mobile and web-based technologies that allows communities and individuals to share, discuss, re-create and alter the user generated content. Social Media is represented in various forms including microblogs, photo sharing, social bookmarking, social networks, blogs, business networks and forums. Social Media has introduced extensive and substantial changes in a way by which communities, businesses, organizations and individuals communicate. Due to its extensive presence, it is widely utilized not only by the regular internet users but also by businessmen, political figures, sports personalities, movie stars and professionals.

Social Media Sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. have created online communities and forums where individuals can share personal information, thoughts, accomplishments and believes with other members. Owing to this, there is an enormous amount of information that can be promoted, re-created, shared and searched.

Social Bookmarking Tools like Reddit, Digg, Buddymarks, Folkd, etc. enables finding a specific image, website or a piece of information simple. By assigning tags and typing searchable keywords, you can avail targeted information. Technology which has been developed around these tools, websites or platforms has made searching as easy as a pie.

Social Media Marketing (SMM) takes advantage of Social Media networking and compelling content to increase a brand exposure of the company. It also assist in broadening the customer reach.

SMM is incomplete without Social Media Optimization (SMO). Just like the Search Engine Optimization (SEO), the SMO draws the optimization strategy to connect to unique and new visitors on the website. SMO  can be done by adding RSS feed and sharing buttons to the social media links or by other promotional activities like tweets, blog posts, status updates, etc.

Social Media Analytics has revolutionized gathering and analyses of the data through social media websites and blogs. It is widely used to determine the sentiment of the customer to support various customer service and marketing related activities.

Social Media is also used for Enterprise social networking. It is a connect between individuals that shares the business activities or interest to a similar company, Externally, social media platforms for public assist an organization to stick close to the customer and perform effective market research to enhance the business process. Internally, it assist the employees to access the information and the resources in order to solve business related issues.   

Non-digital aspect too, is well covered. Social Media offers a number of communities and platforms, where individual can gather around over a common topic. Anything from a shampoo and beauty tips to health and security compliance have active presence over the internet. Individuals can share their beliefs, thought processes, moods, feelings and emotions.

Social Media can comfort a person who had lost a loved one, unite a mother and daughter after a wait of 44 long years, act as a mass notification tool, used for product launch and later building the brand persona and what not?

Many of the social media professionals are pondering upon the ways to best utilize the information flowing over the social media platforms for social good, business advertising and making the world a better place.

Hope they channelize the inflow soon ?

Thank You for Patient Reading :)