Social Media

Is it social or media?

Posted on November 7, 2007 | Permalink

By Lane Casteix

What is social media? Here is a definition on Wikipedia that is a good start. In this Wiki definition are some links to some of the most popular social media sites you can visit and see how these communities are functioning as viable living entities.

A tug of war of sorts is forming over social media. Is it a place whereby communities can form and socialize? Or is it a medium whereby marketers can reach and sell products to identifiable demographic groups? The first puts the emphasis on the word "social", and the latter on the word "media".

It is really both, but the "social" comes first, and marketers need to be very careful how they approach the "media" part. Exploiters and abusers will be quickly exposed by the largely self-policing community. Marketers don't seem to get this. Those that do will profit handsomely from it's proper use.

The key to successfully using social media as a marketing tool is to "join" the community and contribute meaningful and wanted content rather than "manipulating" the community simply to advance sales goals.