Facebook is probably the most prevalent website in my young adult life because virtually everyone I know uses it. Even my extended family members are on Facebook. However, the one big reason for people to not use Facebook is their belief that it doesn't offer anything.

Many people quit MySpace and moved to Facebook because there was nothing for them to do on MySpace. After all, what was MySpace even about? People got bored seeking out friends and looking at the same pictures with nothing new to explore. Facebook's continual site modifications and new, exciting features have created buzz and kept users interested.

Social media, everywhere you look it's there. I'm going to discuss the basics of them and a tip on how they can help you. Let's start with Facebook:

Facebook is the revolution of social media. We're talking about movies, lawsuits, billions of dollars and the lovely drama-issues people have. I remember back when I started on Facebook, I really wasnt involved at all. I never play the games, and the applications I use are for the third-party stuff like Tweetdeck. So, yeah, I'm not a total Facebooker, per se, but I do have my friends list, which I try to keep up with; I give my shout-outs and pokes here and there, and the occasional happy birthday, when I see one.

Facebook is the best way to connect and network. I'm talking about how I can spend maybe two hours on Facebook and be introduced to thousands of people I'd like to network with. I gain new friendships, ideas and networks to be a part of. What I've been seeing lately is how small, little companies are taking advantage of the APIs Facebook has to offer and building full-fledged sites around them. We're talking dating sites, network marketing, social marketing, advertising and just so much more. This helps in many ways: possibly to find more friends or date, or to network that much faster.

Chances are, one day, you eventually will have more than one Skype account, a software application that lets users make voice calls over the Internet. Maybe you want to have one strictly for work and the other one for staying in contact with your friends and family. But, you should not be mixing them in the first place.

I've pondering what the online social media scene will be like in five years and came up with some predictions of where major sites like Wikipedia, YouTube and Twitter will be at.

I think Twitter is currently a fad and will die within the next few years unless it comes up with its own niche in the market. It has lost popularity because it functions in a nearly identical fashion as Facebook status updates, but it can't compete with Facebook because it doesn't have many of the latter's other features. Many of Twitter's original users will lose interest in it over time if it has nothing new to offer. It could stay alive, however, if it creates something new and unique in the world of the Internet.

Having guidelines for your corporate identity and branding assets is a great idea. Consistancy is important when your company is constantly in the public eye (and isn't every company?), and guidelines that set boundaries on what can and cannot be done with company logos, colors and even content can prove to be vital.

From logos to letterhead, signage and websites, a style bible will keep you looking professional when new ads are created or a new hire needs a business card. Not only is it professional, a well-organized collection of rules and examples means that if your designer is unavailable or no longer a member of your staff, someone else can step in and keep your business from looking, well, awful.

Here are some good articles for style guidelines:

Designing Style Guidelines for Brands and Websites

Corporate Identity Manuals & Guides

The Corporate Identity Manual

Salesforce.com Corporate Identity Style Guide PDF

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