So what is Social Media?

In working with Biznik on BizJam Seattle 08 and adding a Social Media Day, we're hearing from the community that many of you have no freakin' idea what social media is!

So I started this thread to start answering questions and start talking.

For some background, I'm keynoting Social Media Essentials for Growing Your Small Business and will talk at lenght about how Social Media is changing small business. Also, if you didn't already know it, you're using social media right now -- Biznik is a Social Networking site.

4 Bizniks have posted replies

Posted by Dan McComb, Seattle, Washington | Jun 16, 2008

Can you give me the overview of what social media is, Byron? I understand them to be things like blogs, social networks, podcasts and wikis... am I missing anything?

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Posted by DL Byron, Seattle, Washington | Jun 16, 2008

From Wikipedia, it's defined as "an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio. "

An example is using flickr to share photos. Flickr allows you to tag, comment, and even add notes to a photo. That creates social media because you're collaborating and creating community with your photos. On YouTube it's with video. See this example here from Bike Hugger, a blog I publish about bike culture. That photo is doing a lot more than sitting in a shoe box and glued into a photo album. I'm sharing it online and talking about it, that's social media.

Also see this video from Common Craft that explains Social Media in plain english.
Posted by Leif Hansen, Port Townsend, Washington | Jun 16, 2008

Excellent idea DL, sometimes I too forget how certain terms I use are likely mumbo-jumbo to the majority of folks (thats why I posted a link to a description of Social Media in my last post.)

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Posted by DL Byron, Seattle, Washington | Jun 16, 2008

It is mumbo jumbo with new buzzwords everyday, I just heard twebinar today -- woohoo. Much of that is a rush by marketing professional to get their head around social media and then explain it to their clients.