Social Media Innovation

Danbo ponders what social media is.

Photo credit: Social Media by JaredVanderzell

In response to Gary Stein’s article, “Nobody Gets Social Media… Yet“, he takes a look at mistakes people assume with social media when regarding buisness. He lists these as using motivational statements instead of mission statements as to how to utilize social media, ego-centric measurement fixation where businesses only focus on the number of “likes” or fans instead of looking at the whole story, and the mis-perception that social media isn’t media.

Social media is new and different in the way that the interconnectedness of people’s lives through the use of the internet is a fairly recent innovation. Especially in how businesses are trying to leverage it to enhance their reputation, sell products and better their business. Stein poses the challenge of looking at a new definition of media for businesses: “any moment when the brand and the consumer come into contact with each other.” In this regard, social media as an interaction between people and businesses has been around since the creation of commerce. Social media requires new skills and capabilities for organizations to properly understand how they can effectively utilize social media in the connection with their customers. It requires narrowing their reason for using social media to a clear and directional plan, as well as realizing that the number of fans doesn’t necessarily mean that business is a success. A strategy needs to be in place to use social media to get consumers to “act positively toward that brand”.

As it stands now, businesses need to allow social media to evolve and learn how to properly use it to interact with their customers and increase their business.