August 22nd, 2008
Gauravonomics TV Episode 3: Three Reasons Why I Am Passionate About Social Media
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People often ask me why I am so passionate about social media.
I became interested in social media because of my need to reconcile the two halves I was split into —
As an individual, I was tired of being targeted by commercial messages from the brands-media-retail triumvirate. As a marketer, I loved the art and science of marketing, adored brands, and was hardwired into the idea of capitalist free markets driven by consumerism.
My endeavor to reconcile these two parts… led to my interest in social media, because, at its best, social media allows brands and consumers to connect as equals, even as people (and brands are people too).
– but that’s not the full story.
At its best, social media enables us to transform ourselves as individuals, transform marketplaces and transform society.
Social media gives us the tools to create meaning (via both content and relationships) in ways that was not possible before, allows us to realize our full potential both as creative individuals and social beings.
Social media also enables brands and consumers to engage as equals, even connect as people (because, as I have said before, brands are people too).
Finally, social media allows citizens to organize in a bottom-up manner around important issues, organize in a manner that can change society.
If you are reading my blog, you are probably interested in social media too. So, let me ask you — why are you so passionate a bout social media?
(Another nudge to my Indian social media consultant friends Rajesh, Dina, Chhavi, Rajiv and Kiruba.)
Im fascinated by the idea of proliferation of media ‘power’ - going from the hands of the few into the hands of the many. In terms of a media eco - system, social media works beautifully. The added benefit of tools to enhance communication and aptly organise content for purposes beyond what we can imagine is great. With respect to brands - social media actually allows the brand to be a friend and add some value beyond a message that annoys people.
The downside is too much of junk - a natural human tendency - and from a strictly utilitarian ‘i think about the greater good’ pov - people are re creating too much of stuff that’s already been created without too much value add. Social media is making a lot of us into poor listeners.
Check out this post - http://theconstantobserver.blogspot.com/2008/07/theres-already-more-than-we-can-read-so.html (my rant [i think] on social media)
[Reply]
@Harshil: Your post deserves a full post in response, but here are three aspects of social media you have overlooked –
- Wisdom of crowds: The more people link to/ vote on/ tag/ share a piece of content, the more visible it becomes. So, every click does count.
- The Value of Mashups: There is as much value in creating connections between existing pieces of content, mashing them up, as in creating totally original content.
- Personalized News Feeds: Since you can’t read/ watch all the content available in the world, you learn to read/ watch only what is truly relevant to you. As a result, instead of superficial “awareness”, you build deep “knowledge”.
[Reply]