What is Social Media?

What is Social Media?

What is Social Media, according to Google:

These are the results for “define social media”..(these definitions may vary with time)

A category of sites that is based on user participation and user-generated content. They include social networking sites like LinkedIn or Facebook, social bookmarking sites like Del.icio.us, social news sites like Digg or Reddit, and other sites that are centered on user interaction.
The term social media describes media that is posed by the user and can take many different forms. Some types of social media are forums, message boards, blogs, wikis and podcasts. Social media applications include Google, Facebook and YouTube.
Software tools that allow groups to generate content and engage in peer-to-peer conversations and exchange of content (examples are YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, MySpace etc)

You’ll notice, as you read through each definition, that you’re receiving explanations by examples.
Social Media not new, it’s a buzz term by marketers. It has existed for numerous years.

In fact, the first email ever sent, the first website ever created, the microblogging tools we use, commenting, and every other form of interaction with people on a global scale or in your backyard by way of the internet, has been by the use of what is referred to as Social Media today.

What is Social Media, according to Wikipedia:

Social media is the use of electronic and Internet tools for the purpose of sharing and discussing information and experiences with other human beings. The term most often refers to activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio.
This interaction, and the manner in which information is presented, depends on the varied perspectives and “building” of shared meaning among communities, as people share their stories and experiences.

What is Social Media, according to other ndividuals:

You say, “Certainly the well known authors have provided clear definitions.”

Let’s take a look:

Robert Scoble says, “Compare it to what’s come before.”

Chris Heuer says, “Social Media is redefining how we relate to each other as humans and how we as humans relate to the organizations that serve us. While it is commonly represented by blogs, podcasts, vlogs, wikis, user generated content and social networks, it is not about those specific things as much as it is about what happens around and because of those things.”

Mark Dykeman says, “Social media are the means for any person to:  publish digital creative content; provide and obtain real-time feedback via on-line discussions, commentary, and evaluations; and incorporate changes or corrections to the original content.”

What is Social Media Really?

Social Media is a verb. An action term. Not a noun.

“Media” is and always has been the singular form of “Medium” which means storage and transmission tools used to store and deliver information or data.

Add the word “Social” and it means you & I interacting, communicating, exchanging information..SOCIALIZING.

That being said, the simple and understandable definition of Social Media is..(drumroll please)

“The use of internet platforms and tools which enable interaction and communication between users.”

Author of “Social Change SEO


A student of Lord Fairfax Community College – Warrenton Virginia, seeking an associates degree in communication specialization.


Student of life, seeking a masters degree in change.


Who knows what the future holds?


I like the ride.

How to Use Social Media Tools to Achieve Web 2.0 Optimization

The Internet is changing and the changes are happening quickly. Luckily, the changes are in the favor of entrepreneurs, small businesses, authors, and small presses. Welcome to Web 2.0 and social media.

Learning about and utilizing these new tools and technologies is essential to establish a dynamic and truly connected Web presence. The beauty of Web 2.0 is that it is driven by the people who use it. Unlike today’s Internet, Web 2.0 relies more on a site’s popularity among the masses. Incorporating social media optimization alongside search engine optimization enables anyone to establish a truly optimized Web presenceespecially if paired with a meaningful message.

The tools available to achieve this optimization are numerous but can seem overwhelming. However, once armed with a general knowledge, it is easy to select the tools and technologies to catalyze the greatest amount of Web traffic.

According to Wikipedia, Web 2.0 “refers to a perceived second-generation of web-based communities and hosted servicessuch as social-networking sites, wikis and folksonomieswhich aim to facilitate collaboration and sharing between users.” Additionally, Wikipedia defines social media as “the online technologies and practices that people use to share opinions, insights, experiences, and perspectives. Social media sites typically use technologies such as blogs, message boards, podcasts, wikis, and vlogs to allow users to interact.” Thus, Web 2.0 and social media optimization means optimizing one’s Web presence in three general ways: Interactivity, Sharing, and Collaboration.

