SOCIAL SCHMOCIAL: Terminology doesn’t matter but using it does

Watching professionals rally around an innovative service or product is exciting, especially when they begin jockeying for the newest “guru” position and do so by creating their own unique terminology for something someone else has already coined another way. It’s the way of the business world and is especially true when it comes to social media marketing.

When it comes to marketing in the realm of social media, social networking or social [insert your own choice terminology here], watching professionals jockey for the lead social “guru” position has been especially entertaining. The social atmosphere has created a completely new dynamic for professionals, stay-at-home mothers, kids and corporations to take part in, build a business upon and to communicate with one another. Everyone is racing to become the new social “it” professional.

However, for those in business who don’t dabble in the marketing profession and marketed their business in a very different way up until just 10 years ago (when faxing was still considered a channel to market to others), the idea and use of these social tools can seemingly be a daunting task. Yet, the philosophies are still quite the same as before.

So, if you’re scratching your head while trying to understand what the newly formulated terminology means that is being coined daily by countless marketing “gurus” while you are simply trying to easily embrace and use it for your business, I’m happy to state a few facts to help clarify any confusion you may have.

Social Media vs. Social Networking – Defining the specific terms for these and other “social” tools doesn’t matter to the everyday business person. Regardless of whether someone refers to it as a tool, a channel, a way to disseminate information versus sharing information interactively one thing remains absolutely the same – it’s “social.” Communicating within the social atmosphere is still similar to communicating via attending a traditional networking event – “face time” is still critical (now it’s “virtual face time”), exchanging information is key, employing proper etiquette is still crucial (now they call it “netiquette”) and thorough follow-up and development of your network is imperative to building your business (the same goes for social efforts).

Approach being “social” online just as you would being “social” in-person – Be responsive, provide resourceful information, connect people to one another, be amusing, create and maintain your own personality while ensuring you are presenting yourself in the best and most respectable way possible. Think before you post (just as you would think before you speak). Monitor your social efforts online just as you would in-person – follow-up, maintain your sites, provide fresh topics to discuss with others.

We know that we can enhance our business efforts by leveraging social media. Why? One reason: It where the largest amount of people “gather” and we’re able to aggregate and/or segment our communication efforts (push and pull) to these different audiences. Online is where our customers, colleagues, friends and family members “exist” when we’re not able to network with them face-to-face.

Still confused? I’ll finish with this… Don’t let others who are defining the terminology of what the online social environment is or is not impede your own interest to pursue it as an avenue to create a marketplace for your business online. Like many things that develop in the constantly evolving online world, everyone is still wrapping their brains around the still relatively new concept - and that concept changes nearly every week.