'Social networking sites can be a tool for business'

EXETER city centre manager John Harvey highlighted the growing importance of online social networks to a get-together of people interested in making effective use of applications such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Mr Harvey, the guest speaker at the TAGS Tweetup gathering at the Exeter Conference Centre in Northernhay Street on Friday, said social network tools provided a new way to deal directly with customers and the wider public.

He told the gathering of business people, hosted by Scott Gould, of Exeter based marketing agency Aaron & Gould: "What I realised quite quickly is that we can effect real change through the use of social media."

He explained how he used Twitter to post a comment opposing the Carnage student pub crawl events in Exeter, linked to a report on the Express & Echo's website www.thisisexeter.co.uk.

That was followed up by radio station Heart FM and further stories in the Echo, leading eventually to a second pub crawl being cancelled.

Mr Harvey said Twitter allowed people to get in touch with him directly, highlighting problems such as the lack of lighting at Millers Crossing and the pedestrian routes at Exe Bridges. Both issues are now being tackled as a result of being raised via the social media network.

Panellists Sarah Knight of Sarah West recruitment, Martin Rothwell of World First travel insurance, and Adam Stone of Rokk Media, explained how they used websites to grow their businesses by extending their network of contacts and customers.