Interactivity

The essential premise of social media is that information (media) offered to users will be interactive. Social, in a word, means interactive and interactivity can be accomplished in many ways, whether it is allowing readers to comment on or share content, subscribe to it so they can have it on hand, or display the content on their own site.

To make online content more interactive, Web 2.0 and social media users can implement these tools and technologies:

* Blogging, using WordPress or Typepad

* RSS Feeds (see Feedburner for more information on RSS feeds)

* Podcasting and Vidcasting

* Wikis

* Social Media News (Press) Releases

* Social Media Newsrooms

* Image tools such as Snapshots

Sharing

Sharing in the “live” Web means that content is offered to others through blogging indexes and media communities; by tagging interesting sites on social bookmarking sites; or by developing mini applications like widgets or mash-ups.

Remember: Anything that can be posted to a Web site will have some type of “media community” in which to share it.

To begin “sharing” content in the live Web, Internet users can:

* Include their Blog, Podcast, or Vidcast in directories like Technorati, Google Blog Search, Podcast.com, or BlogPulse

* Tag their favorite blogs and Web sites on social bookmarking sites like Technorati and del.icio.us

* Share and tag multimedia in Media Communities like Flickr and YouTube

* Use Collage tools or Webcasting like SplashCast Media or blogTV

* Create and distribute Widgets or Mash-ups using services like widgetbox, Open Social, or Yahoo Pipes.

Collaboration

Web 2.0 and social media users need to be willing to give back. This could mean commenting regularly on others’ content, joining and contributing to a social networking site, contributing to crowd-sourced news sites, or becoming an avatar in a virtual reality.

Specifically, some of these efforts may include:

* Commenting on others’ blogs (using co.mments is a good way to track them)

* Contributing to crowd-sourced news aggregators like reddit, Digg, or Fark

* Creating profiles on social or professional networking sites like LinkedIn, MySpace, or Facebook

* Participating in microblogs like Twitter or Jaiku

* Posting events in social calendars such as eventful.com, or upcoming.org

* Becoming an avatar in a virtual world like Second Life or There

* Participating in communities or forums like a Yahoo group, a Google group, or starting your own using services like Ning.

Participating in the new, live Web is ultimately about connecting with people. A common mistake businesses make is to apply old methods to these new tools. It has been disastrous for many of them. With a real and conversational message and general understanding of the new social media tools and technologies, anyone can participate in the new Internet and find tremendous benefit from their efforts!

Deltina Hay is the principle of the companies DaltonPublishing.com and SocialMediaPower.com. She has worked in programming and Web development for 25 years. Ms. Hay’s graduate education includes computer science, applied mathematics, and psychology.

More Social Media Articles

How to Use Social Media Tools to Achieve Web 2.0 Optimization

The Internet is changing and the changes are happening quickly. Luckily, the changes are in the favor of entrepreneurs, small businesses, authors, and small presses. Welcome to Web 2.0 and social media.

Learning about and utilizing these new tools and technologies is essential to establish a dynamic and truly connected Web presence. The beauty of Web 2.0 is that it is driven by the people who use it. Unlike today’s Internet, Web 2.0 relies more on a site’s popularity among the masses. Incorporating social media optimization alongside search engine optimization enables anyone to establish a truly optimized Web presenceespecially if paired with a meaningful message.

The tools available to achieve this optimization are numerous but can seem overwhelming. However, once armed with a general knowledge, it is easy to select the tools and technologies to catalyze the greatest amount of Web traffic.

According to Wikipedia, Web 2.0 “refers to a perceived second-generation of web-based communities and hosted servicessuch as social-networking sites, wikis and folksonomieswhich aim to facilitate collaboration and sharing between users.” Additionally, Wikipedia defines social media as “the online technologies and practices that people use to share opinions, insights, experiences, and perspectives. Social media sites typically use technologies such as blogs, message boards, podcasts, wikis, and vlogs to allow users to interact.” Thus, Web 2.0 and social media optimization means optimizing one’s Web presence in three general ways: Interactivity, Sharing, and Collaboration.

Interactivity

The essential premise of social media is that information (media) offered to users will be interactive. Social, in a word, means interactive and interactivity can be accomplished in many ways, whether it is allowing readers to comment on or share content, subscribe to it so they can have it on hand, or display the content on their own site.

