How does social media affect you?

[z4daniel]

This is a question for a feature. I'm wondering how personal social media is to people today.

[Pam R]

It influences people to buy the latest things

[Issa]

I'm a certified social media addict and my shrink told me that I have to seriously unplug for a week and reassess my priorities in life. I just love being in the news -- with all those virtual peeps, tweeps and more. I guess, in a positive way, it helps me build my social proof and on the bad side, I get sleepless nights ( and I even dreamed of getting chased by a monster Twitter bird ). As they say, the best things in life are --free!

[HE Lives!!!!]

The old way of the web was that it was a research tool. You put up a site about your business and people who needed it would find their way there.

But now the web has evolved from a research tool to a social tool. Part of someones product research now involves getting the opinions of friends and peers through social media. In fact, a social media contact may now be the first place some people hear about your product or service.

Thanks to the web, it's easier than ever to get the public opinion on a product. It's just a matter of running a quick search through blogs, tweets, or the conversation pages of networking sites. Or Google a product and add the word "reviews" and see what happens. That's only the tip of the iceberg. Word of mouth no longer involves face-to-face contact. It has become "send me a link."

Now everyone can see the conversation as it unfolds. They share it. Learn from it. Add to it.

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