In a conversation I recently had with another social media manager, one of the discussion points focused around social media and technology, and specifically how many people approach social media as technology first and as a social medium second. I think social media needs to be approached as a social medium first and as technology secondly. The reason I think many people approach it as a technology first is because technology is the means by which we access the medium.
The problem with that is that many people feel intimidated by technology and the learning curve associated with it. Approaching social media as a social medium can provide a different framework for helping people understand how to use social media and integrate it into their lives and business. When social media is examined from that perspective it becomes less intimidating because people can understand it as a method for connecting with other people, as opposed to just another technological interface they need to learn.
While technology is an integral part of social media, it should not be focused on so much that people don't see the social applications. Yet inevitably the majority of writing tends to be focused on the technological aspects of social media or how to determine ROI from using social media. The result is a situation where businesses don't get social media because they are mainly focused on the technological function or bottom line. The lack of recognition about the social aspects of social media creates problems for businesses that fail to recognize how social norms will influence the perceptions of people using social media. Because social media is first and foremost a social medium, the social norms and cultural considerations need to be considered in order to effectively use it for business purposes.
When we consider the social norms first, then we can began to effectively develop a strategy for using social media, as well as policies to implement in place. We also think about why people are using it and how social media as a public space effects the perception that people will have about businesses or each other and we recognize that people use social media not to find out about more products or your business, but to communicate with each other and keep up with what's happening in other people's lives. And these very social activities must be respected in order to really get social media and use it effectively.
What do you think? Does getting the social aspects of social media help people understand it better?