Social networking ‘makes world seem smaller’

Social networking sites offer the benefit of effectively making the world smaller, according to an expert.

“In general terms, the British are adventurous and social networking sites will help build that adventurous spirit further,” said Jonathan Cudworth, head of product marketing at Expedia.co.uk.

Commenting on the impact social networking has had on the travel industry, he suggested that it “supplements other sources of information such as television programmes” in sharing information with consumers.

Ian Jindal, editor-in-chief of Internet Retailing magazine, recently advised businesses to take an overall view of their operations as opposed to focusing on one channel such as social media.

A more holistic, multi-channel approach is more likely to be successful in satisfying customers and driving sales, he believes.

Mr Jindal added that data from Hitwise suggests social media is a more effective means of attracting traffic to online retail sites than email marketing campaigns.