A Primer Part 1: What is Social Media

Social media is appropriately named.  It covers a broad range of communication from short messages, such as 140 character Tweets that flash up and disappear, to articles and conversations that may span tens of pages, involve thousands of people and evolve over months.  You can now write articles, comments, send messages, pictures, videos, or just listen to millions of conversations.  If it exists in thought or deed it is represented in social media.

So where do you start? Do you know of a brand that has built a loyal client base without having a clear brand identity and developing a message that is attractive? Or a person who formed a friendship without sharing a common interest or at least a starting point of similarity? It’s an unwritten law that great relationships sprout from a shared understanding and foundation.

Chances are the term “social media” has reached a commodity level in your mind, but questions still remain- Is it Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube? Too many people think of social media as simply another channel through which familiar advertising and marketing content can be distributed.  The truth is that these channels involve people and communities that are passionate and protective, and to leverage the massive power it offers, we must behave with the same respect we would in a face-to-face conversation with our friends and family if were we in their houses.

Before jumping ahead, let’s start at the beginning with a definition of social media from author Jay Deragon:

“Social media – the adjective “social” implies that the verb or noun to which it is applied is somehow more communicative, cooperative, and moderated by contact with human beings. In the absences of agreement about its meaning, the term “social” is used in many different senses, referring among other things to attitudes, orientations or behaviors which take the interests, intentions or needs of other people into account.

The word “media” may refer to tools used to store and deliver information or data. Today’s social technologies enable people and business to create their own media as a means of getting their own audiences attention, attraction and affinity.”

In a nutshell, people are creating their own media channels available for anyone to join. That is an incredible opportunity for companies to reach people directly – and vice versa. However, the most crucial part of the equation is “being social.”

Think about the last wedding you attended. Did you meet any new people at the event? Which ones left a lasting impression or had you thinking, “I’d like to see that person again?” Most likely it was the person that listened intently, asked questions, found a common ground, engaged in conversation, and was thoughtful about how to nurture trust with the potential for a relationship.

Many of the same principles that underlie the forming of a purely social friendship apply to business social media.

People or companies that think they can push a self-serving message or one that does not provide any value to followers of their media channel fail.

But companies that approach social media with the care and attention of a friendship are finding true benefit in customer retention, brand awareness, and inbound marketing; the topic of our next article.

Responses to A Primer Part 1: What is Social Media

1. Liz Danziger says:

   July 28, 2009 at 9:41 am

   Very interesting article. It was also well written. As a writing trainer, I always appreciate that.

   Best wishes,

   Liz Danziger
2. Kathy Bass says:

   July 31, 2009 at 2:33 pm

   Great article and nice to have the human connection making a comeback!
3. Ed Wolf says:

   August 3, 2009 at 8:40 am

   Thank you for the article. This is a fascinating field. There is so much marketing and branding potential here (in the social media), and the playing field is still evolving. I’m looking forward to seeing Part 2 in the series!

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