The question seems simple right? What is Social Media.. well that is easy. The definition of Social Media per Wikipedia is:
“Social Media is media designed to be disseminated through social interaction, created using highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques. Social media supports the human need for social interaction, using Internet- and web-based technologies to transform broadcast media monologues (one to many) into social media dialogues (many to many). It supports the democratization of knowledge and information, transforming people from content consumers into content producers. Some define social media as “a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, and that allow the creation and exchange of User Generated Content“.
Makes sense right?
Ya right! That was a mouth full. I do not know about you but I find the above way to deep and complicated. So I reached out to my community and asked them how they would define the term Social Media. I got lots of amazing answers some longer then the wikipedia version, others shorter. . I thought it would be fun to provide you some of them in list form, because well people like lists.
I asked: “What exactly is Social Media?” and “How Would You Define Social Media To Someone in 140 characters or less?”
-Susan Crawford, Internet Strategist : “Although you may be hearing a lot of buzz words like Twitter, Flutter, WordPress, or Facebook, “social media” refers to the plethora of ways you can network online — around blogs, member boards, social causes, kindred spirits (such as sports clubs), issues/editorials, and reviews. You can add your opinion, offer your perspective, clarify a question, share your experience, propose proven solution, lend credibility, or just sympathize wherever people congregate. Just jump in. Listen first. Get a feel for that specific community then join in – frequently. Be conversation (postings of purely headlines are not well tolerated).
The next thing you’re are probably hearing is about the ‘social media time suck.’ This refers to the time it takes to write fresh and relevant postings in all your social media places. Time suck is at its worst if you don’t have an intentional social media strategy. You may want to consider Posterous or Ping which are services that can place one posting across all your social accounts simultaneously. “It is better to be a part of social media than apart from social media.”
-Apeksha Bobe, Marcom Professionals : “Social media is all about increasing your touch points with ‘potential’ consumers. It is creating a ripple effect that boosts brand recognition.
For example, a company Facebook page can be shared among thousands of friends. Those friends can share with their friends, increasing brand awareness for the company.
Its also about increasing your visibility. Aside from appearing cool and innovative, engaging in social media builds trust with consumers. ” It is a NECESSITY today.
-Keith Burtis, Keith Burtis Consulting: “Social Media in my opinion is a white board, a blank slate where companies and individuals have the ability to use a myriad of tools including audio, video, and text to effectively communicate, engage, educate, market, and share ideas in a way that is strategically advantageous to the objective of that business, brand or individual.”
-Meez/Swaggerdap.com: “Social media is interactive content.”
-Brigitte Goddemeyer:” Getting authentic transparent messages to a world’s transparent audience”
-Sonia Carreno, Passage Communications: “Online channels for self-promotion and connectivity + ability to sort “friends” and speak to them according to sort structure.”
-Jonathan Silverman, GSA Business Development: “On a business level, it is a ‘new’ (perhaps not so new as each day passes) form of communication that will grow in importance as it gains ever more traction. It will become the primary and most intimate means of business to business and business to consumer communication. It is already forcing marketers to re-evaluate the way brands interact with their customer audiences and potential customers. On a personal level it offers means to connect and reconnect, to play, to belong and to network.”
-Annie Sorensen, : “Easy answer…Contributing & Caring.”
How would you define Social Media?
