I was having a conversation with my father a while ago about technology. He had just updated to an iPhone 6, but was confused about many of the new features, buttons, and bells and whistles. After we tried figuring out why a mail server wouldn’t connect, he pointed out how technology was initially created to simplify our lives but at the end of the day it makes things and people so much more complicated.

On a personal level one can truly understand his feelings. But when it comes to business, technology—especially social media—is something that can’t be ignored, as that’s where a great deal of audiences are turning toward today when they want to make purchases. Reviews, tips and demos from real people with honest opinions—that is where most of the smart companies will go when they want to get in front of consumers. But maybe, like a dating site, this technology is a two-way street. Companies want to find the consumers who are right for them, too.