Social Media is a Funny Thing
Guest Post. Author: Alex Shippee
Social Media is a funny thing. When it’s used well it can enrich a community or fulfill a latent need for an otherwise invisible audience. When it’s used personally, it’s a great way to keep in touch with far-away friends we wished lived closer. But when it’s used poorly, it’s a substitute for generating real value or, worse, a waste of time.
My work in media has been almost exclusively with Web 2.0 platforms like Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Delicious, etc. Some of the most rewarding moments are when I look at Hootsuite and see I’ve generated a good amount of click-throughs for the day. Other times, I’ll look and see only one article I tweeted got any attention. It’s disappointing. But building a relevant following – on the web or off of it – can be slow.
I’ve spent a lot of time over the last few months doing the day-to-day work for various Social Media campaigns. Looking for interested audiences, contributing to relevant blogs, and maintaining a strong presence on Twitter or StumbleUpon are important and worthwhile steps. Individually, though, they don’t seem that extraordinary. It takes someone accustomed to the goal of any media to bring it all to life: creating and nurturing the message around a brand.
A lot gets said about the recent generation being especially competent in Social Media and it’s a fair point. But some of the best users of Social Media are people with 20+ years experience in Public Relations or a trained eye for how different learning styles communicate. They know how to leverage the current Social Media tools to generate real value.
Social Media + Real world social networking experience (i.e. Chamber, AAF, etc ..) + Public Relations experience + Advertising experience + Search Experience = Wicked Success in Social Media.. =)
This is a very valid point. I find that my favorite resources are people with wisdom and experience who use the tools of social media to share it.
Great perception article. Older Social Media Users are the stars with this new marketing channel. I have learned the most from this age group and I think it does take someone with great professional experience to make the whole process work effectively and efficiently.
Brent
I’m glad you all enjoyed my article. If you’re interested, I wrote a follow up to this on my blog, called Social Media, a Tool and Not a Place: http://alexshippee.blogspot.com/2010/09/social-media-tool-and-not-place.html
I agree that the older generation is better equipped for Social Media, but what role do you think is best for younger people or recent college graduates?