What is Social Media…Anyway

Breaking heads with this term or trying to give a convincing answers to your Clients, Bosses, Novices.

Many of us face the same problem with similar questions. The problem is many of the industry professionals have weaved their own set of convenient answers towards Social Media. The answers towards “What would Social Media possibly sound or look like” are “Referral Marketing, Consumer Engagement, Customer Service, link sharing etc.

But, the fact lies that no one has a logical thinking towards it. Well, its just a mere common sense, that everything you do with people or involving real people would be considered as utilizing the social media space. The thought also instigates us to find out straight answers to such an Awkward Question “What is Social Media” 🙂

To be completely precise: There are 2 ways to look at it.

Logical Approach : Involve people, Be amongst people, Do around people (focuses on Listening, Knowing & Responding)

Practical Approach: Utilize the Social Instruments such as Social tools to address people and communicate your messages, which involves “Social Networks, Crowdsourcing, Blogs & Micro-Blogs.

One thing is pretty sure, Social Media cannot be very well defined by everyone as everyone interprets it or utilizes it differently.

Few Examples to be considered:

– Social Media Gurus or enthusiasts interprets differently by addressing it with a logical approach

– Social Media Implementers interprets it with specific tools

– Social Media Strategists considers consumer engagement to be an integral part of Social Media

– Social Media Rookies mix everything up, which is actually the current problem!

Firstly, lets not try to relate or mix-up this medium with any of the current mediums. This is absolutely necessary, as it helps our self understanding and involvement, secondly, it helps you focus out of the current clutter space. Hadn’t been a case where everything was defined with tools and procedures, things would have been different in such case. But, Integration of 3 to 4 different mediums within Social Media is a different ball game and I am absolutely with it.

However, many of us do think that Social Media is not a Rocket Science. Agreed, then in that case why are people miss-interpreting it.  That’s my point. Knowingly and Unknowingly, we tend to do it.

Would like to know what other enthusiasts have in their minds!.. Please share your thoughts!