Social Media–Fad or New Reality?
I get asked, “Is this social media stuff just another internet fad? Aren’t Face Book and My Space and You Tube just things kids do?” Let me answer these questions by describing what is meant by social media and offering three reasons why social media is no fad!
What is Social Media?
Wikipedia, itself an interactive on line encyclopedia, describes social network and social media as primarily Internet and mobile based tools for sharing and discussing information. It involves building online communities of people who have shared interests and activities or who are interested in exploring the interest and activities of others. These terms integrate technology, telecommunications and social interaction using words, pictures, videos and audio. They reflect the changing trends in the use of the World Wide Web technology and web design with the aim to enhance creativity, communications, secure information sharing, collaboration and functionality of the web.
Why the Shift to Social Media?
I find three reasons for the popularity of social media and social networking.
First, because we can do it! Technology has given us the capacity to do it. The desk computer gave way to lap top which gave way to internet phone access. We have become wireless and totally mobile.
Part of this new technology also involves the capacity to interact on the internet. During its infancy, the internet was a one way conversation. Today, technology allows us to interact with each other using words, pictures, audio and videos.
Second, the death of mass media. People no longer need mass marketing by TV, radio and newspapers to give them information about products. They learn from the internet. They learn about products and services and their buying options. Through internet social networking programs, they learn from others who have actually experienced the products. People are turning to other people like themselves rather than to businesses for buying information.
Third, space and time no longer limit people. We once lived in our own neighborhoods, our own cities, and our own county. The interactive quality of the internet has eliminated space and time barriers between people.
Social networking programs connect us in real time to anyone in the world. We can connect not only with one person but also with groups of people in the same real time. With Face Book and My Space and Twitter, having “Friends” takes on a whole new meaning.
Some complain this new social networking is not the face to face communications we once called friendships. Those complaints remind me of my high school days when parents complained about Elvis and his rock and roll music because it didn’t sound like their music.
The rules are still being written about how we communicate in this new, real time social environment. The rules are still being developed about how we do business in this new environment. Social media is not a fad. It is already the norm for those under thirty five. It soon will be the norm for the rest of us. Social media and social networking are here to stay.
Al Hanzal
Your comments are welcomed…
Tags: Social Media and Web