The LANGUAGE of SOCIAL MEDIA
Words have a deep effect on
how we interpret and interact with the world.
The words we use and how we define them
reveal our interests, concerns, and values.
This series explores the words of social media.
social networking and a social network
Most literally, social networking would be meeting and making connections and relationships — both business and social — online and offline. In the lexicon of social media, social networking involves establishing an online presence and connecting regularly with other people and businesses who have done the same. Connections are made through hyperlinks and references embedded in personal profiles, comment text, audio comments, podcasts, videos.
Social networking sites provide efficient ways for individuals (and individual businesses) to find and connect with friends and colleagues, to establish new relationships and deepen them, and to introduce friends and colleagues to each other. Many social networking sites also offer platforms for discussion of topics that a community or network finds mutually interesting or beneficial.
In the most concise terms, a social network is a group of like-minded individuals connected by a common interest.
@rubybluesox: “we know ‘enough’ about each other that we could ‘hang out’ in person and be friends … but in a ‘linguistic’ way… so it requires a certain depth that most ‘marketers’ aren’t used to”
@thomasclifford: “What is social networking? A means to validate our search for meaning.”
@brendansmith: @pixelfan for me everything i do in social networking is business, for fun, family and friends, I use the phone or meet face to face
@pm_41: @mashable Why would I hire people to tweet for me? The whole idea of social-networking is to express YOURSELF in front of the world.
@brunsvold: I sometimes get the feeling that social networking is like high school. The only way to survive is to pretend to be too cooler than everyone
For more information see:
Social Network
Social Networking in Plain English
Social-networking sites work to turn users into profits
I Saw The Future Of Social Networking The Other Day
Leadership, the Internet and the ‘Tribes’ of the World
SEE ALSO:
What Is Social Media?
Got more to add? C’mon let’s talk.
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
Nice post.
Yes, the “labels” we apply begin to define the activity itself.
After while, the activity may change; but the label sticks.
Eventually, the meaning of the word itself, “Social” Networking, changes.
The about quote:
“@brunsvold: I sometimes get the feeling that social networking is like high school. The only way to survive is to pretend to be too cooler than everyone”
I like this one! I felt that way at first. Then I decided, THIS IS STUPID! I am always trying to find ways to be more authentic in my artwork. So heck with it.
I am going to just be myself on Twitter, facebook, etc. If I am a dork, and too old, too fat, not funny — so what!!! Take it or leave it. That’s just who I am.
I was an outsider in High School, and I am still on the outside now. The difference is I like being on the outside now.
Ah Cindy!
How refreshing, you really are! That was my favorite quote too. Maybe we do improve with age. 🙂
My experience has been that developing an extensive reach allows for us to find the relationships that can grow some depth. Being consistent in our posture within these networks is important because moving forward, as thousands get a brief snapshot of your presence, you want to make sure that those with similar interests will latch on, a bit like those burrs that catch on your pants when walking through the prairie. My goal is to cultivate one meaningful relationship per week amongst the thousands of connections.
I just read a book from MIT’s Media lab, Honest Signals, and this is the precise definition they use. They do not distinguish offline from online.
@Geoff- thee is a new show on that is called Lie To Me, or something like that and is about a detective who can spot a lie from body language and facial meta messages…it was intriguing.
Hi Geoff!
Very cool. I had no idea. I wrote this a few weeks ago as part of a series that I’m putting together. Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Hi Richard,
I’m not quite so systematical, but I do go for being consistent. I think that when people find us again and again. They remember bits and whisps of what we left them with and, over time, those consistent memories form a picture.
Liz –
As usual, I’m nodding like one of those “drinking birds” from the 70’s as I read your post. Then I get to the last Tweet – “I sometimes get the feeling that social networking is like high school. The only way to survive is to pretend to be too cooler than everyone”
Deep inside my head I hear screaming – “NOOOOO!!!” The visual is the bus which is “social networking” bearing down on the person who tweeted those words.
When it comes to Web 2.0, the kids who are the coolest, whether it be on Twitter or the blogosphere, are the ones who aren’t TRYING to be cool but rather are being true to themselves! (Like Cindy!)
Richard is right on the money. People are consuming information in bits and pieces. Subconsciously – they’re deciding whether all the pieces “fit” together nicely. When they do – trust starts to grow – which is what I suspect we’re all seeking in social networking.
Hi Liz,
I’ve been pondering lately what social media means to me or .. better yet how I have come to understand what social media is.
In its simplest form I’ve learned that social media is a mirror. It holds your reflection but it also projects that exact image for others to see.
This creates the transparency beacon that attracts people to your reflection of who you really are.
Janice,
I’d love to see that show I think it’s a life skill to learn to do that online and off, networking or not. 🙂
Hi Kathy,
Though I don’t that social networking online necessarily has to be about who’s cool and who’s not. I think on a given day, any one of can get that feeling when it seems our contributions emails are going unanswered and our are being overlooked. What happens on the Internet is that we can more easily see who’s getting attention when we are not — a deflating situation sometimes.
Of course the goal is not to chase page views and quantities, but deep and meaningful connections of the best kind. I like what Cindy said about being outside not, but liking it a lot. 🙂
Hi Dave,
I like that thought that when we network on line, we have a presence that refects who we are. We always have the option to bring to that our best or to “come as we are” with everything hanging out. Even offline I prefer to bring my best to the folks I meet out of respect for them and myself.
Don’t always get there, but I suppose that’s what makes me human.
A network of humans doing that is a social network. eh?
Liz- It was on last night. The cool thing is that they insert photos of fairly notable people doing the same thing when illustrating a particular tip off…very good show, like Numbers and House
http://www.fox.com/lietome/
Hi Liz,
I enjoyed to read your post and to follow the discussion, thank you very much.
I feel a certain tension between being authentic, being yourself, like Cindy indicates and trying to bring out our best and not to “come as we are”.
Would you agree that the thoughts and emotions we display could “come as they are” if we are able to put them forward in the best form we can: being polite and sympathetic expressing ourselves as clearly as we can?
Hey Janice,
I was sorry I missed that. Thanks for leaving the link to check it out!
Hi Detlef!
I don’t think it’s that different than cleaning a house before guests arrive. That’s a sign of respect. Being our best when we meet others online or off isn’t being less authentic in my mind. It’s showing up in full force. 🙂
Great Tips.
Thanks, but how can improved the traffic from social networking?
Regards,
Manikandan