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smashLAB White Paper
: A Primer in Social Media
An introductionto social media
Background
In the past, broadcasting was limited tothose with the financial resources to accessmass media. The emergence of low-costand highly accessible communication tools,however, has changed all of this. Now,anyone with an internet connection hasthe ability to share their message with aworldwide audience.
What is social media?
The term “social media” represents mediathat users can easily participate in andcontribute to. Forms of social media includeblogs, forums, virtual worlds, wikis andsocial networks.
What characterizes social media?
Although definitions vary, a few keycharacteristics are common amongst socialmedia platforms. Most of these propertiesthrive on the notion of participation andmaking connections. Part of this is informedby the notion of a flat community, inwhich all parties engage in open dialogue.Influence and credibility are prized in thisarena, as the user’s reputation can often bea key motivator for one to remain active inthe dialogue.
How it’s different
Perhaps the biggest difference betweentraditional media (newspapers, television,radio, books, etc.) and social media is thedynamic and flexible nature of the latter.Social media can change with time andbe edited by the author and, in some cases,the community. Likewise, the audience caninteract with and republish social media. Itlends itself to being archived, indexed bysearch engines, and shared by users inmany ways.
Why it’s important
Although there are many reasons why socialmedia is notable (which we will address laterin this document), there is one reason thatstands above the rest: the people. Socialmedia brings with it the power of every useron the planet. Its growth and future potentialis enormous...................................................................
Consider that there are:
(at the date of this paper’s preparation)
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What it means for companies
Traditional marketers are accustomed tocarefully honing messages. This allowsfor control, but the results are difficult andcostly to measure. Social media turns thiswhole scenario around. With it, control isshared with the crowd, and real feedbackbecomes immediate.Organizations now have the opportunityto collect detailed information on usersand their habits, elicit real feedback andsuggestions, and refine their offering and
Executive Summary:
Social media represents a broad changein how people communicate with one another. This is excitingfor businesses as it presents new channels and methods of reaching consumers. As such, early adopters have encounteredboth successes and failures in developing strategies thatincorporate this new paradigm. smashLAB advises groups toremain strategic and pragmatic in employing social media.
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