Social Networking's Impact

Social Networking’s Impact

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Social Networking’s Impact

Not long ago communication and all business were conducted via the telephone or telegraph. However, this has changed over the past decade to include the use of computers and more so the internet in most aspects of communication. In the digital age, technology has revolutionized communication in our societies. In addition, the presence of new technologies has increased the movement of data from one place to another. Real time imaging which has become part of modern marketing and advertising was never possible over decades ago (Belch, & Belch, 2009).

The internet has been a driving force in changing the face of communication between people across the world .In business the use of the internet has been astounding, as it has eased the burden accrued from tedious and inefficient methods of communication such as letters and telegrams. The face of communication via the internet started with bulletin board systems, which was an online meeting platform. This communication platform enabled people to communicate on central systems with the users having the ability to download document files and video games. Due to the high costs associated with data, there was little wide spread of the use of the bulleting boards. They were usually found within a specific locality or city for those with in the particular area to use.

In the early nineties, there were several developments, which led to the growth in use of the internet as the preferred method of communication. Sites such as Netscape, which began in 1994, offered the perfect platform for people to communicate with friends and colleagues. It also enabled people to carry out transactions or business deals in real time without the need to move from one place to another to meet to conclude business. In the same year, Hotwired.com was established. It received backing from corporations who wanted to advertise their products on this site. This is a clear illustration of the initial steps of marketing via the internet. This could be described as the first step to online advertising, which has become a tremendously profitable business to the effect of formation of online adverting firms with assets and revenues generated on annual basis running into billions of shillings.

The online business aspect was made possible by the entry of Prodigy when they were allowed to offer internet services to subscribers, which occurred in the January in 1995. Online access was expensive by then which limited the number of people who had access to the internet. However, the increase in the number of people with access to internet facilitated an increase the number of corporate members entering the line of online advertising due to the availability of large numbers of people. Online purchase revolutionized the business world and the process of conducting business. ONSALE was the first company to interact on an online basis with its customers in the auction sale of refurbished computers on November 1996. This was reinforced by the review on the cookie technology, which came under heavy criticism from data providers because the technology infringes on user’s privacy by storage of data relation to the internet activities. Online transactions are delicate hence; the move was major step toward protection of consumer’s interest because of the fear of theft of financial information about the client or user of the internet or database (Nickson, 2009).

Marketing will forever remain different from historical means of marketing due to the presence of the internet. Internet marketing began in the early nineties and over the period, it has undergone numerous changes due to advancements in technology. Traditional marketing was only conducted through mainstream media means such as newspapers, posters, television and radio. Companies were limited to only these forms of communication, which could be regarded as cumbersome and not advanced. Companies like AT&T were among the initial companies to enter into advertisement deals over the internet. On April 1998, Time Inc and New Media agreed to an association for Pathfinder content to be aired on the website for AT & T World Net service.

Internet advertising can be considered as one of the biggest milestones achieved by the presence of the internet in the business field. Internet advertising has given companies, which were thought as dormant new approaches and the opportunity to utilize their skills and talents in the information technology era. The social effects of the development of social platforms have been unimaginable only to the credit of using the internet to communicate with different people such as friends and family. The internet transformed the world into what is known as a global village. This is whereby people from various locations are able to conduct business without need for face-to-face communication but only dwell on the presence of the internet to convey messages or more so to conduct business (Scott, 2007).

Traditional method s of marketing in comparison to the new strategies brought forth by the presence of the internet can be described as inadequate. They are inadequate because they do not reach markets on a broader perspective; this is whereby traditional methods of marketing were only confined to one location of advertising. However due to the presence of the internet companies are able to reach new consumers in far way market who are in dire need of the product or services offered by the company. The globalization effect can be attributed to the presence of the internet in the world. People are able to communicate with one another despite their various locations. People are able to conduct business from the comforts of their homes without the need for offices to conduct business. This could not have been possible without the presence of the internet (DM News, 1997).

The internet can also be credited for changing people’s purchasing habits as transaction have become simplified in the light of the new technology. For example, I am able to make purchases from the comfort of my home or office without necessarily having to move from one place to another. The internet has also brought about new banking methods such as internet banking and mobile banking which are convenient as one can conduct his banking activities via the internet. Online purchases are convenient and one is able to find bargains from purchase of quality products. However, this form of business is also flawed in some aspects due to the presence of fraudulent businesspersons who want to make quick and easy money from swindling people via the internet (Micek, & Whitlock, 2008). Twitter, which was launched in the year 2006, has undergone tremendous growth and is among the largest social networks. It has provided the business fraternity with fascinating opportunities for viral marketing wit flash videos

The future of the internet and the trends, which might result due to the growth in the internet, might be difficult to predict because the trends are evolving at paces, which are unimaginable. However, in the current era of real time communication, which is facilitated by the presence of the internet, might result in virtual business. Virtual business has already taken shape with some businesses only existing in the internet is an illustration of the trends in business. The internet might result in communications via holograms such that for one to communicate you will only need advertise as if in real person by the presence of the hologram of an individual (Aspray, & Ceruzzi, 2008). For example, PayPal in early 2011 started new forms of payments, which allowed the user to link his bank account without any spending limit, which was not present in the year 1999 when the company was formed

In conclusion, the new face of data due to fast data speeds has enabled new advertisements such video advertising via the internet and flash advertising whereby companies advertise by the use of simple moving picture. New marketing ways can be considers as relatively cheaper in comparison to traditional means of advertising. Traditional means were cumbersome because they required a lot research and involvement of personnel or to come up with advertisements or marketing strategies. This is however currently not the case because people are able to come up with advertisements without involvement of many people by the use of the internet and other forms of technology.

Reference

Aspray, W. & Ceruzzi, P. E. (2008). The Internet and American business. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.

Belch, G. E. & Belch, M. A. (2009). Advertising and promotion: An integrated marketing communications perspective. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

DM News (1997). The History of Internet Advertising. Retrieved from http://www.worldata.com/wdnet7/articles/the_history_of_Internet_Advertising.htm

Micek, D., & Whitlock, W. (2008). Twitter revolution: How social media and mobile marketing is changing the way we do business & market online. Las Vegas, NV: Xeno Press.

Nickson, Christopher. (2009). The History of Social Networking. Retrieved from http://www.digitaltrends.com/features/the-history-of-social-networking/

Scott, D. M. (2007). The new rules of marketing and PR: How to use news releases, blogs, podcasting, viral marketing, & online media to reach buyers directly. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons.