This post more in like a continuation of my earlier post. ‘Does social networking have relevance in Enterprise?’ As I dug further, I realized that the change is here to stay and the evolution of social web has already been mapped. So this post is more on the lines of how companies should cope with the metaphysis of web2.0.

In April 2009, Forrester analysts published their study on the future of the social web. They have divided it’s evolution and progression into 5 overlapping eras namely ;

1) Era of Social Relationships: People connect to others and share (Start – 1995 Maturity - 2003 to 2007)
2) Era of Social Functionality: Social networks become like operating system (Start – 2007 Maturity- 2010 to 2012)
3) Era of Social Colonization: Every experience can now be social (Start – 2009 Maturity - 2011)
4) Era of Social Context: Personalized and accurate content (Start – 2010 Maturity - 2012)
5) Era of Social Commerce: Communities define future products and services (Start – 2011 Maturity - 2013)

We are in a transitional state between Era of Social Colonization and the Era of Social Context. We know that almost everything is socially integrable . If we look closely, sites like Facebook and Twitter are no longer just social network sites. Instead, they are evolving into a more complex, yet simpler communications platforms. This year we are already witnessing the mighty powers of the social barrier breaking Identity 2.0 technologies such as OpenID and Facebook Connect. With the advent of these two, the pronounced dividers across all Internet sites are beginning to dissolve. By year 2010, Identity 2.0 would be the boss and online content would come on a customized platter to the users.

Companies must realize that their products or services will sell more based on WoM because the old concept of ‘Customer is King’ is back. Millions of people are going to be using the social networks and they will buy products based on what their friends have to say and not solely based on advertisements. It would be wise to nurture customer evangelists and patent online groups. Whatever be the company’s product or service, it must be showcased online so that it can be seen by customers and prospective clients, else they could be on the losing side. Some speculate that in the future, the customers would be determining what the company has to offer. In that case it is always better take product to the customers first before they bring it to company.

Therefore, I think that companies must adopt a total ‘transparent-to-public’ policy, even if they are not totally pro Web 2.0 to cope with the transition.

Having said all this, I must also say that one cannot predict the exact course of Web 2.0 because 60 years back Internet itself was a myth.

On the lighter side, here is Dilbert!

For what we know, there are quite a few organizations that go to the extremes to block out the social networking sites out of their offices, just to prevent their employees from getting distracted. Have they won the battle? Maybe! But even if they win, they could be at loss. .

Social network media is bound to seep into all walks of life and work in the next 2 years. We are in a transitional state were restricted working environments are giving way to more of a free social enterprise business culture. Like it or not, the change is here. Social media networking is a huge infantile market and Forrester analysts say that Enterprise 2.0 will become a US 4.6 billion dollar industry by 2013.. The companies that try to prevent the social media networks might have already lost their potential customers to their competitors who hold no taboo against them.

That brings us to a very important question, will there ever be a true bridge between social networking sites and enterprises?The answer lies in moderation and in the advent of Community management.

But first, what is Community management?

It has been there,right from the arrival of all forms online interpersonal communication (ie, online forums, chats rooms, newsgroups, etc) but had mostly stayed on the sidelines. It’s only now starting to get serious attention as a technique for managing social collaboration within organizations and outside. Community management would mean creating, expanding and moderating/managing online communities built that around the company’s product, service or the company itself. But that is not all, it would also include managing the vital social must-haves like networking, marketing, evangelism, human resource management, communication, corporate blurb, etc.

Enterprise social networking can be regulated process with community managers to oversee it. It would be best if companies embrace it and treat it like any other enterprise communication tool.