Should my business use social networks?

Fort Worth Business Press:

If you’ve watched a newscast…you’ve probably heard references to Facebook or Twitter. Social media has received a lot of coverage lately. Many business owners are asking,  “Does my company need to be using social media?”  Before we answer that question, let’s examine exactly what social media is.

Simply put, social media is people having conversations online. That’s it. This happens on thousands of sites every day. People talk about everything from environmental issues to what they ate for lunch. At first glance, it can seem overwhelming, but it can actually add tremendous value to your business and provide a hefty return on investment.

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US Military Using Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube

According to a recent NPR article, the US Forces have begun to embrace social media and social networks.  For example, their Twitter page has been used to announce non-combat related deaths and news.  Their Facebook page has a similar purpose, but is also used by friends and family to send messages to their loved ones serving in Afghanistan.

British Taxi Dispatcher Uses Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube to Generate Buzz

NBC has an interesting article about how a taxi dispatcher used social networks like Facebook and YouTube to generate buzz for a movie he had reportedly made for $70.

Also interesting from the article was Iran’s decision to block websites like Facebook, due to the democratic nature of social networks in the midst of the country’s upcoming elections.  God bless America.