Making meaning #1: SOCIAL MEDIA

Definition:
Social media refers to the newish ability for anyone with an Internet connection to create content, interact, discover content and share content. A good example is the idea of “citizen journalism” where anyone online can communicate with hundreds, if not thousands and hundreds of thousands of people instantly, and unmediated by any editorial process.

Look at popular blogs where people are interacting, commenting and conversing with each other. You’ll see many traditional publications now allow for comments at the bottom of articles, taking the letter to the editor concept to a whole new level. News is often breaking on social media platforms first, and then followed up with more details and analysis from “traditional” media.

Related concepts: Web 2.0

What this means for marketers:
Communication is no longer one-way, from company to consumer. Consumers are having their own conversations about your brands, without your involvement. Companies need to change their approach and start conversing, rather than telling. This also has an impact on media relations, with traditional media looking to redefine themselves in this new media landscape.

This is the first in a series of posts that I have planned. The idea came about when I was sitting at a conference in Cape Town in May 2009 and overheard someone whisper to their colleague: “What’s viral marketing mean?” This reminded me that things are moving so fast at the moment that it can sometimes be difficult for marketers to keep up, and to know what is important and what can be disregarded. It also reminded me to get out of my echo chamber, and share some of the knowledge that I am been fortunate enough to pick up along the way.

Drop me a line with any requests and I’ll do my best to provide a user-friendly explanation.