Facebook has created significant value for me as a free-of-charge social networking platform, allowing me to have a self-maintaining network of instantly contactable people. What a tool!

But if I consider Twitter in the same light, I am unable to see the benefit on even a personal level. I am not a celebrity-watcher, nor do I care what others are doing every minute of their lives. So is any value added at all? I don't think so.

Taking this a step further, I believe it will become a science to manage your online presence, so that what people can find online is exactly what you want them to see. This goes for businesses as much as it does for individuals. And as Twitter is a very public forum, it goes directly against the rules I have for controlling my online presence.

My advice in general would be to identify the social media platforms that can give you both significant business and personal benefits and set yourself some rules for your online presence.

Imagine you are your customer and structure your presence to pre-qualify yourself and/or your business. If you cannot see a benefit, don't follow the hype.

Patrick Kershaw is operations manager for Horizon Pacific, a nationwide technology support provider specialising in assisting SMEs. patrick.kershaw@horizonpacific.com