I am starting to see a lot of buzz about Web 2.0 and social networking from the business world.

CFO magazine has an article titled, “Joined-up thinking: Social networking sites are not just for teenagers. they have business uses too.” The Baltimore Business Journal’s article was called, “A new way to network: MySpace, Facebook aren’t just for teens anymore.” Even our friends down under are recognizing this phenomenon, as the Sydney Morning Herald writes in its article, “Social networking boom reaches the workplace.” Alex Manchester asks the questions in his post on Melcrums’ Blog (a great source for communications tips and Web 2.0).

This should tell you something: Web 2.0 and social networking are fast becoming mainstream. So what does this mean to CPAs? Are CPA firms adopting this technology or banning it? How about our corporate CPAs: Is it a positive network-builder or a waste of time?

If you are leaning on the side of positive business use or at least thinking that allowing your hard-working professionals to socialize a bit is OK, you might want to check out our project called CPA Learning 2.0. We believe Web 2.0 is important, if only to reach the new generation of students and young professionals on their terms.

Research shows that online social networkers maintain about five times the number of relationships that real-world networkers do. What if you could expand your social network using your employees to include customers, prospective customers, prospective employees, suppliers, partners, etc.? What would that be worth?

This is why we are training our entire staff at the MACPA on our online version of CPA Learning 2.0 for CPAs. You can check out here. Then tell us what you think.