Twitter offers a way for businesses to connect with their customers online. Foursquare puts location in context and extends that connection to the offline world. The model of the location-based game is such that any venue willing to make an extra effort can get to know their socially active customers on a more personal level, and even encourage meetups in their space.

Much of my interest and excitement around social media centers around the deeper connections that can occur with the use of technology. Technology that tracks our activities and what we like can help make the world around us better.

We are beginning to see evolutionary shifts in business that are going to see organizations focusing on the human relationships. These relationships have always existed in the background it’s just that now the consumer has a much bigger voice. The businesses that get great at listening and nourishing their relationships will increase their opportunity to thrive in our fast changing world.