Whilst many of us are still coming up to speed with Social Media it’s important to understand its future in business. 

Here are our predictions on how Social Networks will shape the online future.

1. Virtual gifts become real products though social networks

Transact via PayPal through Facebook interface:

  1. Buy tokens on Facebook
  2. Pay through PayPal
  3. Voucher for free sweets sent to user’s mobile
  4. Redeem at newsagents who are using the PayPoint system

virtual gifts

2. Create your own online store with the PayPal storefront.


create PayPal storefront

3. Conversations are the market

Not a new idea.  Word-of-mouth has always been the most powerful endorsement of a product of service and now it’s becoming even more important.  These conversations are now easily facilitated online, often real-time, in a multitude of ways.  Your customers are not only talking to their personal networks but other customers.  We are moving to a recommendation economy and conversation is the “multi-channel glue”.

"Markets do not want to talk to flacks and hucksters. They want to participate in the conversations going on behind the corporate firewall. De-cloaking, getting personal: We are those markets. We want to talk to you." – the Cluetrain Manifesto

the cluetrain manifesto

4. Google Wave (http://wave.google.com/ )

Google Wave is a new model for communication and collaboration on the web, coming later this year.

  • Where chat meets email
  •  Where customer service / sales happens in real time on the product page
  •  Where customers co-shop on the page, live
  •  Where ‘ratings & reviews’ are live AND on demand, on your site AND off your site, pervasive across the network…

For more information on social media, call or email us: 09 889 8020 or results@steer.co.nz

Social Media Resources

Top 10 Social Media Tactics >>
15 Free Social Media Monitoring Tools >>
Top 10 Links for Social Media Optimisation >>
Key Social Media Questions >>
The Future of Social Media >>
How to promote your business on Twitter >>
The Value of Social Media for Online Retailers >>
How to Approach Social Media >>