There are more than 1 billion people on the social media giant Facebook, and company officials selected Hernando as one of 30 cities across the nation to conduct its "Small Business Boost" program aimed at helping small businesses throughout the country acquire and retain customers. "We think we are at the forefront of technology," Hernando Mayor Chip Johnson said of Facebook's visit. "I was astounded when I found out they were coming." Johnson said the city uses Facebook all the time, including a post last week to warn the public of emergency repair work on a natural gas line. "I think we're doing our best to communicate to the public through all means, including social media," Johnson said. "We want to know what the people want. We can use that data as a tool to help bring the businesses here that people want." Johnson said many residents use Facebook rather than email to communicate with City Hall. "A lot of people, for whatever reason, feel more comfortable communicating via Facebook," Johnson said.unblock facebook U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, an avid Facebook user himself, helped facilitate the visit to Hernando's Gale Center Monday. Wicker said he and his wife Gayle toured Facebook's international facilities not long ago and were fascinated by the company's global network, adding it was all "a little over his head." Looking over the large crowd which came out to attend the seminar, Wicker stated the obvious. "This shows a great deal of interest, an outpouring of interest, among small businesses," Wicker said. Wicker spoke of the partnership between Facebook, the National Federation of Independent Business, the City of Hernando, the National Chamber of Commerce and local organizations like the Hernando Main Street/Chamber of Commerce.get on facebook Wicker said Mississippi's economic officials "love it" when a Nissan or Toyota comes to town, "but the fact remains 97 percent of our employers are small businesses." "If we are going to get out of the financial doldrums we're in, we'll do it through Facebook," Wicker said. "I use Facebook every day as a policy maker. We used Facebook every day during the campaign. Constituents let me know what they are thinking."unblock facebook Brooke Oberwetter, Associate manager, Policy Communication at Facebook in Washington, D.C., called the present decade, the 2010's, as the "Age of Discovery." She called Facebook as the main chronicler of the "story of our lives." "At the chamber we like to promote our businesses," Morris said. "When we get a new member we LIKE their Facebook page and promote their business when they run a special. It's a way to get our members some publicity. We work with a lot of businesses whose customers eat local and shop local." Scott Burnette, owner of Triple A Termite and Pest Control in Germantown, Tenn. drove down to Hernando for the seminar. "I was looking for more insight," Burnette said. "I've taken a lot of their suggestions. Everybody uses it. It's safe, and it's easy."