The Future Of Businesses Socializing Online

If it's good enough for all of us, shouldn't it be good enough for businesses too? The explosion of social networking--the connecting, reconnecting, and sharing of our daily thoughts--has quickly incorporated itself into the fabric of our lives. For those doing it, many might say they feel all the better for it. How long until businesses take on this passion for connecting?

Forget about advertising for a second. Doesn't it make sense that businesses should be pining for the chance to congregate online in highly (hyper) local communities to share, learn and benefit from each other's experience? If you were a brand new accountant getting started in St. Louis, wouldn't it be great to find a St. Louis accountants group online to join? If this group was moderated with guidance and insight into all things “St. Louis accountants,” it could be an instant networking tool where information and experience was shared among peers for the sake of helping the community.

We seem to be close, but it isn't quite here yet. Just as nearly every business sector eventually found itself with a local online directory in which to list business information over the last five years, it must only be a matter of time before businesses are given the opportunity to band together--not so much in spaces to do business advertising, but more in places to do business socializing. I'm picturing a 24/7 online version of an annual three-day national accountants convention, but without the hotel bills or bar tabs. There could be one for every business industry in every major metro area.

As is often the case, technology might leap into motion a few years before the small- and medium-sized business audience is ready to adopt it. But maybe that won't be such an issue anymore? Maybe that's the only unclear part of the not too distant future. That businesses should come to find places to socialize and learn together at the local level online seems a crystal clear outcome as we peer into the future's crystal ball.