Social media is a phrase being tossed around a lot these days, but it can sometimes be difficult to answer the question of what is social media?
Officially, it is “an Umbrella Term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction and the construction of words, pictures, video and audio”. It is also a fancy way of describing the millions of conversations people are having online 24/7. So You may ask yourself “Why Should I Care?”
I have officially explained “What Is Social Media” but how does that effect me? Well 3 out of 4 Americans are now using Social Technology whilst 2/3rds of the Global Internet Population now visit Social Networking Sites such as Facebook, Myspace, Twitter etc. So now that these statistics paint a bigger picture, we can see the importance of using social media to our advantage, when branding a business and having an online presence.
So Personally social media can effect us in every day life. As mentioned above social media includes Social Networking, which accounts for the majority of Social Media. Using Networking sites such as facebook, is a fantastic way of staying in touch with friends and family who may be as close as home, or on the far side of the world. It provides an easy way to communicate with friends while at the same time it allows for privacy of photos, comments, status updates etc if necessary. In a nutshell it is a fun and easy way to interact online.
Business wise it plays an important role, in branding your profile image online. With the many websites that are available online, it allows for people too network and build contacts, and possibly even make sales of a particular product/item that you wish too promote. It is a great way for people too see the real person, from both a business and a personal angle. As mentioned above Social Media allows for various ways to integrate technology. With the various Smart-Phones and Smart-Packages that are available today, it is easy for anyone too access their business partners/contacts/friends via email and social networking sites, all at the push of a button on their phone.
This is a brief explanation of What is Social Media and the powers it can have on both a personal and business level.