I was pleased to attend the BtoB’s NetMarketing Breakfast in New York last quarter. The discussion addressed the impact of social media on business. It was a great session. I learned here that almost half of IBM’s 400,000 employees have a LinkedIn profile. That was last quarter. I suspect that number has risen substantially by now.
I’ve heard some critics say that social networking and use of social media sites don’t allow our youth to learn and form social skills as they enter the workforce and begin interacting with other people in a business environment. Believe it or not, this view was shared by a recent college student entering the workforce — and yes — a social media user for longer than most of us.
We may remember 2009 as the year of a great recession. But it will also be thought of as the year that validated social media sites. And the year the use of these social sites began to change and challenge future ways to communicate.
Our future is in the hands of our youth. And, our youth and young adults choose to communicate through social media sites. As they enter the workforce they’ll be bringing their new, fresh and creative ideas to the workplace — through social means, however they evolve. Embrace and enhance social media usage, test respectfully, keep your ears open, strive for balance. This is my motto, as you explore with social media in your personal and business life.
Here are a few social media trends I see for 2010.
- Usage expanding beyond sales and marketing into other parts of the organization
- Companies attempting to develop meaningful metrics from their social media activities
- More companies finding out what is and isn’t truly working for them regardless of the hype
- More people and companies will engage and join
I’m sure this will evolve as the year progresses. We’ll keep our irons in the fire, nose to the grindstone and ears open as we continue to work with our clients. What are your insights for social media in 2010? Let’s hear your thoughts.
Speaking of the future, hope you visit next week to hear my thoughts on Google Wave.