I like your positive energy very much.  And reading your letter reminded me of a business created using social networks called, "I Wear Your Shirt" (http://iwearyourshirt.com/), which is a guy (now two guys) making a living helping businesses of all sizes use social networks to reach consumers.  This illustrates that the potential of social media is not all about major players or the possibility of becoming one.  In fact, one of the answers to the collapse of big newspapers (resulting from competition with "free" news sources online) has been a renaissance of local news outlets that had previously been subsumed by the regional papers.  A few years ago, there was a growing gap between the newsprint "penny savers" and the metropolitan newspapers, much like the gap between taking your message to people on your t-shirt and through broadcast advertising. Now people can find their audience in that gap using social media.  This is a real opportunity, I think, for people who want to use it to share ideas, and probably immune to the collapse of fads like Twitter because it is what it is: a little more power to the people.  That's a nice thing for the little guy, and multiplied by all the people online, maybe that adds up to a nice thing for the world.

I found the Pique article fairly non-bias, sticking to known facts regarding social networking for businesses which are, sadly, difficult to obtain and quantify. To respond to it effectively, you would have to research those facts. Any businesses or organizations that have documented data of referrals from social networking should be sure to input their numbers here. More on that to follow, but first my opinions on Facebook, etc.

I have limited experience with social networking, but I immediately found it a great tool for locating lost friends, seeing pictorial histories of their lives, and meeting their families and (real) friends, which are both nicely represented in group pictures.

It has a tendency to be a form of personal advertising more than communication (in many instances) but that's all good. Our personal need for affirmation is higher than ever in the digital age. Marketing ourselves with our physical appearance and social skills is also mandatory for our careers.

Most (o.k. all) of the times I was asked to join Facebook was because someone I had communicated with (by other means) insisted I view additional photos there. Once joined, it is imperative to become a Facebook 'friend', and later it did seem apparent that the original motive was (more often than not) 'friend' farming, rather than profile viewing or communication.

On a side-note, a very popular dating site recently corrected this behavioral pattern by hiding the numbers of 'friends' globally. It caused a lot of anger but apparently improved the site's legitimacy, albeit offloading huge quantities of site activity and hit revenue. I mention this because social networking has it's roots in dating sites.

Back to Facebook. Having become a 'friend', I did the usual; Post great pics to become a 'cool friend' so to speak, studied it, thought the whole thing was a bit lame, and promptly deleted everything and took myself off those 'friends' lists. I got to see their pics, so for me there was no need to stay on, as nobody had the time (despite being online 24/7) to message their huge 'friend' collections. They messaged better via email. The blogs were also a bit forced and uneventful. Those 'friends' I abandoned were usually not too impressed I did this.

So back to social networking for businesses in earnest: Like Facebook, it would be a great way of advertising, finding obscure ventures, sharing business stories and adventures, and showing 'extended families' and relationships.

To legitimize it, it would be best to be void of the vanity of bogus 'friend farming'. Perhaps actively, the way Google successfully penalized 'link farms'. How to achieve this without destroying the networking benefits is anybodies guess, and some would argue that "All's Fair In..." applies here to business-social networking.

The punchline is, to operate it safely in a serious manner full time (ie without the 'L' word) it would have to be immune from, well, businesses and organizations getting upset with each other over issues like 'friend deletion' (see above), since such 'upset' for businesses (unlike individuals) is usually of a 'military' nature.

An ill-advised late-night slightly-offensive blog comment by an individual is one thing, the same by an individual representing business operations and assets is another thing altogether (and vice-versa).

Then there's the snobbing of businesses with unattractive profile pics, non-grassroots appearances, etc.

It is ambitious, though, and I look forward to seeing what transpires. For me, I will have to continue to isolate my business online-presence from my personal online-presence. At least until such a time as I can learn to form all my writings and blogs with only endless repetitions and re-combinations of the "Fabulas Five Adjectives" as do the Facebook businesses (another post). 

Oh BTW not that I would ever use it, but your site does not have a profile deletion option? :)

I say well said Caroline. The corporations are scared because social media is enabling us smaller "fry" to get into the game without the big bucks.

It's great for connecting with those who have the same interests and values and is definitely making the world smaller.

Also not a huge fan of Facebook and the others initially, I resisted at first. But if you don't, do so at your own risk! Now I've both reconnected with people I haven't heard from in years, a bonus being a Canadian immigrant and I'm also using it to promote business!

As always, love what you're doing, keep up the great work!

Rachael

Seth - you're simply the best!

'...In case you missed the first part of our show, the future of marketing is based on permission. It's based on sending messages to people who want to get them, who choose to get them, who would miss you if you didn't send them. It's not easy and it's not cheap to earn permission, but so what? This is my attention, not yours, and if you want to use it for a while, please earn the privilege.' Read More... [typepad.com]

"Letter to the editor..."  Just that one line made me laugh. Let me just start by admitting I've done my share of letter to the editor writing and I've been published once.  The great mystery (truth) in the paper press is that someone on the other end still decides if your letter is ever seen.  Even in our tiny village papers I barely stop to read the letters to the editors because honestly, who are we kidding...they are usually the same people writing.  (Note to editors: give them a column if you want to publish their letters so much.)  

OK...now that I have that off my chest, the truth, the real truth is right here, on my own Wordpress site, or Twitter or Facebook page when I hit post, or send, or better yet 'publish', I am committing to having a voice and so far no editor here or there has ever failed to reply or publish my thoughts.  That's the simple truth.

The more complicated truth, I learned last night watching Canadian artist Alex Coleville (now 90) on knowledge network, is that at some point some of us decide, 'to hell with it...' I'm going to put my life in my work.  In his case painting his wife and children in countless scenes of everyday Canadiana for everyone to see, judge, critique, love or hate...for better or for worse, you get the picture. Maybe artists were the Facebook of the 20th century (maybe better because their work will never be forgotten).

However you feel about the choices of social media and context you subscribe to or participate in the choice is yours. That is the beauty!

Check it out...you might like it.   http://streettopeak.wordpress.com/ [wordpress.com]  or don't.  The choice is yours!

Thanks Caroline!   

On a slight side topic... in case ya interested (thinking followers of this blog may well be..), just read Hi's latest blog:  Is the iPhone the New Beta? [wordpress.com]

what Facebook knows & shares about you [wired.com]