Of the many tech services that have gained popularity this year and consumed roughly 13 hours each week of the average American's time on the internet in 2012, Facebook tops the list as most influential.
The social networking site is used as a means for networking and self-promotion as well as advertising for companies - big and small. The platform has also been a place where people can associate for a common cause and plan social movements.
Austin Lee, a 17-year-old who advocated for a skate park in St. Cloud, MN realized Facebook was more than a site to connect with friends, but an opportunity to reach users in the community, and if need be, 350 million other users worldwide. The VP of the City Council said he has never gotten so many e-mails and phone calls from constituents about a single issue in his four years on the Council. As a result of Lee's community outreach efforts, a $500,000 skate plaza was approved.
The 'To Write Love on Her Arms' campaign may sound more familiar. It provides hope for people dealing with addiction or depression by presenting a platform for victims to voice their stories and relate to one another. The nonprofit's Facebook page now has 1.34 million likes and received global support - evidence that the world truly is shrinking. Instead of '6 degrees of separation', Facebook brings us closer to a mere 4.74 acquaintances apart from the next connection.
Studies stated that Facebook played a big role in getting voters to the polls this past presidential election as well. Users who saw their close friends click the 'I Voted' button were 0.244% more likely to vote and indirectly accounted for 280,000 additional votes - a definite game changer in the modern political environment.
While Facebook has become one of the leading social networking sites on the web, it has also been surrounded by privacy concerns and the company's IPO had a rocky execution. So protect your identity if you plan to jump on the bandwagon. It will most likely be a good marketing strategy for the new year.
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