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Clearing Up Social Media Confusion

If you are paying any attention to online marketing technology these days I’m sure you are at least somewhat familiar with the terms “social media” or “social networking,” but you might not be completely sure what it means. There are other buzzwords associated with this: blog, Twitter, wiki, Facebook, Web 2.0, YouTube… which you may or may not also understand. What IS all this stuff? Do you really need to be fluent in it? Do you need to actually USE any of it?

The social media/Web 2.0 landscape is always changing as new technologies and services emerge and others lose popularity. Consider this a snap-shot primer of the current social media universe.

Terminology

Much of the confusion around all those buzzwords has to do with the fact that they don’t all represent the same level of specificity – some words are the company names of tools or services, others are more general terms to describe a class of tools or services, and others are more conceptual “buckets” that those tools and services fall into. My own taxonomy is based on various sources and my own conception of this space. I don’t think any “official” definitions really exist, considering the diversity of companies, people, and technologies involved, so I hope this will serve you in getting a handle on everything out there.

Let’s start with the broader definitions and work our way down to more specific things.

Web 2.0 – This is an umbrella term used to describe a broad trend in online technologies. From this conception, there is an assumption of a “Web 1.0”, which suggests that most content was created by the website owner for their visitors to consume. This includes mostly regular websites and e-commerce sites. Web 2.0 adds a dimension of two-way communication online, and visitor created content. In Web 2.0 everyone is a content producer with something useful to share. I would also add the profusion of online services devoted to helping people manage their content privately as well – often allowing public/private options.

Social Media – This is one facet of Web 2.0 and specifically indicates sites and services which are geared towards people connecting to each other online and sharing opinions with each other directly.

Social Media Technologies – The various forms of social media communication, no matter how they are specifically programmed and who provides the service:

  • social networking – Sites where anyone can have a personal profile, connect with other members as “Friends”, can post content and comment on other members content. The goal is for people to make personal connections in a broad sense.
  • online communities/forums – Somewhat similar to social networking, in that members might have profiles with personal information available, but these are based more on affinity and interests. Frequently hobbies, industries, or other specific topics are the glue that binds these groups of people together for conversation related to the topics of interest.
  • blogging/microblogging – Textual content published for general consumption, with the ability for readers to respond directly through replies and comments.
  • video/vbloging – Posting video content for general consumption, with the ability for viewers to respond directly through replies and comments.
  • podcasting - Posting audio content for general consumption, with the ability for listeners to respond directly through replies and comments.
  • social bookmarking – Sharing links to webpages, generally with notes and keyword tags to help others find and use the listings

Tools, Software, Services – The individual companies and programs which allow the creation & distribution of content of these types. Some examples:

  • social networking – Facebook, MySpace, Linked-In, Plaxo
  • online communities/forums – Too many to really list. Do a search on [topic/hobby/industry] and “online community” or “forum” to find them. This would also include subsets of some social networking services, generally called “Groups”
  • blogging – WordPress and Blogger are two popular platforms, though much other blogging software exists, written in different programming languages, etc.
  • microblogging – Twitter is the most widely used service in this category
  • video – YouTube is the best know, though some other services are starting to emerge as well, such as Vimeo.
  • vbloging – I am not aware of any stand-alone vbloging services, but most blogging platforms support posting videos as well as text and images.
  • podcasting – This is still a pretty open space with no obvious platform. Several options exist, including HipCast and newcomer CueCast.
  • social bookmarking – Delicious & Technorati lead this field

Using Social Media

If you have a personal interest in social media technology, just check out whatever catches your fancy. Some types are easier to get started in — social networking and online communities, for instance — and others will require some more equipment and know-how (video and podcasting).

If you are specifically interested in using social media as a marketing tool, make sure to cater to your target market. Before embarking on any social media marketing campaign it’s a good idea to be sure the people you are trying to reach will be there to participate with you. Different services attract different types of people. Spend some time doing market research and “lurking” (observing without actively participating in) the different options you are considering. Try to get a feel for the tone of the conversations and gauge potential receptivity to your message.

Once you have decided to participate in a social media technology, keep the following in mind:

  • Get set up correctly. This might just mean getting an account set up, in which case you should be sure to fill in as much of your profile as you can. In other cases, this will mean consulting with some technologists or web developers to help you get established.
  • Spend some time exploring and practicing with the tools and technologies.
  • Start slowly and build your confidence.
  • Keep your goals in mind.
  • Watch out for your reputation. Social media is all about reputation. Manage your language and the content you post carefully since it can be very difficult to fix mistakes.
  • Do it regularly. If you have a marketing plan which includes social media, stick to a schedule of participation just as you would for your email newsletter or direct mail campaigns.
  • Don’t do it 24-7. It can become very easy to get sucked in to spending too much time on social media – at the expense of other business activities and personal relationships. Set limits on how frequently you post to the different services you participate in.
  • Watch the ROI. Since most social media success is built slowly, though the constant nurturing of relationships and building of your reputation, give a serious social media marketing campaign at least 4-6 months to bear any fruit before giving up. Also keep in mind that your message on social media should be geared more towards branding and drawing people in to your other marketing materials – your website and opt-in list, for instance – than selling directly. Your web stats will let you know how many of your website visitors are finding you through social media venues.

One final note: Since social media isn’t ideally designed for direct selling, before you spend any of your marketing resources on a social media campaign, you should make sure you have a solid primary business website which will do the selling for you. If you don’t have that, what good would the traffic from social media actually do for you?

Web Action Steps

  • Make sure your business website is set up for sales success
  • Research where online your target market hangs out
  • Research online communities, forums and blogs that currently speak to your target market
  • Determine how much time and financial resources you are willing to devote to a social media campaign
  • Create a clear objective and plan for 6 months of participation
  • Schedule time to participate online in accordance with your plan
  • After 6 months, evaluate your results as compared to your objective and determine if any adjustments need to be made

Social media can be a good addition to your marketing plan, as long as you understand it – and your target market – well enough to manage it properly. If you need help establishing your business website before starting a social media campaign, or would like to work with a web developer who can help you optimize your website for social media technologies, please take a look at my services and get in touch.