The Zen of Social Media: An Intro
The internet, in many ways, has become like the Las Vegas Strip. Everywhere you look there is a billboard, a neon sign, or something loud and garish enticing you to buy this product, or visit that store. Social media in a very short time has become the forefront for this web based, “billboard” type advertising. There is one huge problem. More and more, no one is listening. The masses know that whatever they want is at their fingertips whenever they desire. They are here, in social media, for content, for interaction, for relationships. They want to be recognized, remembered, and missed when they are away. They don’t want someone shouting at them about how to whiten their teeth, and they don’t want to see your particular billboard selling whatever it is that you are shouting about.
The face of advertising in social media is changing. Shouting louder that your competition no longer works. The masses are growing deaf. Change is looming on the digital horizon, and how are those who make their living selling on the internet supposed to survive this change?
Honestly, there is no pre-set way. We all must make changes according to what feels right. Most importantly, we must put a little bit of ourselves into the fray. We need to grow honest, real relationships in a digital environment. We have a wealth of social media applications to choose from and none of them will be around forever. Even though Twitter will eventually go away, social media won’t. I don’t believe that any one site is the perfect site. Again it comes down to what you feel. I do believe, however, that there are certain guidelines that transcend and apply to all social media.
In the coming weeks we’ll discuss those ideas, what I call my three precepts of social media, but for now….. well, a teaser.
My three precepts of social media:
- The practice of non-extremism: a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and flame wars
- I will be conscious of my relationships in the social media environment and remember that there is a real human attached to that avatar
- I will honor honesty and truth, I will not deceive.
