It’s called Social Media for a reason

I have just been flicking through a book called “Social-Media Marketing” and, in my humble opinion, the title strikes me as a contradiction. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that if the title was what drove you to buy the book, you’re starting on the wrong foot. Don’t get me wrong, I support what Social Media Marketers set out to achieve, but sometimes a better title for what actually happens would be, “Social Media Advertising”. No one would buy a book titled “Cold Calling Your Close Friends & Tips to Make Them Buy!” or “Turning your Relationships into RelationSHOPS!”, it just doesn’t work like that. Well neither does the Social Web.

(hehe...myspace.)

The tide is turning. More and more value is being put on contribution and relationship. A new, web-savvy and advertising-shy generation is emerging and they don’t need to take your word for anything anymore. They will, however, give their Permission to Influence to those who have proven themselves through contributing to relationship.

I can only shake my head when I see companies getting involved in the Social Web but treat it only as another channel for news and sales pitches. They are the ones that will, sure-enough, follow everyone on Twitter who follows them (that’s just good twitiquette), but they only ever broadcast company lines and marketing buzzwords. Try to ask them a question or get support for their product and it’s a never-ending black hole (hint, hint TomTom!).

If businesses really want to leverage Web 2.0 to their advantage, it comes down to one thing: making friends the old-fashioned way. That means actually involving yourself and making a positive contribution. It may not pay off in one day…but give it time and you will have a genuine network of support that will provide PR for you that money just can’t buy.

That’s just my 2 cents, anyway. Have any examples of businesses doing it right (or wrong)? Let me know!

The Social Web for Community-Based Organizations – Pt 1

The Social Web, Web 2.0…whatever you want to call it, it is a dream come true for every community-based organization (nonprofit or not) IF they can use it right. It’s also one big “I told you so” for the NPOs, activists and punk-rawkers who have been singing the same ‘power-to-the-people’ tune for decades. It turns out that the best ideas really do win in the end…but I digress.

I don’t think it matters if you run a gym, a church or Starbucks; if your focus is on “people first, the coffee second” you will always be looking for better ways to rally people to your flag and, at the same time, listen to their needs so you can serve them better. So how can today’s community-based orgs utilize the all-you-can-eat buffet that is the Internet?

I won’t go into detail about the definition of Web 2.0 and nor will try to list the infinite number of social web tools that are available (mainly because a quick google or wiki search will take care of that but also because I might reveal very quickly the reasons why I am not getting paid for this). What I will do is take the next few entries to give a few of my own, short opinions on how community groups might be able to make use of some of the tools available on the interwebs.

Lets call it an experiment to see what is out there and how people are using it. Send me your links, ideas, suggestions and dreams and we’ll see what happens…

 

(twitter: @bcrab)