We are all aware of how popular social networking sites have become; can you even remember a time without Facebook? Most of us don’t think so much about what this represents, to us, as a society, however. Or, indeed, what it could mean in a business sense. Fundamentally, it has changed the way we interact and communicate with each other, and with communications such a crucial part of business, there is a clear impact.
What is Social Discovery?
Social discovery uses many of the tools of social networking, but takes it one step further. Social networking, predominantly, is about staying in touch with people you already know – whether friends or friends of friends. Social discovery, on the other hand, is about discovering something new; whether that might be people, places or products. It is about exploring and experiencing your environment in a completely new way and discovering things you never knew were there.
How Does it Impact Business?
One of the fundamental principles of running a business is that you want to attract as many customers/clients as possible. For years, marketing and advertising has been used to try to achieve this – whether it be through large banners, flyers, sales or window displays. Now, there is an increased importance placed on digital marketing and, although SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is still the most important tool in this respect, social discovery is representing a hugely important additional thread.
Simply, by understanding social discovery you can make it easier for people to find your business when they search – using Google, or any number of other websites and apps. It is crucial, in this respect, that you stay up to date with all social discovery tools in your sector and area. Quite simply, it can place you in a prime location in the digital marketplace.
The Internet Going Mobile
Now, this may seem like a headline from a decade ago, but increasingly people are using their Smartphones and Tablets, in order to access web browsers and Apps on the go. This has led to an increase in geo-specific apps and websites, which help people to find what they want, here and now. This means that rather than browsing online first for something and then heading out with the intention of buying it, or purchasing it online, people who are already out on the high street are then using social discovery to help them find what they want, instinctively and spontaneously.
The Habit of a Lifetime
In the same way that mobile phones and the internet have changed our communication habits, and even influenced are concentration span and the way we digest information, social discovery may well see an evolution in the way in which we search and find (discover) what we want.
If you want to leap far into the distant future (or perhaps the next 5 years), imagine you have Google goggles on and are walking around Oxford Street in London. Suddenly you have a craving for a fresh fruit juice or a vegan curry (you are on a health tip); you will simply be able to use social discovery not only to locate what you want, but also to view menus, prices, customer reviews etc. Equally, if you are the best social media agency Manchester has to offer, and a film being shot in town suddenly needs the support of a local company, you need to ensure that, through social discovery, they find you, and not your competitors. The only way you can ensure this happens, is by staying up to date with social discovery tools.
Author Bio
Matt has a degree in Creative Writing and a Masters in Communications. He specialises in the evolution of language in the modern world and is fascinated by how technology is changing the way we behave as human beings. He has been published on many blogs and websites, as well as having appeared in a number of print publications.
