Author: Todd Kelsey
Publisher: Apress (www.apress.com)
Published: March 2010
Print ISBN: 978-1-4302-2596-6
Print format: Soft cover, 536 pages (also available as an eBook)
Prices: $29.99
Social Networking from a Business Perspective
Not so very long ago, social networking was exactly what it said it was a technological networking tool that was used purely for social purposes, as a form of communication that was both fun and a way of keeping up to date with what was happening in a person's circle of friends. While that's still definitely the case, businesses of all sizes and varieties, have now "jumped onto the social networking bandwagon." And those businesses are attempting to leverage the different aspects of social networking for commercial gain as well as for positioning themselves in the forefront in the market place. In step with the acceptance of social networking by businesses, there has also been an explosion in the number of social networking applications becoming available, with examples being Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, MySpace, Ning, Meetup, and Second Life.
Obviously some of these social networking applications will deliver more business benefits than others, but which ones? All of us are "time poor" and most likely don't have the time, nor the desire, to investigate each application in depth. Preferably, what is required is a guide to the latest in social networking which provides an overview of each of the major social networking applications, along with how they work, so that we can determine for ourselves whether or not a particular application will benefit us in our daily business lives. Fortunately that guide is already available in the form of a new book titled "Social Networking Spaces: From Facebook to Twitter and Everything In Between". Its subtitle tells you what you can expect to learn by reading it: "A step-by-step introduction to social networks for beginners and everyone else." The book has been written by Todd Kelsey, an author and educator, whose aim is to help people learn more about technology. Examples of previous books he has authored include "Sams Teach Yourself iMovie and iDVD in 24 Hours" and "Flash MX Design for TV and Video." Kelsey is also the founder of Communications for the World (www.cftw.com), described on its Web site as being a "Chicago-based non-profit, which develops free learning material, and helps individuals and organizations to utilize sustainable technology."
The content of the book consists of a total of 18 chapters which have been organized as follows:
An opening chapter that focuses on the use of social networking technology to record and share your personal life story.
Four chapters dedicated to Facebook.
Two chapters about Twitter.
A couple of chapters that explain how to set up, design, and share the contents of a blog.
Two chapters, one about how to share pictures using Flickr, and the other chapter about watching and sharing video on YouTube.
A couple of chapters about building a powerful network of professional contacts using LinkedIn.
Individual chapters that respectively cover MySpace, Meetup, Ning, and Second Life.
The final chapter discusses two free tools from Google Google Translate and Google Multilingual Chat that can be of assistance when attempting to communicate with people whose native language is different to your own.
To get a feel for how the book has been written, let's now take a closer look at the two chapters of the book that cover LinkedIn. The book's author, Todd Kelsey, begins his discussion of LinkedIn by stating that it is "perhaps the most important business and professional social network in existence." Its importance, according to Kelsey, is that it is "increasingly used not only as a tool for maintaining a network of professional contacts, but also as a place to recruit and to find work." He likens it to "a business convention, where you can meet new people, connect with colleagues from past and present jobs, and join groups for people who have similar interests." In the next part of this first chapter about LinkedIn, Kelsey points out the sorts of tasks that can be achieved with it:
The use of referrals and introductions to find out about new job opportunities, or to generate sales leads.
Offering help and receiving help with business related problems.
Deploying LinkedIn tools to create and maintain an up to date resume and professional profile.
Staying in the "information and news" loop, by using the resources of LinkedIn, so, as Kelsey puts it, you "hear the latest about what's going with friends and colleagues in a professional sense, such as when someone finds a new job, is looking for a job, has created a new product, and so on."
Participating in those LinkedIn groups that are geared towards your business interests, or which have been set up for specific types of professionals.
As a practical way of not only staying in contact with people but for also further expanding your network via those people. For instance, Kelsey offers this strategy for connecting with someone "after you get their business card or get to know them. You can say, "Hey, let's connect on LinkedIn," and people do a lot. Then, you can check out their profile, their company, and so on, and also browse their connections. You may find that someday, that person can introduce you to another person they know, at a company you want to do business with or work at."
The remainder of this chapter of the book then describes LinkedIn's Learning Center and how to create a LinkedIn account.
In the second of the chapters about LinkedIn, Kelsey discusses, in depth, the following three aspects of LinkedIn:
1. How to build your professional network by directly adding the details of people whose contact details you have; or by searching for people you have previously worked with or maybe who attended college with you; and by adding connections by company.
2. How to find a job. Kelsey reminds his readers that "when you combine multiple job-search techniques, including working on your job search with others, your chances of finding work increase significantly." And that's where LinkedIn can definitely help, because, as Kelsey says, "LinkedIn is all about working with others and connecting with people. So you connect with people, and build your network; and then, for example, when you do want to contact someone about a job (such as a recruiter), you may know someone who has valuable leads".
3. How to join a group. Kelsey acknowledges the importance of groups by stating that "LinkedIn groups are a great way to connect with people who have similar professional interests, for exchanging information, for finding out about jobs, and for asking questions." Some of the more sophisticated groups offer learning opportunities by hosting virtual events, for example, a webcast featuring a world expert on a particular topic.
Kelsey concludes this particular chapter with some brief thoughts as to why retired professionals should also consider becoming a LinkedIn user. For instance, there is the possibility of becoming an online mentor in order to pass on invaluable experience and wisdom to young professionals just starting out.
As an IT professional, it's highly likely that you already have some familiarity with some aspects of social networking. In fact, it could even be that you regard yourself as an expert in the use of one, or maybe a couple of, social networking applications, like Facebook or Twitter. But generally speaking, most of us lack an overall knowledge of the potential business uses of all the different social networking applications simply because we haven't got the time to fully explore each of them. That is where this book "Social Networking Spaces: From Facebook to Twitter and Everything In Between" can be invaluable. Not only does it quickly give you an overview of the different social networking applications, it also provides step by step instructions about how to use each application so that, if possible, you can subsequently put it to some practical business uses.
In conclusion, whilst reading this book, I would also recommend that you simultaneously explore various social networking links that companies and organizations are now setting up on their sites. Doing so will provide you with practical examples of how the use of social networking technology is currently influencing the manner in which business is conducted. By studying those examples, you can either adopt similar social networking strategies for your own company, or alternatively, modify them accordingly to achieve your own specific business goals. Lastly, here are a couple more Web addresses worth checking out: the first one is the address of the companion Web site to "Social Networking Spaces: From Facebook to Twitter and Everything In Between" (www.snspaces.com) while the second one takes you to the Facebook site for the book itself (www.facebook.com/pages/Social-Networking-Spaces/198863037798).