To make online content more interactive, Web 2.0 and social media users can implement these tools and technologies:

* Blogging, using WordPress or Typepad

* RSS Feeds (see Feedburner for more information on RSS feeds)

* Podcasting and Vidcasting

* Wikis

* Social Media News (Press) Releases

* Social Media Newsrooms

* Image tools such as Snapshots

Sharing

Sharing in the “live” Web means that content is offered to others through blogging indexes and media communities; by tagging interesting sites on social bookmarking sites; or by developing mini applications like widgets or mash-ups.

Remember: Anything that can be posted to a Web site will have some type of “media community” in which to share it.

To begin “sharing” content in the live Web, Internet users can:

* Include their Blog, Podcast, or Vidcast in directories like Technorati, Google Blog Search, Podcast.com, or BlogPulse

* Tag their favorite blogs and Web sites on social bookmarking sites like Technorati and del.icio.us

* Share and tag multimedia in Media Communities like Flickr and YouTube

* Use Collage tools or Webcasting like SplashCast Media or blogTV

* Create and distribute Widgets or Mash-ups using services like widgetbox, Open Social, or Yahoo Pipes.

Collaboration

Web 2.0 and social media users need to be willing to give back. This could mean commenting regularly on others’ content, joining and contributing to a social networking site, contributing to crowd-sourced news sites, or becoming an avatar in a virtual reality.

Specifically, some of these efforts may include:

* Commenting on others’ blogs (using co.mments is a good way to track them)

* Contributing to crowd-sourced news aggregators like reddit, Digg, or Fark

* Creating profiles on social or professional networking sites like LinkedIn, MySpace, or Facebook

* Participating in microblogs like Twitter or Jaiku

* Posting events in social calendars such as eventful.com, or upcoming.org

* Becoming an avatar in a virtual world like Second Life or There

* Participating in communities or forums like a Yahoo group, a Google group, or starting your own using services like Ning.

Participating in the new, live Web is ultimately about connecting with people. A common mistake businesses make is to apply old methods to these new tools. It has been disastrous for many of them. With a real and conversational message and general understanding of the new social media tools and technologies, anyone can participate in the new Internet and find tremendous benefit from their efforts!

Deltina Hay is the principle of the companies DaltonPublishing.com and SocialMediaPower.com. She has worked in programming and Web development for 25 years. Ms. Hay’s graduate education includes computer science, applied mathematics, and psychology.

Many requested a shorter version of the original Social Media Revolution Video. Thanks for everyone’s interest in the video and book! Here is the 2:30 minute version. Music by Fat Boy Slim “Right Here, Right Now” (1999). Huge thanks to all the data sources which are listed out at www.socialnomics.com. Also if you like this video you will enjoy Karl Fisch’s amazing Shift Happens series and the just released 9/14 the 4.0 version.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Find More Social Media Articles

How to Use Social Media Tools to Achieve Web 2.0 Optimization

The Internet is changing and the changes are happening quickly. Luckily, the changes are in the favor of entrepreneurs, small businesses, authors, and small presses. Welcome to Web 2.0 and social media.

Learning about and utilizing these new tools and technologies is essential to establish a dynamic and truly connected Web presence. The beauty of Web 2.0 is that it is driven by the people who use it. Unlike today’s Internet, Web 2.0 relies more on a site’s popularity among the masses. Incorporating social media optimization alongside search engine optimization enables anyone to establish a truly optimized Web presenceespecially if paired with a meaningful message.

The tools available to achieve this optimization are numerous but can seem overwhelming. However, once armed with a general knowledge, it is easy to select the tools and technologies to catalyze the greatest amount of Web traffic.

According to Wikipedia, Web 2.0 “refers to a perceived second-generation of web-based communities and hosted servicessuch as social-networking sites, wikis and folksonomieswhich aim to facilitate collaboration and sharing between users.” Additionally, Wikipedia defines social media as “the online technologies and practices that people use to share opinions, insights, experiences, and perspectives. Social media sites typically use technologies such as blogs, message boards, podcasts, wikis, and vlogs to allow users to interact.” Thus, Web 2.0 and social media optimization means optimizing one’s Web presence in three general ways: Interactivity, Sharing, and Collaboration.

