Social Media is the Platform
Social Media has become a catch-all term for just about any content distribution on the Web. Who would have thought that two years ago, a press release would be considered social media?
But here we are. Anybody who is blogging, twittering, publishing photos, friend-feeding, Viddler-ing etc… is social media-ing. But are they? I say that social media is the platform. The platform allows us as content creators to develop content that want to share. From there, it’s a matter of how it’s used.
Social Marketing
Social Marketing is the bulk of what social media is used for. There is a distinct difference between using Twitter to discuss the banal details of your life and using Twitter to distribute 20% off coupons for your restaurant. Using the tools available to you through social media in order to generate direct sales is social marketing.
Social Marketing is often thinly veiled and that is where some of the frustration confusion occurs. When “consultants” offer their services through social media they are participating in social marketing. But it is veiled as social media. Simply sharing ideas, right? But the intent is to ultimately lead to a sale.
Using content sharing services to promote your business and services is a great use of social media as a platform. Enabling your customers to evangelize and tell your story for you is one of the greatest ways to build your brand and message. Social media as a platform also enables those people to reach each other.
Social Networking
We all like to meet people. We all like to interact with humans. After all, if you remove the ability to physically connect with the people we interact with online, social media would shrivel to nothing.
Being able to use social media to share pictures of my pug or arrange to meet some friends are great benefits of the technology platforms that comprise social media. In fact, one of my favorite aspects of social media as a platform is it’s opt in. I get out of it what I put in and if I choose not to participate, the world doesn’t end.
Plenty of stories exist about people using social media to network their way into a job or raise funds for a charity or even find a spouse. Being able to foster relationships, both professional and personal, is one of the great uses of social media as a platform.
Social Education
If you are out to share information (like this blog?) or distribute a message then you are using social media as a means to educate. Social education utilizes the alternative definition of social. In this instance, social is a reflection of society as a whole. Building communities around lifestyles or the environment is an emerging use of social media as a platform.
The emergence of the “green” lifestyle and social awareness in general is able to reach new levels thanks to social media as a platform. Video blogs, micropayments and the Twestival for charity:water are great examples of our society taking advantage of the innovations in social media technology that have emerged recently.
What Does This Mean?
It means that there’s no right or wrong way to use social media. It means that we need to be aware of the progression of the platform and how we as marketers and social beings can utilize it in innovative ways.
Just because we’re out in the “social media-sphere” doesn’t mean we know what’s happening. This shift that is occurring around us changes daily. Having a platform to build on and capture our every thought and action is both intriguing and totally frightening.
What this means is that social media is here to stay. How will you use it?
I was waiting to hear how the comments would come out before dialoguing on “right or wrong”.
I completely disagree with you all! I think that you have to first and foremost determine your objective. Not all people, organizations, or businesses require EVERY tool. Some people use a fax machine, some don’t; some people have a website, some don’t; some people use twitter, and some do not.
You have to determine which tools will help you meet which objectives you have. And then yes – there is a right or wrong way to use the tool and there are right and wrong tools to use.
If there were not right or wrong way you wouldn’t have some people achieving success through the utilization of the new tools and some NOT.
There is definitely a RIGHT and WRONG way to use the Internet. It all depends on what you want to accomplish.
Thoughts on that?!
Great insight in breaking social media down by the primary objectives. As you point out, it is consistently evolving which can make it hard to keep up and there certainly is no right nor wrong way. I agree with Jason that people will execute in a way that works for them.
Great job!
What about Social Advocacy? is that like Marketing or like Education?
Bravo, my man. It is eternally frustrating to hear people say “this is how you do it,” or “you aren’t using social media the right way.” There is no wrong way. Each will use the tool the way that works for them and they will find an audience that will be receptive to it. This is the primary reason advertising is not dead. Our society is conditioned to consuming it. They will continue to do so.
Great thoughts. Great post.
I agree, there’s no “right” or “wrong” way to use social media. Unfortunately, all the hype has sent many companies rushing into “doing social media” without first determining why they should be there. I think a good “social media consultant” would ask that question first.
To me, social media = new channels of communication. The common system has evolved from stone tablets to Twitter, from clicks and grunts to sending Facebook super hugs, but in the end, it’s about people’s need to share information and messages. That is how I intend to use social media.
Eric, great post! Thanks for starting the conversation.
I think that’s it – we’ve gone from Web 2.0 to Web-SM. This should be the term to coin from here on out!
Great post Eric.