Social media provides opportunities for businesses to connect with customers, drive traffic to their websites, and build brand loyalty. The document discusses how social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have hundreds of millions of active users, and participating in social media allows businesses to immediately connect with customers, have a two-way dialogue with them, and add value to their brand. It recommends that businesses fully participate in social media by reaching out to customers, being open, and diving completely into social media in order to reap rewards like increased loyalty, profits, and gaining a first mover advantage.