Social media

Social networking sites

Logos of some examples of popular social networking sites

Social networking sites are platforms on which people can create profiles about themselves, connect with family, friends and colleagues and share information and content with each other. Some of the better-known social network platforms include Facebook and MySpace but there are many others. Twitter is also generally considered a social network, although increasingly it is being viewed as an information network.

Online social networking has seen rapid growth in recent years as the internet and social media applications have become more accessible. A significant number of individuals in Australia and around the world are members of one or more social networks. Data from the Australian Government Information Management Office indicates the percentage of Australians using social networking sites increased from 29 per cent in 2008 to 36 per cent in 2009. The proportion of those who engaged with these sites at least monthly increased from 26 per cent in 2008 to 36 per cent in 2009.

Given these trends in user adoption, many organisations are keen to participate in these networks.

Source: Interacting with Government: Australians’ use and satisfaction with e-government services, Australian Government Information Management Office December 2009, page 13

The above graph is licensed under a Commons Attribution 2.5 Australia License.

How to get started with social networks

Before you get started you may want to consider making some strategic decisions such as:

• Identify why you want a presence and how you expect to contribute to the social network.
• Clarify what you expect out of your participation.
• Find out where your target audience is and select the relevant social network(s). Keep an eye on the development of different sites. The landscape has changed significantly over the last couple of years, and is likely to continue to do so.
• Allocate time and resources to keep the process going. Social networking is a regular and long term engagement.

You can use social networks in many ways and for many purposes. Some social networking platforms offer banner advertising, but there are other ways of marketing via social networks. For example, an organisation can create a profile on these social networks and build a network, or even a ‘fan base’, much like an individual would.