We have really seen this debate
come to the forefront lately when discussing social media.
This, like many debates, isn't one that we are looking to answer with a clear winner. We know that both need to exist, but in what
capacity? What is our focus? Where and how should we be spending our
budget?
Kaplan and Haenlein of Indiana
University discuss the challenges and opportunities that social media
present. One particularly helpful part
of their article notes five points about being
social (2010):
1.
Be
Active
2.
Be
Interesting
3.
Be
Humble
4.
Be
Unprofessional
5.
Be
Honest
Points 1,2 & 5 seem
straight-forward and fairly obvious to most of us. Sure, we should be posting interesting things
on a frequent basis (CONTENT!). However,
point 3 may be a bit more challenging.
No, we should not just brag about or constantly endorse our products or
services. We can let others do that for
us (CONVERSATION!). Lastly, let’s address point 4. I imagine that this will be
controversial. While you should always
use correct grammar and be careful not to be offensive, there’s no reason to be
overly uptight. In fact, a more relaxed
tone not only is more relatable, but will also be more likely to spark an
interesting/viral conversation.
Not
everyone thinks that conversation is important.
Justin Wise, a social media blogger, agrees with Avinash Kaushik’s
statement that “engagement isn't a metric, it’s an excuse” (Wise, 2011). Justin writes that “the more time and effort I invest into
social media, the more I’m convinced these platforms exist to enable people to
share content they care about, not conversation. In other words, what matters
most to people on social networks is sharing a content-centered, communal
experience with their online community.
To put it bluntly, people don’t care about your organization. They care
about the experience your social networks allow them to have with their
friends, family and co-workers” (Wise, 2011).
There is certainly truth to his words.
But, does anyone want to be part of a community that isn't
engaging? Doesn't a community imply a
certain amount of interaction and conversation?
Think about image-sharing sites like Imgur. The whole point of the platform is to share
the web’s most popular images (content).
However, the first thing I find myself doing is reading the comments
(conversation). Without these comments
and interactions, the Imgur community would not be nearly as active or
popular.
Without
content, there is no reason to visit or follow a business on a social media
platform. On the other hand, if reading
the page feels strangely like browsing your RSS feed, there may be a
problem. Conversation is what makes
business more likeable, more unique, and more popular.
The goal of your social media
page is also a predictor of which might matter more to you. Is your business trying to inform and/or
educate people on a specific topic? For
instance, The Red Cross would likely be more interested in explaining how
people can help certain causes. Of
course, a viral conversation would likely send more money to help tsunami
survivors in the Philippines. However,
without them initially posting valuable content, the entire message would be
lost.
References:
Kaplan, A. & Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the
world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business Horizons, 53, 59-68.
Wise, J. (2011). Social media are about
sharing content, not conversation. Think
Digital. Retrieved from: http://justinwise.net/sharing-content
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