The INOV8 blog tracks the latest news and trends in technology and innovation throughout the world
Social media would seem to go hand-in-hand with innovators. Services such as Facebook and Twitter can drive traffic, jump start marketing efforts, build name recognition…but does the hype outpace the reality?
That’s just the question posed by the Wall Street Journal Online. Entrepreneurs seemed to be mixed on the subject. Let us know what you think. Are you on Facebook (of course you are — but do you utilize it as a marketing tool)? Do you tweet? Does social media live up to the hype?
On a related topic, check out this Arkansas Business piece on social media and its use in the workplace.
The current social media sites (facebook, twitter,etc) are just that, social media sites. All they currently do is update information on people or businesses. It would be the same as going to a bar and meeting friends and new people. Yeah, sometimes that helps you out (networking can lead to more work) but it’s not consistent.
People need tools to develop their ideas out and they need their own platform independently from corporate run enterprises. I mean who really benefits from these sites? The operators do. The financial benefit is a one-way street and it doesn’t lead to you. If connecting with old and new friends is more beneficial than monetary gain then these sites are a perfect fit. But I would prefer to build new things, to innovate. These things lack in the current social cloud. Of course, that’s just my thoughts.