socialmedian: The Five Myths of Social Media

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The Five Myths of Social Media By jasongoldberg

Enter Good Conversation: Community, Quality By daynamarcum

Feb 17, 2009

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Source: Mark Evans

Feb 13, 2009

Summary

Since launching ME Consulting last month, I’ve been reading and talking a lot about social media, and the impact it’s having on how businesses communicate, market and sell their products and services.

There are a few things that have been particularly striking. One is there’s a tremendous amount of talk and enthusiasm about social media. It’s the online world’s new “It Girl” - sexy, attractive and fascinating even if many peopled don’t have a strong grasp of what it involves beyond a bunch of well-known tools.

Second, most companies want to embrace social media or think they need to embrace it because it seems that everyone else is doing it.

When I talk to companies interested in social media, I ask them three questions: Why do you want to do social media? What do you want to get out of it - e.g. traffic, branding, sales? How much time/money are you committed to make social media happen? If they have good answers or, at least, solid thoughts about each question, then they’ve taken an important first strategic step.

The third - and perhaps most interesting - i

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Comments (21)

Dunc Mac,

Feb 13, 2009

Good post, it's about quality not quantity. Like the email promoting something that would get me thousands of new Twitter followers, yeah right that's a good idea.

Nigelwalsh,

Feb 13, 2009

what is it that Simon Cowell says - create the hype, dont believe it..

Callie O,

Feb 13, 2009

Its about content not the language tools you use to communicate. OK yes the social media channels reach a different audience but it the content is not there then there is no point.

Wellness360,

Feb 13, 2009

Mark, Charles Heflin of SEO2020 raises a valid point that it is not whether but when you (businesses) join the social media trend because it is inevitable and will become an determining competitiveness factor in years to come.Businesses are already examining closely David Bullock and Brent Leary's Book on how the Barack Obama campaign used social media to raise record sums of pledges and shaping the media agenda through the shear volume of user generated content which ensure that they were prominently ranked in the search engines for a range of keywords regarding the campaign presidential campaign issues. Social media is a means to engender public awarenes,interest, participation and to leverage user generated content (comments/rebivews/critiquesetc) as we are doing right now - but businesses will have to prioritize the social media they focus on based on the demographics and preferences of the consumers they are targeting.

Amabaie,

Feb 14, 2009

I added a fifth myth. In fact, social media is not about the tools, but social media (as in Internet-based social media) is the tools. The actiivities of social media existed long before the Internet, there were simply different social media tools available pre social-media-buzz.

Thomaspower,

Feb 15, 2009

@DuncMac nonsense it's all about quantity not quality

Simonhamer,

Feb 15, 2009

@thomaspower I agree with Thomas.

Thomaspower,

Feb 15, 2009

@simonhamer thx

Gojigirl,

Feb 15, 2009

So, Thomas and Simon , testing understanding. Are you both agreeing there is no quality needed in social networks? No value to be derived from seeking or creating it? It's all about the numbers? I hear that often and perhaps that pertains to sale of goods/services. Would William and Penny agree :-)

Callie O,

Feb 15, 2009

Its not about the tools. Its not about quantity lol

Content counts. Everytime.

Say for example I was in a certain niche business, I would target carefully my marketing campaign. Regardless of mass marketing and impressive blagging about numbers. I would target rather than potshot. And choose the message and the language and the style and the media accordingly. You address a mass email and your message may well miss totally your potential market.

Heythatguymark,

Feb 16, 2009

Social Media is not for everyone. There has got to be a reason for you or your company to be there. If you are doing something for the sake of doing something, it will fail.

Daynamarcum,

Feb 16, 2009

Getting some awesome conversation going on these clips - way to go @jasongoldberg. New people loving social median -- always relevant, new and easily interchangeable with other platforms - convenient works for me.

Glennwatkins,

Feb 16, 2009

You get QUALITY when you achieve QUANTITY.

You simply don't know who you don't know, who know someone blah blah blah....!

Social Networking and social media is for everyone as everyone will one day need to move, change jobs, seek advise or get the sack!

Linkbacks,

Feb 16, 2009

Its a great idea to be online and social the only problem to be a good social animal can squeeze the juice from outta your day best to be smart and not overload your dairy with to many social networks better been seen to be seen rather than being scarce to be more of the scene ... so to speak

Nigelwalsh,

Feb 17, 2009

So Im confused now - there seems to be 2 camps, 1) quality (of the tools or content or both) and 2) quantity... Is this like the chicken and the egg? Would you prefer loads of drivel or a decent post once a day.. For me, Im the latter.. Do you belong to one site or every site. Is this shared awareness - read recently in Clay Shirkys book (when everybody knows something, when everybody knows that everybody knows, and when everybody knows that everybody knows that everybody knows)

What camp are you in?

Rush2pro,

Feb 19, 2009

Some excellent points ... and in the comments too.
Social Media Marketing is an art, ... starting with the correct keyword research of your business niche/market, ... allowing you to create well-siloed websites/blogs with quality content, ... that is being searched for by real people, ... and is interesting to Google!

Ianharper,

Feb 21, 2009

there is an old saying that "small hinges swing big doors" this is what social media can do for us

Chris Eldridge,

Feb 22, 2009

I think the comment about it being free is spot on. The time spent on it is an opportunity cost that has to pay off in tangible or intangible terms that are worth it. This may or may not be monetary based.

Hardhatmack88,

Feb 26, 2009

The role of community is becoming more important due to social media trends. This is reflected online and will be reflected offline in the years to come as government becomes more localised.

Aries Trade,

Mar 05, 2009

WoW! That was simply amazing...
I am Glad to have an E-meet friend like you.
My Best Wishes to you in what you do.

Regards,
Karoly Domonyi
http://www.ariestrade.com
Aries Network

Seredf,

Mar 07, 2009

I cannot advice on podcasting for example. I wouldn't dare telling people what to do. Social media comprising several things
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http://pain.city-pack.com