Before I started writing this post, I had one of my usual afternoon coffee break epiphany moments that got me thinking about technology and society. The main image that popped in my head is of a family, or should I say my family, sitting in the family room all in front of their personal devices (laptops, iphones, etc) and having no interactions with each other. Almost like zombies glued to their glowing lcd screens. Sounds like a Twilight Zone moment doesn’t it?

So knowing that we have amazing technology out there and more yet to come out, are we doomed to a life where all of our initial social interactions are handled via Facebook, Linkedin, mobile or other electronic outlets? Will family conversations, office conversations, or conversations in general no longer happen in person? Will it be better not have interactions in person? Will technology improve our social interactions and make us better at socializing with each other online and off?

Every online marketing firm, including ours, always includes some sort of Twitter marketing option. Most of the time it isn’t by choice, because our clients read all about Twitter and buy into the hype that it’s an effective marketing tool. But is Twitter really all that popular than say, MySpace? Most of us already know that with the dawn of Facebook, MySpace sort of took a backseat in the online social environment. Even with riding in the backseat, MySpace still is able to control more user attention than Twitter.

At Boost Labs, we are very passionate about our work in social media. Every second of everyday if we are not brainstorming really cool ideas for our clients, we are sipping on something that is caffeinated. Which got me to think…is our caffeine intake encouraging our creativity?

Am I being cynical with that title? Probably, but I do have a good reason. Like many I get a ton of emails about webinars or events about “Social Media Marketing Experts” giving you, the business owner, the tools necessary to be successful with promoting your business online. Social Media to me is a channel that constantly evolves and is always giving you something new to learn.

While most industries are trying to figure out what Social Media can do for them, the automotive industry has been involved in social media as early as 2001 (possibly even earlier). In fact most manufacturers were involved whether they liked it or not. The reason for the forced involvement had to do with car enthusiasts who had passion for specific automotive models and brands. Using “car love” as the common bond, millions of visitors would join various “closed communities” (bulletin boards) and engage in conversation with each other across the world. This opened the communication doors between the manufacturer and the owner. This also provided an opportunity for people like me to start a “closed community” and provide enthusiasts with something that they couldn’t find anywhere else. Hence the start of EvolutionM.net.