Welcome to Social Media, Volume 1
- Introduction
Defining Social Media and its relevance
- The Breakdown
Analyzing and Evaluating Social Media Technology
- Discussions
Featured Recommendations, Observations, and Inspiration
- Personal Best Practices
Utilizing Social Media for Personal Growth
- Professional Best Practices
Social Media in the Workplace
- Technology and Applications
The Power and Possibilities of Social Media
- Alphabetical Index
- Download Welcome to Social Media, Volume 1 (.pdf)
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What is Social Media?
May 30th, 2009
Tim Gasper
So there is this online phenomenon that is attracting troves of people to participate in these online websites. They all claim to be a part of a revolution called “social media,” but what is social media anyway?
It is easiest to begin with something we understand—media. Media is a means for communication. It involves a content medium—like pictures, sounds, videos, or text—and it conveys meaning and information to an audience. Sometimes that audience is you, sometimes it’s your friend, or sometimes it’s your crazy uncle who moved to Timbuktu.
Take TV for example—someone decided to make a TV show, chose you as the audience, and sent information to you through a box in your living room. This is an example of traditional media as we have become accustomed to. Old media, like TV, radio, newspapers, and even most websites are unidirectional. They talk at you, not with you.
However, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter represent something different—everyone can make pictures, sounds, videos, or text. Everyone can convey meaning and information to an audience. Everyone is an equal player with equal ability to share his or her perspective. But most importantly—when you say something, people can talk back. They respond and discuss, and you respond and discuss. Instead of talking at your friends and colleagues, you actually are talking with them.
This discussion, powered by the Internet, allows people to form online communities around their interests. These communities have been freed from geographical and other limitations, allowing people to work together in ways never before possible. This revolution has transformed the Internet into a medium of communities and conversations—social media.
Topics: Introduction
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