It is nearlty impossible to be innovative without relating to people. And social networking is by far the easiest way to keep relationships and connections fresh. So let me ask:
Do you blog? Tweet? Own a Facebook page for your company? I’ve been using social networking for several years, and I can’t imagine not having those connections in both my professional and personal relationships. It wasn’t too long ago that Facebook was considered something for teens and young adults. But did you know that us older folks are one of the fastest-growing demographics for social networking sites? Check out these stats*:
- A whopping 49% of visitors to Twitter, the newest mass-market innovation in social networking, are over 35, including 19% over 50.
- On YouTube, 43% of visitors are over 35.
- 31% of Facebook users are over 35.
- 26% of MySpace visitors are also in that age group.
That tells me that I am in the right place. So which of these would I recommend? I personally like Twitter and LinkedIn, a network for business professionals.(Click on those links to see my pages)
If you Twitter, be sure to do two things: When you see a “tweet” from a friend or colleague that resonates, go ahead and “re-tweet.” It helps spread the word and connect people. And make sure when you post a tweet that you add links from time to time to your company Web site or blog to cross-promote the latest and greatest news.
(*That’s according to market researcher Quantcast)