Social Networking

I missed class today, so I did not know which topic I should discuss in my blog. I’m going back a couple weeks to the topic of companies and their involvement in Social Networking sites such as Facebook or Myspace. In my own internet lurking I come across pages dedicated to ads instead of personal profile very often, and honestly I pay more attention to these pages than pop-ups or spam. When a person has the choice of clicking instead of being bombarded, it encourages their participation. The article posted brought up different examples of company involvement in these sites, and I was particularly interested in Target. They worked it the right way. From a PR standpoint, it allowed for feedback, which is fundamental. From an advertising standpoint, it got students pumped about their products and made them feel involved. It’s all about the angle employed. Their page was about the customer and their experience instead of the product. I can see where Wal-Mart ran into trouble. People don’t shop at Wal-Mart for the look or experience; they shop for the prices. A company has to have an ethical background before they open up to public scrutiny. Their page brought out flaws and discouraged buyers instead of attracting them. I don’t see the problem with companies using these sites as long as they are prepared for the outcome. If they put themselves out there, they have to be honest and willing to change when things do not turn out their way.