Social media is media that is based on social interaction.
It involves being highly accessible and changes monologues into dialogues.
This format is often referred to by business as User generated content or consumer generated media.
Most consumers are aware of it only from the stand point of the networking sites.
Of course if social media is new to you this paragraph probably sounds like crazy talk, but please read on.
What are networking sites? These are very popular websites used for socializing, connecting and even meeting others.
People build connections with those they know.
This allows for an amount of privacy by allowing users to hide their information from everyone but those who are "friends.
" Some of the most popular sites are Facebook, Twitter, MySpace even YouTube.
Networking sites allow friends, family, workers and others to meet online and share information, or social interaction.
Why is Social Interaction so important? People are very social creatures.
Our society has become increasingly mobile.
People move far away from where they grew up yet want to stay connected.
Also busy schedules keeps people on the move.
However the internet and networking sites are always ready.
So people are able to interact with people they care about any time of day.
This has formed open dialogues in groups of friends and families.
What do you mean dialogues? Years ago an open invite to the lake meant calling various people and asking them to call others.
Now a person may put an open invitation on the wall of Facebook.
Various people may respond with what they will bring or if they are coming or bringing someone.
Some people use social media to ask about new restaurants or what restaurant to visit in another city.
How does this turn monologues into dialogues? A simple statement such as "I read this book," on a social networking site might have another say, "I read that one, but this other book is better.
" A third person who did not care about the first book may read the comment about the second and agree.
In another case, a person may share that they went to London for vacation.
Various friends and family members will comment about when they went or how they wish they could go.
People may ask about sites seen.
But how do businesses benefit? Businesses have watched this from the sidelines and now realized they need to be involved.
Companies create fan pages and fans interact with each other and the brand name on the pages.
The fans discuss what they like, what they dislike, thus the User Generated Content or Consumer Generated Media.
Any size of business is finding that having someone interact with the fans and create social media is a way to grow the business by networking.
People like doing business with a friend, or a friendly business.
Do I need social media? That is a personal decision.
As an individual, networking sites allow you to interact with people both down the street and around the world.
With privacy settings, you keep your privacy and are able to share with the people who matter.
For businesses, this is a way to find out what your consumer wants and needs directly from them.
You are also able to establish a relationship with consumers which helps your business grow.
Social media is only going to grow as people find more uses for it, because people are social and so is social media.
It involves being highly accessible and changes monologues into dialogues.
This format is often referred to by business as User generated content or consumer generated media.
Most consumers are aware of it only from the stand point of the networking sites.
Of course if social media is new to you this paragraph probably sounds like crazy talk, but please read on.
What are networking sites? These are very popular websites used for socializing, connecting and even meeting others.
People build connections with those they know.
This allows for an amount of privacy by allowing users to hide their information from everyone but those who are "friends.
" Some of the most popular sites are Facebook, Twitter, MySpace even YouTube.
Networking sites allow friends, family, workers and others to meet online and share information, or social interaction.
Why is Social Interaction so important? People are very social creatures.
Our society has become increasingly mobile.
People move far away from where they grew up yet want to stay connected.
Also busy schedules keeps people on the move.
However the internet and networking sites are always ready.
So people are able to interact with people they care about any time of day.
This has formed open dialogues in groups of friends and families.
What do you mean dialogues? Years ago an open invite to the lake meant calling various people and asking them to call others.
Now a person may put an open invitation on the wall of Facebook.
Various people may respond with what they will bring or if they are coming or bringing someone.
Some people use social media to ask about new restaurants or what restaurant to visit in another city.
How does this turn monologues into dialogues? A simple statement such as "I read this book," on a social networking site might have another say, "I read that one, but this other book is better.
" A third person who did not care about the first book may read the comment about the second and agree.
In another case, a person may share that they went to London for vacation.
Various friends and family members will comment about when they went or how they wish they could go.
People may ask about sites seen.
But how do businesses benefit? Businesses have watched this from the sidelines and now realized they need to be involved.
Companies create fan pages and fans interact with each other and the brand name on the pages.
The fans discuss what they like, what they dislike, thus the User Generated Content or Consumer Generated Media.
Any size of business is finding that having someone interact with the fans and create social media is a way to grow the business by networking.
People like doing business with a friend, or a friendly business.
Do I need social media? That is a personal decision.
As an individual, networking sites allow you to interact with people both down the street and around the world.
With privacy settings, you keep your privacy and are able to share with the people who matter.
For businesses, this is a way to find out what your consumer wants and needs directly from them.
You are also able to establish a relationship with consumers which helps your business grow.
Social media is only going to grow as people find more uses for it, because people are social and so is social media.
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