Social media is ________________? (fill in the blank)
Looking for creative and thought provoking answers to define social media. You can visit my Event Tech blog at www.tradeshowweek.com/blog/stephennold to see some of the first responses I have gathered. Any answers may be posted with full reference credit.
Good Answers (11)
Shefali N.
Social Media Expert/Internet Marketer
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The fifth "P" of marketing- PARTICIPATION
Links:
Ed G.
Epicure, Bon Vivant
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(expletive deleted)
Dave M.
Professional trade show booth traffic builder and party entertainer. Corporate and private sector events.
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Social media is absolutely helping me build my business...
addictive sharing. :)
...the aggregation of specific digital applications that permit individuals to capture, create and share content.
As the computing power behind these applications and the digital networks that connect them have become more powerful, widespread, and simpler to use, the self-expression and information sharing they have made possible have altered forever at least two essentials:
- the relationships between individuals and the institutions whose traditions and authority have circumscribed their lives.
- relationships among individuals ourselves.
We're watching these alterations by the minute and extending their impact with every RT and photo album put on Facebook or Powerpoint presentation embedded in a LinkedIn page.
These experiences may be compared to logging in to 300 baud Bulletin Board Systems (BBSs) in the 80s in the same way that three people sitting in a dingy paddling across a creek can be compared to 5,000 people on the Queen Mary stopping at a dozen ports while sailing around the world.
Clarification added August 24, 2009:
Now, where's me paddle...?
Tirthankar S.
Trading & Commercial (Steel & Commodities)
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Revolution
Shivanarayan (Shiv) G.
Sr. Business Analyst - Global Treasury Management & Capital Markets (Payment Systems) at Bank of Montreal
another successful step towards realizing the potential of the internet
Susan C.
Internet strategist, ghost blog starter, Web author, chef on rise
Best Answers in: Career Management (1), E-Commerce (1), Web Development (1)
... an equalizer
... technology discrimination
... the shortest distance between 2 thoughts
Links:
When we face something new we seem to ask: what is it most like?
We try to describe the phenomenon (it's form and function) by constructing a 'metaphor'. "social-media" is a metaphor for something we do not understand. It is a conceptual couple; neither social, nor media as we ever understood "social" or "media" in the past.
So it is a new phenomenon for us and as soon as we ask what it's necessary and sufficient conditions are, we are likely to loose something of the social and something of the media and will have to find a new noun created for the purpose of designating our definition.
If I had to take a guess, the core function would be sharing with others [social] and core form would be through background 'automation' [media]
is the answer to the question: "how can I start a real, one-on-one conversation with my consumer."
Rodrigo M.
Head of Corporate Communications - South America at Rolls-Royce Group plc
If one were to attach to the etimology of the word, one would know that media is the plural form of medium. Therefore, social media 'are' a conjunct of ways to reach a common end: to communicate with one another.
But if one is to attach to the conotation of the word, social media is a contemporary representation of the archetype of human interaction.
More Answers (58)
Inspiring
Venkataramiah A.
Consultant
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a page 3 party on the net
....a strategic and essential piece of the marketing and PR puzzle.
Rod S.
Director of Product Marketing at pVelocity Inc.
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the equal-opportunity world wide web.
Geoff F.
"Hands-on" Software Architect and Senior Developer
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____Absolutely nothing new.
Bulletin Board systems in the '70's and early 80's. AOL and Compuserve in the late '80s and early 90's. Usenet, Gopher, Forums ... how is any of this NOT social networking?
People who are excited about social networks as the latest thing must have spent the last 30 years in a cave.
Christine P.
Social Entrepreneur, Marketer, Change Agent, PR CEO, Brand & Business Advisor, Spokesperson, Board Dr, Blogger, Designer
misinterpreted - and everyone's definition, especially as it applies to marketing, is different. It's useful, evolving and, when done right, incredibly powerful for just about any business.
Links:
Andrei V.
Directing e-commerce development and e-branding strategic planning.
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Reinventing the wheel
another form of communication, much like print, the novel, cinema, comic books, television and the internet in general. Like other people have already said, its not really that new, although some people have only just noticed it has become main stream.
Proponents will shout about it about it; conservatives will dismiss, decry and resist.
Links:
Tanner C.
I help businesses achieve creative success online
Best Answers in: Public Relations (1), Search Marketing (1)
...the best thing since colored television.
Davina K. B.
PR works. Let me tell your story.
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a popular term or catchphrase without one "right" definition. Like Geoff said, it's nothing new.
In some ways it's the online, interactive version of Word of Mouth– people relating and sharing thoughts and ideas with other people, which goes back nigh unto forever.
the state of the art in marketing and customer relationship management.
Conversation.
Alex N.
Dir Portfolio Mgmt at Deming Center Venture Fund, MBA Candidate 2013 & looking for an internship in the tech world
useful
Internet Bubble 2.0
an important component of an effective marketing strategy
Erica F.
Social Media Optimizer, Publisher at ALC Publishing, President of Yuricon
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Any form of communication that allows you to talk to people. It is not online only, nor does it mean "Facebook" or "Twitter." Those are social media sites or platforms.
Take the word "social" out and what do you have left. Media. Media are any form of communications.
Cheers,
Erica Friedman
Yurikon LLC
Intelligent Business Promotion
http://www.visualcv.com/elfriedman
http://socialoptimized.blogspot.com
Links:
Erik S.
Experienced Membership Marketing and Sales Executive, Blogger, Writer, Speaker and Entrepreneur.
a new channel with new challenges that directly and indirectly impacts every other form of personal and mass communication to both internal and external clients, prospects, stake holders and non-interested parties.
Praveen P.
Buisness Manager at Mediacom
Best Answers in: Web Development (2), Internet Marketing (1)
a hot catchphrase having great potential; may wither away if noise (Communication) filter is not applied, especially some semi God "Social Media Evangelists" level gaseous statement will not be tethered.
