Last night I tuned into a great webinar, organised by the Click Z Network, and presented by Dave Evans, an Author on social media amongst other things. It was a very informative overview of how social media enhances the branding awareness, consideration and purchase cycle through word of mouth, and how powerful this can be in B2B and B2C markets for both positive recommendations of products and services, remembering that word of mouth can be negative too, Social Media is fulfilling Tim Berners Lee's original dream for the Internet, of a more collective, participative and less interruptive medium. He gave several examples of the type of experimental work that is taking place. The innovation is incredible, and very exciting. Before attending this, I had read a couple of negative comments regarding social media, here's a couple of examples:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/business/media/14digi.html?ref=business, http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/866193/Marketing-chiefs-play-down-value-social-networks/

It was so refreshsing to hear Dave's presentation. There is huge potential to develop business through the use of social media platforms. It needs dedicated understanding and management in it's own right, and it is very early days for this sector.

If you believe in marketing principles as I do, then marketeers will find ways to engage with consumers which will accelerate the social media marketplace rapidly over the next few years. I'm going to read his book over the Christmas/New Year holiday, so more later.