Growing up in the computer age, I've seen great strides in technology and the way we use it. Years ago, the world wide web was created as a way to share information among users. This happened barely twenty years ago, and twenty years later we can do basically anything online- order a pizza, shop for clothes, or talk to someone halfway around the world. Virtually every business has a website, people have personal pages, and there are new pages being created every day.
I've seen computers go from giant systems to clunky laptops to computers that are the shape and weight of a notebook- and can act as one. Cell phones are now 10% of the size they were before, and can do 2000x more functions. The funny thing about technology is that it's constantly changing and progressing. You may finally master a program or technology today, and tomorrow there is already a newer version coming out and yours is obsolete. (This commercial is a good example)
Along with these changes in technology also come changes in the way we use it and the accessibility of information. We have gone from slooooow dialup connections to smartphones where we literally have the world at our fingertips at any time. It makes sense then that as we become more technology savvy, obsessed, and dependent, the social media market has emerged and taken off.
In a world before MySpace and Facebook, many companies had basic webpages. As MySpace phased out and Facebook was in, more and more companies were realizing the potential of being online. When Facebook started serving not only college students but parents, employers, and businesses too, the website really took off. There are now millions of businesses, local and national, that have a page on Facebook. Their pages can feature information about the company and its services, promotions and deals, and special offers for those who are "fans" of the company. It's genius really. Teenagers and college students spend so much time surfing the web that it's turning into the cheapest and one of the most effective ways to advertise a company, and perhaps the most efficient way of reaching those from Generation Y. Companies that don't have a high presence online and don't use many social media techniques are at risk of being left behind.
