We're Really that Dependent.

 

Just the other day on the bus ride to class, I overheard two students talking:

Student 1: "So wait...he doesn't have a Facebook?"
Student 2: "Not that I know of. I searched all possible variations of his name and still couldn't find him."
Student 1: "Wow...that just means that he's sketch and that you don't want to talk to him.Where has he been living anyway? Under a rock?"

I couldn't help but chuckle a little after hearing this. If this conversation was to go on just a few years back, then simply not having a Facebook would be pretty common and wouldn't be deemed as being "weird." This just goes to show that times have changed and the realm of social media is only becoming more powerful.

Today, almost about 58 million Americans use social media sites on a daily basis. This is just a 4% increase since 2011 which was 18% as compared to 2012's 22% of daily usage/logins.



To check one's Facebook page is most often the first thing one does right when he wakes up and right before one goes to sleep. It is also the first thing one checks when they open their internet browser.

Knowing these facts only brings one question to mind -- Do we control social media or does social media control us?

It's all "Pluses" From Here...

 

Remember when Google Plus first came out in 2011? It was rumored that it would replace Facebook as being the #1 social networking site, but once it was released it was received with overwhelmingly negative reviews. Today, less than two years after its launch, it may not have surpassed the "likes" of Facebook, however, it has taken storm to surpass the leading "post whatever you think" network -- Twitter. 

Twitter currently ranks as #4 on the social media list with Youtube ranking as #3.

So why does this matter? It's a HUGE deal for marketers and consumers alike. Everyone knows that social media is where the future is heading, and with more and more consumers using Google Plus as one of their main forms of online communication/social networking, it has become even more crucial for marketers to learn/adapt their marketing strategies to this platform. I guess now in addition to "liking," "tweeting," and "subscribing," it's time to start "plus 1-ing!"

We're All Connected

It really is fascinating to see how social media can connect billions of people in a matter of seconds. All it takes is for one person to strike up a topic of discussion, have someone else respond, and BAM! a connection is made. Many a times, a grand event can stir up many topics of discussion on multiple social media platforms making the event itself a little more engaging and entertaining for the user. 

The Superbowl 2013 aired earlier this evening with tweets, Facebook posts, and online messages surfacing the online web days, and even weeks, prior to the big game. Even during the game, the social media sphere was on a constant buzz detailing every call, play, move, and miscellaneous activities occurring throughout the game. Without having really watched the game and simply sitting in front of my laptop on Facebook, I was able to know almost exactly what was going on and, of course, we all know that Beyonce "stole the show." 

For someone, like myself, who is not an avid football fan, social media has really made me more interested in the large-scale event. I found myself constantly checking my Twitter and Facebook to see what my friends were posting regarding the game, and I occasionally even posted my own opinions for extra engagement. By witnessing my own social actions, I am able to say with absolute confidence that social media is today; it is the future. It is what connects us to the rest of the world.