Redefining Social Media

Social media has come a long way since its inception during the formative years of the internet. Many of us has fond (or not so fond) memories of our days on platforms like Geocities, Xanga, and the original incarnation of MySpace. Others of us spent inordinate amounts of time in various forums or listservs.

But times change. In more recent years, social media has become synonymous for many with specific platforms. In fact, ask someone what the first thing they think of when you mention the phrase “social media,” and they’ll probably start rattling off a list of platforms, beginning with Facebook and Twitter, and perhaps moving on to LinkedIn or even a few other platforms.

But social media is not about platforms. Platforms are merely the vehicles we use to be social online. And for those business owners and marketers who view social media through the lens of particular platforms, there is a great need to rethink and redefine. A social media mindset requires this. A social media mindset needs to focus more on what social media is and isn’t, rather than focusing on Facebook or Twitter or any other platform. I find that many in my field who promote social media are merely promoting platforms and platform usage. On the other hand, I also find that many who criticize social media, whether it be for personal use or business use, get stuck focusing on platforms. We spend an inordinate amount of time focusing on which platform “performs” best, and which platforms don’t “work.” There is a need for some of this thinking, but it is generally counterproductive, and perpetuates a definition of social media that hurts us more than it helps.

To break it down to it’s lowest form, it’s helpful to look back at the elements that make up social media. If we are to define it, what is it that makes something social media in the first place?

There are a number of important characteristics that set social media apart from any other sort of traditional media or content. There is a lot of overlap between these characteristics, as they are very much interrelated:

User generated content

The days of visiting a website and merely reading content written by someone else are all but gone. Now we are all participants, authors and content creators. Even commenting on a blog or replying to someone publicly on Facebook or Twitter is a form of content. Even the process of sharing or “curating” content is a form of user generated content, as each share adds something to what is being shared, at least in terms of context.

Connecting, relationships, and community

Without the ability to connect with others, whether they be family, friends, or even perfect strangers, there would be no “social” in social media. Online, and across a variety of platforms, I have connected with friends, new and old. I have become a part of numerous communities, each of which is built around some sort of shared interest or idea. We are no longer visiting websites alone within the confines of our homes. Every stop along the way is somehow community related. Through social media you can keep in touch with existing friends, and even find new friends based on shared interests. From a business perspective, this includes current and potential clients. You can reconnect with old friends and maintain existing relationships on a daily basis.

Conversation

The web is no longer a one-way medium. Anything anyone posts via social media has the potential to start a conversation. And it’s a conversation that takes place 24/7, with the ability for anyone to jump in and out whenever they feel like it. As in real life, you may contribute as little or as much as you like, thereby shaping the conversation. You can start one, or join one. We are all part of multiple conversations at all times, many of which transcend the traditional online/offline barrriers.

Communication

For many of us, gone are the days of writing letters or picking up the phone. I can communicate with my friends via email, text messaging, or through our Facebook or Twitter accounts. I can even share information or make contact with multiple people all at the same time. I can participate in Google + Hangouts with multiple people, or meet one on one via Skype. It seems as if we are finding new ways to communicate with one another, both publicly and privately, nearly every day.

Collaboration

We no longer function alone in a vacuum. For me, online connections have turned into collaborative relationships. We write together, create content together, plan business opportunities together. This new collaborative economy is often defined by new terms like “crowdsourcing” and “crowdfunding.” Brainstorming isn’t just some sort of activity that we plan for a few hours in a closed room. We are all collaborating all the time, whether we know it or not.

User-centric

This is more for businesses to note, but while most media is product or company focused, social media is about the consumer. The members (both consumer AND company/organization) are participants in the community. It is the community that dictates the shape and scope of the content. Users now have direct access to businesses large and small, in unprecedented ways. That alone is reshaping how many do business. It is helping to change the face of traditional business models in significant and necessary ways.

Those are just a few characteristics that help to define this thing we call social media. I’m sure we could all think of more, but these help us get to the heart of the matter.

When it comes down to it, social media is not about platforms. It’s about how all of us experience life online. It’s about everything we do online.

• We don’t just visit Amazon and make a purchase; we create wish lists that we can share with others.


• We don’t just read the news at CNN; we comment, share, and discuss the news.


• We don’t just donate to a great cause; we find ways to magnify and increase our donation by getting others on board to do the same.


• We don’t just watch television shows; we play along at home via interactive websites, and watch actively with others around the world in a new participatory context.

This is why I always stress the need for a social media mindset with my clients and students, before I even begin discussing specific platforms, strategies, and tactics. This mindset is crucial. Without this, all of our discussions of big data, analytics, ROI, influence, SEO, and the like, are meaningless. Social media is about our total online (and offline) experience. And experience isn’t something that can be easily measured. It merely runs on a rather subjective spectrum from “great” to “horrible.” It’s no longer about “logging on” to a specific platform for a specific activity, but instead is about being connected and communicating at all times, either actively or passively. The growth and proliferation of mobile and smart technology, and the “internet of things,” has helped us move forward into a world where the arbitrary line between offline and online has blurred to the point of near obsolescence.

Now, think about the online and offline experience you’re offering your customers and users. How are you connecting with them and making them a part of your team? What is your mobile experience like? Are you aware of every aspect of your online presence and how it connects with you and your customers offline? Is your website merely an online brochure or a social experience? Is your entire online presence integrated seamlessly?

How do you define social media, either as an individual user or as a business? Has your definition evolved over the past few years?

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