What is Social Media? Part 1
I received an e-mail today from a student at a Dutch Research and Communication centre for Journalism. This student had come across the Marketing Integrity Blog through a Google search. This individual is part of a team of students working on their thesis. The e-mail was inquiring for my definition of social media. This team of students are trying to come up with a list of 15 or so requirements that define the core elements of social media.
First of all, thank you so much for contacting me. I am intrigued by your inquiry and I certainly want to propose some thoughts and suggestions as to what elements I think define social media. I will endeavour to reflect on this topic over the next few days and sketch out some of my thoughts in a series of posts.
I think to begin with today, one of the core elements of social media to highlight is communication. Communication in the form of conversation. I am certainly not the first to say this. People like Joseph Jaffe and Mitch Joel (and many others) have been repeatedly evangelizing social media as a conversation for years. Social media is conversation in print – through blogs, electronic tools like Facebook, Twitter, and a vast array of other online electronic platforms. That conversation is a natural back and forth, ebb and flow, which involves the exchange of ideas and opinions on almost any and all topics. Of course that conversation is extended out further through more personalized social media platforms as podcasts and vodcasts as we get to interact with tangible voices and faces.
This is a great topic. One that can certainly spawn an array of thoughts and ideas. I certainly will continue to expand my thoughts on the definition over my next few posts. But for now, I welcome your thoughts on the conversation aspect and perspective of social media. Feel free to share your experiences and ideas around social media as a conversation tool in the comments section below.
…What is Social Media? Part 2…
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