Thursday, March 6, 2008

Social media and meaning

What does social media mean for corporate communicators, consumers and influencers? 
A recent webinar focused on the industry’s new social media release and how to present its format to journalists and bloggers so they can effectively relay messages. 
After some debate between a panel of bloggers, entrepreneurs and communications professionals, the consensus was reached that the social media release isn’t a new kind of communication that needs to be presented, it’s an evolution of traditional marketing.
Social media, whether it’s a news release, a blog, or a YouTube video, gives communicators a new way to share information and facilitate conversation with their many audiences and their influencers. It's a complementary tactic that can make communication more complete.
Because the social media space is new and can be unfamiliar, many consumers don’t use it, don’t know how to use it, and don’t care to learn. But those same consumers continue to flip through magazines and be intrigued by a compelling, creative advertisement. We have an abundance of avenues to reach our targeted audiences/consumers. It's a great time to start conversations and keep them going.