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Getting Your Arms Around Social Media
There is little doubt that social media is transforming business. However, even as a marketer working within social media, putting it all together into a coherent framework is challenging. The other day I found an outstanding tool that has helped me “connect the dots” among all the various facets of social media, called, the, “Conceptual Map of the Social Web” developed by the brilliant group over at www.websocialarchitecture.com.
One component of the Social Web where we spend the majority of our time is in developing and nurturing communities. As stated on the blog post I linked to above, “Communities are different than social networks in that they are built primarily around groups of people, rather than individuals. Another way of saying it is that the group is the point in communities, whereas the individual is the point in social networks.” This explanation offers an excellent differentiation. I would add that social networks develop within communities and likewise, communities form through social networks because people have a natural tendency to attract likeness. For example, as individuals connect through a social network, similarities in occupation, interests, hobbies or other characteristics, become the common ground necessary to start a community. Other influences such as the individuals’ passion, span of their influence, and the size and strength of each individuals personal network, can lead to community growth and stronger attraction.
I highly recommend printing off the Social Web Map and hanging it on your wall or office cubicle. It is a great reference to help understand social media connections.
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RocSearch, the UK-based research & analytics firm has recently released a research study on ‘Leveraging Social Media for Brands’. The study showcases the social media eco-system, its drivers & imperatives while detailing cases of brand successes and failures attempting to harness the power of this medium. For a complementary copy of the study, visit http://www.rocsearch.com/social-media.asp.
Thanks for the nice mention, Kevin. That diagram was really an effort at trying to capture a sense of the complexity of individuals’ online ecosystems. I hoped to express, most of all, that it’s not all about you and your site anymore. The idea of engaging across many domains is still new enough that I think we’re all still struggling with it a bit, watching as the tools evolve.
And your comment about communities spawning social networks, and vice-versa, is spot on. (Enabling ad-hoc private and semi-private groupings is a feature I’m recommending constantly for community platforms.) If you look hard enough, the differences between the types of social site I outlined start to disappear. Each can be a feature of any of the others. Somehow I’m going to have to figure out how to make that diagram 3-D!
Anyway, thanks for the connection. I’ll keep an eye on this space and look forward to your further insights.
Grace Hubbard said:
I am an educator and a student in an informational technology class. I am a novice with all the resources of social media and technology in general.
The concept map you mentioned was an extremely helpful tool to determine ways to harness this type of technology and bring value to ones life.
Listening to the youtube video “Media Literacy” with M. Wesch the issue was raised – is media using us, or are we using media?
The concept map provides me a way of thinking about that and determining where the value is for me.
Thanks