Social Media – What is it and why should I care?
You hear about it more and more lately – social media, social networking, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flicker, blogs, and on and on. Are they timewasters for kids, cliques for uber geeks, places for people to exhibit themselves, brag or expound on any given subject? The answer could be yes, but I am finding it is so much more, if approached with an open mind.
We are social beings. We like connecting with others, communicating, exchanging ideas, news, sharing experiences, pictures and tidbits of our lives. We belong to clubs, organizations, associations, school groups, alumni groups, churches, all different types of communities. Within the realm of those groups we connect – in real life (IRL ßsocial media term) face to face or via phone and email. We interact for common cause, to achieve a goal, or just to socialize with those we are comfortable with or want to get to know better. Some might even define that today as “Social Networking“.
Social Media, as I view it, is the tool set some choose to use to connect with friends/family/colleagues. I became a Twitter user (@TonyLazz) last December when I attended a seminar on the use of these types of tools in real estate. In the 3 ½ months since then, my Twitter first level sphere has grown to over 350 people (those I follow or follow me). The second order sphere (friends of friends) has grown to over 2.5 million. I follow people in real estate, social media, spiritual folks, positive energy folks, leading edge thinkers like Seth Godin, & Guy Kawasaki. I follow cyclists and conferences like TED. Over the past 3 days I have dropped in via Twitter and other video links to RETS – a real estate technology conference held near Atlanta, and AEI – a conference in Colorado Springs for Real Estate Association executives.
In following people on Twitter I get to know their thoughts, some of their personality, hear about events as they happen – when the plane crashed in the Hudson river in January, I had just been followed that morning by Janis Krum – who sent the world the first photo’s of the plane in the water from his I phone later that afternoon). In following conferences I get gain knowledge and insight that I would most likely be unaware of otherwise, or read about much later. I engage in conversations with new folks, find common interest, relate, and expand my sphere of friends and associates and cohorts.
Steven Hodson, in a blogpost talked about Social Media in this way, “…is a belief that through the use of technology and real openness we could see incredible changes in our society. Social Media allows us to create powerful individual voices that can’t be dismissed the same way that they use to be in the past; and it is with those voices that change will come about.” Is that a little far fetched, or an accurate prediction? No one can really say, yet. For me, it has expanded my universe and knowledge. And that is good. Peace.
(Ok, this went longer than planned and did not cover all that I intended, so….more to come on the subject.)
Agreed.. I am new to the blogging world, with facebook, twitter, and my blog it is amazing how my ability to reach people has increased dramatically. It is not just having these outlets, it is the way you use them to benefit you. I think it take time to understand how to best use these outlets to serve your business purpose. The power of technology is amazing, and is increasing on a daily basis..
Jake~ Thanks for the comment. The key element I keep hearing from the ninjas and gurus of the social media world is that it is social! The quickest way to kill it or turn people off is high pressure in your face marketing. Engage & let the relationship develop. BTW, love your search engine on your website. First one I have seen with that presentation. peace @tonylazz