Social Networking features seem to be all the rage these days. But how do you incorporate them into your business strategy?

The answers are probably more diverse than you would think. For one thing, Social Networks have done several things.

1. Social Networks have brought together people that had been separated by time and distance.
2. They have created simple ways for people to share their interests (Social, Recreation and Business).
3. They have created a new user experience. Not only have they brought people together, but they have helped to define a new User Interface (the way a user interacts with the computer). The most popular sites on the internet are not about great graphics, but about simple ways to get and share information.
4. They shown people both the advantages and disadvantages of joining a website
5. People have become accustom to "following" the activities of others.
6. These networks have created alternate ways for people to get updates about people, interests, products and services.

There are a number of ways that you can take advantage of the Social Networking Legacy in your business.

• Provide ways for people to share your site. Put links on every page that allows people that have come across your website to Like it or share it with their friends.
• Create other ways for people to follow you. At a minimum create Facebook and Twitter pages so people can follow you and then put links to those accounts on your main web site.
• When you add or update information on your main web site do the same on your Social Network accounts.
• Simplify your user interface. Heavy graphics or fancy Flash animations do nothing to drive traffic to your site,  create customers or retain them
• Create RSS feeds so people that come to your site have ways to follow your updates directly
• Create relationships with customers by giving them ways to join your website for support, special offers or community. 
• Add content to your site regularly. Give people a reason to follow your updates.

Using these and other techniques can have a significant effect on both driving traffic to your site and building customer relationships. For an example of how some of these features have been used, take a look at our portfolio here:  http://www.nsage.com/Portfolio.aspx

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A new version of Hotmail has just been released. This really looks good.

Here is a compasion of the new Hotmail to GMail: http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2010/05/new-hotmail-challenges-gmail.html

I have also added a video about it in the media section: http://www.nsage.com/Media/Media_Player/VideoId/16/The-NEW-Hotmail.aspx

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Do you backup your computers?

You have a lot of valuable data on your notebook, home computer and office systems. If you do not have a backup strategy, you should get one. If you are simply backing up to drives that are within your office, what happens if you have a fire? That is why Online backup solutions have become prevelant.

Today I saw a unique software package that I wanted to share with you. It is called Cucku. OK, funny name, but a very cool idea.

What if you could backup to other computers that are either in your building or across the internet? What if those backups were secured in such a way that you could backup onto a buddy's computer and they couldn't access your data. Would you let your buddy backup to your system as well?

It's Social Networking to a whole new level. You can find out more information at http://www.cucku.com/

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So which comes first?

It really depends on what kind of company are you building.

There are a lot of great companies that provide a lot of great technologies that can be leveraged across multiple business applications. Look at Microsoft, Oracle, Linux, Sun, Apple, etc, etc. 

There are other great companies that use or create technologies to grow their business. Amazon, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, UPS, etc. 

BTW, when I use the word great, I know that is subjective ;-)

I would argue that companies like Google are transitional. They started as a Technology Business, licensing their new fangled search methodology to other companies. Their current prominent business model is all about selling advertisements. They build great technologies and GIVE THEM AWAY. They create their own Business Technologies. This is all about getting people to see their advertisements. And their business is much more robust than if they were still a Technology Business.

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