CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT: Still think social media is a fad?
By Eric Anders • Sep 27th, 2009 • Category: Customer Engagement, Social Media Marketing, THE CHANGING FACE OF RELOCATION
Sorry folks! This post doesn't relate specifically to 'Moving and Relocation'.
The subject matter, however, is probably of interest to anyone who owns or operates a small or medium sized business and feels overwhelmed by power of social media which, incidentally, has overtaken porn as the #1 activity on the web.
Last week a new acquaintance from Down Under sent a link recommending a video released by Erik Qualman in 2008 to support his book, Socialnomics. Soon after I received his note, I got a personal introduction to TED.
Social Media Revolution is synchronized to the frenetic beat of Fatboy Slim’s 1999 hit "Right Here, Right Now". Yarak recognized it as the same over-synthesized music used in a viral video featured in a March, 2009 RELORoundtable article entitled Reality Check: Did you know?
Personally I think this work is more commercial than its predecessor. And, apparently, so do some of the 600+ folks who’ve commented at YouTube. That, however, doesn’t necessarily make the message any less intriguing – especially in these turbulent times where everybody is scraping for any kind of advantage they can acheive.
Many dissing the 4:22 minute video question the accuracy and validity of the statistics used to define these new types of social orgies. Those comments seem to betray the poster's own personal fear of the unknown. To a casual observer, however, the bigger issue seems to be how the potential of these constantly evolving new communication trends are recognized, measured, and effectively utilized.
You have to wonder, though, does it really matter? Listen to the buzz among the masses and it becomes quickly apparent that something successful is at work.
Is social media a fad? Probably! Just like Western Union, the walkie-talkie, citizens band radios and push-to-talk technology were fads. Someone somewhere had to recognize the potential of each new communications medium and then market and engineer the product or service through a successful implementation and business cycle. As Marshall McLuhan hypothesized over forty-five years ago, “The medium is the message”.
My twenty-something son walked in while I was reviewing this video. He unplugged the headphone and watched over my shoulder until it ended. Then, while typing the URL of his favorite blog into my browser, he asked me if I knew TED. Clicking on a link in the first post, he introduced me to the Technology, Entertainment, Design site.
TED is a small, twenty-year old nonprofit devoted to the notion of freely – and openly – exchanging “ideas worth spreading". I’ve spent the last several evenings totally engrossed in listening to some of the thought provoking messages indexed at their website.
One of the best is a fairly new, very long (19:22) addition where social theorist Jonathan Zittrain discusses how 'The Internet' is really made up of millions of disinterested acts of kindness, curiosity and trust – an interesting perspective considering my recent issues with virtual marketplaces.
You’re invited to watch to both videos here. Honestly, though, you’ll probably get more out of the experience if you click on the ‘Watch on" feature in the bottom and top right hand corners of each screen. This will allow you to browse the comments while you listen.
Either way, enjoy! Still think social media is a fad? Or a stepping stone? Share your thoughts!
It might be an idea worth spreading.
The Web as random acts of kindness
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