Understanding the Social Media

LandscapeWhat makes it social and why should I care?

Limited by “shelf space” of physical world

Produced with expensive technologies

Restricted by difficulties and limitationsof physical distribution systems (or analog)

Traditional Media

Social Media

Not limited by physical world, infinite space inherent in digital

Produced with inexpensive technologies

Widely distributed at relatively zero costs through RSS

Traditional vs Social

Most importantly:

Traditional media was often the end of a production process whereas social media is most often the beginning of a conversation

The Defining Characteristics

Typically web based but not just blogs

Very much conversational and often personal in nature

Shareable

The 4 C’s of Social Media

Context

Contacts

Communications

Collaboration

The Importance of Social Media

Social Media is tearing down the walls that keep us apart and changing the rules that have kept us from being human inside our companies.

Advantages & OpportunitiesUnlike most advertising, social media is evergreen, persistent

Creates more opportunities to be found

Puts a human face on your business

Builds trust in the market

Co-create with your customers

Business is Personal

•The 21st Century will bring humanity to corporations

•Participation is Marketing

•Start with the presumption of trust

•Make clear your intentions

•Give people a chance

•Provide power for people’s passions

•Personal Pronouns are ok!

•Trust the conversation

Chris Heuer, PartnerThe Conversation Grouphttp://www.chrisheuer.com/