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Diving in to Social Media
by Angelo Fernando
You’ve probably already gotten your feet wet in MySpace or Facebook. You’ve most likely looked up an organization or celebrity on Wikipedia or watched a silly video on YouTube. But if you haven’t shed your inhibitions and experimented with some of the more interesting features of what’s being referred to as the “read-write web,” you’re missing out.
When I say experimented, I mean going out on a limb and contributing to the new media environment that’s not owned or managed by someone else. In fact, this new media is not managed or moderated in the same way as many traditional online sites.
For discussion purposes, social media involves seven broad categories: social networks, wikis, blogs and micro-blogging, social bookmarking sites, video sites and e-tailers.
As an IABC member, you probably visit your own chapter web site and the IABC web site, both of which allow you to connect to the larger universe of communicators through the Communication Commons (http://commons.iabc.com) and MemberSpeak. But outside of this walled garden of members-only content are other sites worth joining, such as social networks LinkedIn and Plaxo and social bookmarking sites del.icio.us and digg.
But how should you conduct yourself in an online social space? Think of social media as your future résumé. The time is quickly approaching when standard résumés will be replaced by something akin to a blog or a collection of social media breadcrumbs. Here are three ways to approach that future.
1) Be yourself.
This seems obvious, but it’s been so easy to maintain online anonymity that many people believe they can use fake personas online and pull it off. The truth is, the intricate connective tissue of social networks make it possible for people to be outed, grilled and embarrassed. This usually happens to celebrities, or people under media scrutiny (think Dan Rather and Paris Hilton). But don’t kid yourself. Human resources managers are learning ways to uncover the truth about current and potential employees. There are organizations and software solutions that do this type of muckraking, and many people know how to find information using free web tracking sites.
Being sincere also means being sensible about the persona you create online. Those embarrassing videos on YouTube get copied, embedded and archived, so it will be nearly impossible to erase your digital tracks a few years down the road.
2) Be daring.
This doesn’t contradict the previous point. Taking risks means trying something new in the social media environment. Not everyone may want to start his/her own podcast or blog, but it is simple to participate in the media that interest you.
Participating could be anything from leaving a comment or idea on a blog or podcast to reviewing content on sites such as iTunes and Amazon.com. The social media space consists of millions of content co-creators like you!
3) Be original.
Once you conquer your inhibitions, you can move into authoring your own content. Start your own blog, and write about something you are passionate about. You never know what it might turn into; many blogs have been the incubating space for books.
Or you may want to become a Wikipedia editor. Many people do not know this but there are thousands of Wikipedia editors who are not Ph.D.s or librarians. They are often people who are subject experts in their own field and have decided to share their knowledge, no credentials required. It’s often said that nearly 50 percent of Wikipedia editors are below the age of 25. Good news for you!
If you have something original that could best be demonstrated on video, it’s worth putting it online. A couple in Arizona started a blog about wood carving, and The Wood Whisperer—now a video blog about the trade—soon became their main business. Check them out.
You are here!
Now’s the time to go beyond dipping your toes, to full-body immersion. It’s a great time to be here. The web is evolving at a tremendous pace, essentially moving from a static medium to a participatory one, something extremely fluid. The fluidity is mainly due to the collaborative potential that many of these social media spaces allow. “The web needs editors,” remarked Michael Eisner, former Disney chairman, commenting on the range of serious, unique content (as opposed to idiotic content and illegal copies of movie clips) finding its way onto YouTube. Those editors, authors, moviemakers, pundits and subject matter specialists could be you!
About the author
Angelo Fernando, whose avatar in Second Life is not exactly agile, has been covering technology and communication in the real world for over 10 years. He frequently writes about the intersection of analog and digital marketing in emerging social media at HoiPolloiReport.com.
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