Interactivity

The essential premise of social media is that information (media) offered to users will be interactive. Social, in a word, means interactive and interactivity can be accomplished in many ways, whether it is allowing readers to comment on or share content, subscribe to it so they can have it on hand, or display the content on their own site.

To make online content more interactive, Web 2.0 and social media users can implement these tools and technologies:

* Blogging, using WordPress or Typepad

* RSS Feeds (see Feedburner for more information on RSS feeds)

* Podcasting and Vidcasting

* Wikis

* Social Media News (Press) Releases

* Social Media Newsrooms

* Image tools such as Snapshots

Sharing

Sharing in the “live” Web means that content is offered to others through blogging indexes and media communities; by tagging interesting sites on social bookmarking sites; or by developing mini applications like widgets or mash-ups.

Remember: Anything that can be posted to a Web site will have some type of “media community” in which to share it.

To begin “sharing” content in the live Web, Internet users can:

* Include their Blog, Podcast, or Vidcast in directories like Technorati, Google Blog Search, Podcast.com, or BlogPulse

* Tag their favorite blogs and Web sites on social bookmarking sites like Technorati and del.icio.us

* Share and tag multimedia in Media Communities like Flickr and YouTube

* Use Collage tools or Webcasting like SplashCast Media or blogTV

* Create and distribute Widgets or Mash-ups using services like widgetbox, Open Social, or Yahoo Pipes.

Collaboration

Web 2.0 and social media users need to be willing to give back. This could mean commenting regularly on others’ content, joining and contributing to a social networking site, contributing to crowd-sourced news sites, or becoming an avatar in a virtual reality.

Specifically, some of these efforts may include:

* Commenting on others’ blogs (using co.mments is a good way to track them)

* Contributing to crowd-sourced news aggregators like reddit, Digg, or Fark

* Creating profiles on social or professional networking sites like LinkedIn, MySpace, or Facebook

* Participating in microblogs like Twitter or Jaiku

* Posting events in social calendars such as eventful.com, or upcoming.org

* Becoming an avatar in a virtual world like Second Life or There

* Participating in communities or forums like a Yahoo group, a Google group, or starting your own using services like Ning.

Participating in the new, live Web is ultimately about connecting with people. A common mistake businesses make is to apply old methods to these new tools. It has been disastrous for many of them. With a real and conversational message and general understanding of the new social media tools and technologies, anyone can participate in the new Internet and find tremendous benefit from their efforts!

Deltina Hay is the principle of the companies DaltonPublishing.com and SocialMediaPower.com. She has worked in programming and Web development for 25 years. Ms. Hay’s graduate education includes computer science, applied mathematics, and psychology.

Find More Social Media Articles

Free Work At Home Job: Do You Have The Necessary Skills?

Not all free work at home jobs are scams; there are many legitimate free work at home jobs that pay a decent salary. Most of these jobs though require you to have one very important skill: networking.


Networking is a skill that everyone should have regardless of the industry you work in. However, if you plan to undertake a free work at home job, your skills need to be superior to that of the average person.


Most free work at home jobs involve selling or promoting either yourself or your work at home job. So, what do you do if youre an introverted business owner? If the idea of chit chatting and subtle self promotion makes you want to stay in bed all day then consider the following.


1. Not networking will cost you plenty. This doesnt make sense if youre looking for a free work at home job. Youre trying to minimize your start up costs. But shelling out dollars for someone to do the messy business of marketing for you will cost you plenty.


You may be thinking I wont pay someone to do it for me. But in reality you will. Even if you run a free work at home job, you need to promote yourself in order to make it profitable and if you cant do it yourself then youll eventually have to turn to someone else to do it for you.


2. Networking is your greatest investment opportunity. Whether you operate a free work at home job or youve invested money into a business networking is the greatest investment you can apply to business. Imagine if you could find who or what you needed with just a couple phone calls. Imagine building your down line in less the time When you are well networked you can.


