The social graph. No other concept has so fluidly permeated the vernacular that it’s tough to decide which accolade Mark Zuckerberg will be remembered for first: founding the largest ‘social graph’ in the world or coining the term. The term, graphically represented by a sociogram, is applied to an abstract concept which maps and illustrates online connections and it’s a powerful tool that is used to great effect. Yet despite its assured potential, the social graph does have an Achilles Heel: portability.

Thanks to some 50 million Americans carrying around smartphones, location based services are among the most prominent applications in today’s social technology sector with players big and small getting in on the action. San Francisco-based PlacePop is one such location based service that focuses on social CRM services through its unique virtual loyalty card iPhone app.

Shopping on social networks is barely in its infancy yet new reports expect social commerce sales to rise 6-fold by 2015 (Booz & Co., Feb 2011). With the sector poised to be a key revenue driver in the coming years, Facebook is ideally positioned as the dominant leader and there’s little reason for businesses to wait to tap into this new B2C channel.

When it comes to the topic of social media, few people leverage more experience and knowledge than J.D. Lasica. A veteran journalist and entrepreneur, Lasica turned his attention to the social sector as a strategist, blogger and author before it became a buzzword.  He is a frequent guest speaker and lecturer on social media, marketing and technology and has written several books on the subject.