According to Wikipedia, (which also forms part of social media), social media is “an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio.”
Wow, what a mouthful! In my point of view it’s another fancy way to describe the billions of conversations happening online 24/7. So who is having all these conversations? Your customers, your volunteers, your employees, your investors, your fans, your critics and anyone who has access and opinions about something on the internet. Think of it this way – just like in the “real world” where people are ALREADY talking about your company, its products and services, those people now have the technology available to do the same online, much faster and more visible for everyone else to see.
These conversations cannot be controlled or organised by anyone. They are organic, complex and speak in a human voice just like any other conversation. Therefore we should not look at social media as just another strategy or advertising campaign. It should be seen as a channel of communication between you and your customers.
For that matter one can also say that social media is the way people engage, participate and share online… Social media is all about connecting and belonging to something. Every person on this planet has a need to belong to something. That something can be a group, a cause, a brand, a family, or anything that resembles with their personality. People with the same ideas and beliefs normally congregate together. The same happens online, and that is what social media is about.
As a business you can use this to your advantage by becoming part of these communities and using social media to research new ideas, develop strategic plans according to the wants and needs of the community, form dialogue with individuals to evaluate your decisions and implement a strategy formed according to what your customers really want.
In 2009, Forrester Research completed a study of social media and said that – “marketers who embrace social media will outdistance competition, build community following and boost loyalty.” But how do we “embrace social media”? That is exactly what this series of posts are about. Over the next few weeks I will be delving deep into this topic, giving away free tips, training, tutorials and techniques that any business can use to grow their following online by listening and engaging with the conversations happening about your company / brand. Stay tuned for some entertaining, enlightening and educational content that will surprise you and hopefully open your eyes to the possibilities and huge opportunities that exist online.
Let me know what your thoughts are by leaving a comment below, and if you haven’t done so yet, you should become a fan on my Facebook Page – Social Media Tips – for free daily social media training. Just click on the “like” button on the Facebook area on the right of this screen. See you tomorrow!