No matter what any work at home ad says you have to promote yourself. Its not an option if you want to be successful with your free work at home job. If youre well networked you dont have to spend money buying leads and you dont have to send countless emails to people you dont know. Youve already taken the time to build a network of people, so you save yourself a lot time and lot of money.


3. Networking isnt as scary or expensive as you think. Chances are, without even thinking, you network on a day to day basis. Youve probably posted a comment on a blog or forum, went out to lunch with someone from church, or uploaded pictures and comments onto a social network site.


Now the trick is to up the ante and start networking for your free work at home job. Join free forums that pertain to your free work at home job. Go that event and discuss yourself and your job with others. Youd be surprised as to how many people are interested. You dont have to go out every day. Attending 1 or 2 events each month can increase your business success potential. The best part is networking online does not have to cost you a cent. There are a number of social networking sites for virtually every industry where you can connect with like mined individuals. A number of them may be as shy as you are.


Remember, just because youre looking for a free work at home job doesnt mean youll be free from the aspect of putting yourself out there. In most cases it means making that extra effort to network. Dont let the idea of networking scare you out of business.

Jeff Casmer is a leading legitimate work at home expert and is a work from home business owner. His “Top Ranked” Free Work at Home Jobs Directory gives you all the information you need to Work at Home in the 21st century.

Work From Home
by Plutor

Free Work at Home Jobs – Do You Have the Necessary Skills?

Not all free work at home jobs are scams; there are many legitimate free work at home jobs that pay a decent salary. Most of these jobs though require you to have one very important skill: networking.

Networking is a skill that everyone should have regardless of the industry you work in. However, if you plan to undertake a free work at home job, your skills need to be superior to that of the average person.

Most free work at home jobs involve selling or promoting either yourself or your work at home job. So, what do you do if you’re an introverted business owner? If the idea of chit chatting and subtle self promotion makes you want to stay in bed all day then consider the following.

1. Not networking will cost you plenty. This doesn’t make sense if you’re looking for a free work at home job. You’re trying to minimize your start up costs. But shelling out dollars for someone to do the messy business of marketing for you will cost you plenty.

You may be thinking I wont pay someone to do it for me. But in reality you will. Even if you run a free work at home job, you need to promote yourself in order to make it profitable and if you cant do it yourself then you’ll eventually have to turn to someone else to do it for you.

2. Networking is your greatest investment opportunity. Whether you operate a free work at home job or you’ve invested money into a business networking is the greatest investment you can apply to business. Imagine if you could find who or what you needed with just a couple phone calls. Imagine building your down line in less the time When you are well networked you can.

No matter what any work at home ad says you have to promote yourself. Its not an option if you want to be successful with your free work at home job. If you’re well networked you don’t have to spend money buying leads and you don’t have to send countless emails to people you don’t know. You’ve already taken the time to build a network of people, so you save yourself a lot time and lot of money.

3. Networking isn’t as scary or expensive as you think. Chances are, without even thinking, you network on a day to day basis. You’ve probably posted a comment on a blog or forum, went out to lunch with someone from church, or uploaded pictures and comments onto a social network site.

Now the trick is to up the ante and start networking for your free work at home job. Join free forums that pertain to your free work at home job. Go that event and discuss yourself and your job with others. You’d be surprised as to how many people are interested. You don’t have to go out every day. Attending 1 or 2 events each month can increase your business success potential. The best part is networking online does not have to cost you a cent. There are a number of social networking sites for virtually every industry where you can connect with like mined individuals. A number of them may be as shy as you are.

Remember, just because you’re looking for a free work at home job doesn’t mean you’ll be free from the aspect of putting yourself out there. In most cases it means making that extra effort to network. Don’t let the idea of networking scare you out of business.

Jeff Casmer is a leading legitimate work at home expert and is a work from home business owner. His “Top Ranked” Free Work at Home Jobs Directory gives you all the information you need to Work at Home in the 21st century.

www.hobbydollars.com – Want a step-by-step plan to start your own work at home business with your favorite hobby? Just click on the above link to download your FREE report on different ways to make money with your hobby.