What Is Social Media?
I know that is kinda a funny question to be asking in 2022 but really, what is social media? I’m asking this more or less because I have this theory we all have manufactured our usage in a micro way, but we all still have an underlying base player of algorithms and advertising. I guess I am asking somewhat of an existential question.
I think the term social media is really mailable. Like each person adds their set of micro code to one website but somehow it works in a macro way. The textbook definition (according to the Oxford Dictionary) of social media is “A website and/or application that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.”
There is a key term in that definition, networking. When I think of the term networking my brain immediately going back to the 90’s and I think of a woman in a pantsuit with a huge cellphone making calls and making connections. And while that might seem silly to most people, that is exactly what we are doing now. Just with bigger networks and smaller phones.
Social media (networking), I would say is the social norm in 2022. If you don’t have a facebook or your business isn’t active on twitter, people give you a weird look. Almost as if they are asking what is wrong with you.
Social media also isn’t just for business, my earlier example of networking was strictly all business. Let’s break some of these platforms down to just the types of networking they invoice. Please note that this is just my opinion:
Facebook: First and foremost personal BUT has become a good place to generate business with consumers.
Instagram: Personal but also like facebook it has become a good way to generate business W/shopping.
Twitter: Literally personal shit talking (lawless wasteland but I love it) and marketing which could also be described as a lawless wasteland but that is a post for another time.
LinkedIn: Was created for B2B connections and has heightened that as well as becoming a verified and valid employee marketplace.
Snapchat: Hard to describe but I would say it is not a platform to generate business, maybe views for tabloids and such but more of a personal platform to show off.
So far, we’ve looked at what social media is and how it works (kinda). We also took a look at the different platforms and which ones are best for certain types of content. Now it’s time to put this information into action!
What platform do you feel most comfortable using? Start there and experiment with different kinds of content. See what performs well and keep track of your analytics so you can replicate your successes in the future. Don’t be afraid to try new things either — who knows, you might stumble onto the next big trend on one of these platforms. And finally, don’t forget to have fun with it! Social media should be enjoyable, not another task on your never-ending
