You have friends. Your friends have other friends. The other friends of your friends have also other friends and so on and so forth. This pattern of acquaintances and friendship can be called a network — more specifically a social network.
But the people you call acquaintances or friends are not with you because they just happen to be with you. They have become part of your lives since you have things in common or you have the same interests.
This concept of it not only applies in the real world but also in the virtual world called the Internet. There are a lot of communities all over the information superhighway which were built because of a certain interest which are shared by each and every member.
In the old days, social networking may have just been a way to be able to meet people who have the same interests as you do. But today, it has become a very useful tool in online businesses.
Defining Social Networking
Ever since man has developed communication, this has already existed. Even today, all of us are bound by its mechanics and a very good example of this is your friends. Your group of friends alone can already be called a social network — you have the same interests. And when you meet new people, make acquaintances and make new friends, this can be considered as social networking.
For those people who are aware of this idea can see this as an opportunity that can be taken advantage of. An example of this would be the world of business and trade. Companies and firms who share the same interests would forge ties with each other to strengthen and fortify their businesses.
Simply put, this is making connections with a person or even a group of people who share the same interests as you do.
Social Networking and Online Businesses
If it works “offline” then it would also work online. The citizens of the Internet, specifically the entrepreneurs of online business, have seen the power of social networking. Because of this, they have developed methods on how to utilize this to their advantage.
A method they have developed is called business bookmarking which is a variation of the ever so popular social bookmarking. It utilizes the power of networking online but this time in the context of businesses. It has become a very effective method for both small and big businesses who want to reach to people all over the world. With the help of the network of business bookmarking, businesses were given the opportunity to reach more people and have a bigger audience.
Just like networking in the real world, the basic rule still applies — it is all about having the same interests. In the Internet, online businesses who have the same interest would contact each other. If all goes well, they would forge a partnership, an alliance if you may call it, to boost their status.