Social Media Simplified: no. 1

I've had many conversations lately with many different people about social media, and I am surprised how often I hear, even from seasoned marketing professionals, how they don't get it.

What's there not to get?

Social Media is the utilization of web 2.0 products and services (Twitter, Facebook, Delicious) to engage in conversation, interaction, and expression. It's media created by social groups, thus social media.

A major point of confusion is that it's all about the tools. It's not about the tools. It's about communication. Social media, whether it's for a brand, organization, product or personal, is about communication.

The golden rule of social media: talk like you want to be talked to and listen like you want to be listened to.

I was at a Digital LA panel last week. Many major networks and studios where represented on the panel and they were discussing how they use twitter. Their approach to twitter was very traditional, wreaking of control, manipulation, brand "integrity", legal approval, and very clean-to-the point-of-patronization interactions with "consumers." This is not social media. This is traditional marketing and PR.

There is nothing wrong with traditional marketing and PR. I like it. I find it useful. And there is nothing wrong with using web 2.o tools in traditional marketing. This is actually, possibly, pretty smart. However, it's still not social media. Traditional media is a one way street - from the brand to the consumer; talking at someone.

Social media requires engagement. Social media requires relationship. Social media requires conversation - it's a two way street. This is where it gets really simple: all the ideas, perspectives, and "rules" that go into engaging in a meaningful conversation apply here.

Here's a few:

1) Listen as much, if not more, than you talk
2) When you talk, add value to the experience
3) In adding value, allow the conversation to continue
4) Conversations can't be controlled, but they can be influenced
5) No one wants to listen to you if you're selling something all the time, same applies here
6) Don't be an asshole

That's it. It's that simple. Participate in a meaningful, considerate, conscious, authentic and relevant conversation. On greater consideration, it's starting to make sense why corporations just don't get it - I can't remember the last time I experienced a corporation engaged in an authentic conversation...

In my next social media post, I'll look at social media from the individual, product and brand perspective.