"Social Media" is becoming more like "Broadcast Media" as the amount of noise grows beyond the level that anyone person can follow, comprehend, or digest. People are becoming passive, sitting on their butts watching social media the way they watch television. The "online celebrities" are getting much of the attention, and the dialogue is slowly vanishing in many of the most popular online communities.
Originally there was an excitement of discovery in social media. People looked for the brilliance in others who were just like them, not the famous elites. Then we anointed social media royalty and forgot all about the revolution. These days it seems people are working hard to shut people out of their field of online vision. Where I used to feel community, I now cannot find the love.
"Social" means two way... give and take. To keep social media unique and powerful we all have to stay involved in the discussion. Leave comments on the blogs you read and advance the conversation. ReTweet what other people say that you find interesting on Twitter. Use the "like" buttons on Facebook to show people you are really hearing their words. Talk about the things people are saying and doing and promote the best of the best on YouTube and beyond. Use your online voice (via blogging, Facebook, Twitter, ezines, YouTube videos, online reviews, status updates, etc...) to promote the fascinating things that you see other people doing...., not just as a brochure for your own products and services.
Take ownership of social media and bring back the social.
If we are all buried in a noise filled coffin , then social media will die the death of a million nothings. Who will care about social media if it becomes anti-social?
What do you think?
Have A Great Day.
thom
5 comments:
Very strong effort. Keep up the great work. I agree that we need to reach out and connect with others instead of just lurking in the shadows. 'Being social is connecting with others in a meaningful way.'
Dan Naden
"Like" buttons, retweets and Digging are sort of the online equivalent of "yeah", "uh-huh", "right", etc. -- signs of active listening, but still not really conversation. By all means, do those things, but leave a real comment once in a while. Send personal messages with your invitations in Facebook and LinkedIn. Edit the retweet and add a personal comment, rather than just pressing the button.
I agree; Social Media starts to lose something when it gets so big people get lost in it.
I loved FriendFeed most when it was still newer and smaller. There was a ton of conversation, and you didn't really get that anywhere else.
It's part on the user, I'm sure. Priorities, following what you can handle, etc. Any community is only as strong as the sum of its parts, which is why I try to interact as much as I can with sites I visit and frequent.
Amen. I found myself viewing my twitter feed like a television, just flipping through. Great post.
Thom,
Great content in your video. agreed with you 100%. Most people fail to realize that social media is all about a two-way conversation.
You can enter the conversation, and include useful information, besides saying "I'm going for ice cream now, or, "We've just had eggs for breakfast," and you'll begin to establish a relationship and form trust with people you communicate with.
I like your Crazy Eddie approach to selling your own stuff, and clearly letting the world know about things that are useful is enormously helpful to your followers.
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