I just wrapped up a great book – Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely – that discussed, among many other things, the different relationship types we have between people; especially market relationships and social relationships. Essentially, the situation becomes very awkward because you have flipped the relationship from one form (a social relationship) to another form (a market relationship). Neither type of relationship, by itself, is problematic. It just makes those relationships more visible. These fit within a social relationship. MORE >>

She had made a random Twitter comment to me about women and blogging and I suggested that she write about it instead of talking to me about it … and one thing led to another! Since then, Jenn and I have been regular Twitter buddies and she has been a frequent contributor to {grow} through her comments in the community. Twitter is not a conversation. We see these little smiling avatars each day without really having a clue about the person behind the picture. Share this on Facebook. Tags: Personal business relationships sociology Seriously. MORE >>

by Jesse Noyes | Tweet this If you follow social media, online influence or Facebook marketing, chances are you heard the news last week between Klout and Involver. Klout measures influence on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and, most recently , LinkedIn. Together the two startups are making it possible for brands to customize the Facebook fan page experience based on fans’ Klout scores. The connection between social media influence and Facebook marketing made headlines. Facebook does not give you any of those options. Facebook. MORE >>

In the “real world,” a person might have power and influence through their position on an organizational chart or through some elected position. So I asked a few of my friends … What do you think it takes to become powerful on Facebook? Facebook forces companies and people to compete for attention pixel-by-pixel. We create outstanding visual images that people like to share on Facebook, driving traffic back to our own website.” They try to do something different online than they do in person. But on the Internet, we HATE rules. Human. MORE >>

While a dwindling number of business executives still dismiss Twitter as a waste of time, recent research suggests it is one of the most valuable social networks for business. Awareness of Twitter has exploded; 87% of Americans said they were “familiar with” Twitter in a poll taken earlier this year, versus just 5% in 2008 and 26% in 2009. Although fewer Americans use Twitter than Facebook, Twitter users “are far more likely to follow Brands/ Companies than social networkers in general. So what are the best ways to use Twitter for business? MORE >>