Social Media...present, future...

I would like to recommend a presentation created by some of my E Marketing classmates on the topic of the future of the social media. The presentation can be viewed on the following link http://vimeo.com/12066907 The reason I recommend it is because it shows very clearly through exact and concise information the tremendous impact social media has had, and will have on the entire population around the globe. Just to mention a few of the outstanding statistics, Facebook gathered 100 million users in less than 9 months whereas any other media such as TV or Radio took years to reach much less users. Furhermore, 1 out of 8 couples that married last year met through a social media website. My personal favorite is the fact that in case Facebook would be a country, it would be the 4th largest in the world.

It is indeed a "Revolution" that has changed the way we interact with each other. It is suitable for the new lifestyles imposed because of the intense way of living of many. Lack of time is seldom an issue for many working people. Hence, being able to keep contact with people that under any other conditions they would never hear from, it is simply amazing. Furthermore, social media websites increase the creativity of its users since it invites them to post pictures or videos they took, express their own feelings, contradict or agree with others, support a certain cause or simply write their own thoughts that on a face to face basis would be harder to express. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that face to face communication is not effective. On the contrary, I am personally a supporter of this type of communication but we must admit that sometimes it is more convenient to use Facebook or Twitter to communicate something, especially if the audience we want to reach is large.

What's in for the future? I would say that the "Revolution" has just reached its growth stage. Not only will the amount of users increase, but the social media websites will become more realistic in terms of the way communication will take place. The success experienced by Facebook will certainly increase competition with the raise of possible new social media websites. Furthermore, social media will surely develop professional applications through which conferences or trade shows can be designed as well as applications for interviews with possible future employees for certain companies.