What is Social Media? - Social media explained

Main ideas / lessons conveyed

Definition of social media (Oxford Dictionary)

Social media consists of websites and applications that let users create and share content and/or participate in social networking.

Core meaning

• Social media is essentially the social interaction side of the internet.
• It’s tied to Web 2.0, which focuses on two-way communication (people can talk back and forth), unlike Web 1.0, which was more like one-way publishing (e.g., “I put out blog and we’re done”).

How social media interaction works (engagement)

Engagement features enable interaction, such as:

• Clicking like to show approval
• Commenting
• Sharing content
• Subscribing
• Posting answers / responding to questions

Types of content shared

Social media content can include:

• Photos (e.g., Instagram food pictures, family photos)
• Embarrassing or humorous photos shared by others (e.g., a grandma posting an old birthday picture)
• Posts tied to events/topics (e.g., sports league drafts, movie releases, TV shows)
• Videos and other media (music mentioned as well)

Hashtags and trends

• Hashtags help organize and connect conversations around popular topics, events, or fandoms.
• Social media becomes a place to “learn about different things” and stay socially engaged around a shared subject.

How social media should be used (especially by companies/brands)

A major mistake companies make is using social media only to “sell, sell, sell.” Instead, social media should be used to:

• Build community
• Create interaction
• Develop relationships with followers/customers

The goal is relationship-building, not purely product promotion.

Relationships and friendships can form through social media

The speaker gives personal-style examples, such as:

• Acquaintances from school becoming close friends through online interaction.
• Meeting a spouse through social media (Facebook), followed by having a family.

Brand personality matters

For brands, social media helps establish brand personality so people can identify with “who” the brand is. Example: Wendy’s social media voice/roasts feel consistent even if a team produces the content—audiences still perceive a single persona.

Why community leads to buying

• When followers feel like they have a relationship/community with the brand, they are more likely to buy later.
• Hard selling can turn people off, while engagement and useful/entertaining content can be received positively.
• Over time, trust and familiarity grow, leading people to check the store/site.

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Methodology / instruction-style points (from the talk)

• Avoid the “sell only” approach
  • Do not treat social media as purely a sales channel (the “big mistake”).
• Focus on community building instead
  • Create a community feeling
  • Encourage interaction and back-and-forth conversations
  • Build relationships with customers/followers
• Develop and maintain a recognizable brand personality
  • Ensure your social presence communicates a consistent “personality”
  • Even if multiple people create content, the brand identity should feel consistent
• Let engagement build trust before purchasing
  • Share content that makes people like and relate to the brand
  • Gradually increase the likelihood that people will check out products/services

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Overall takeaway (what social media “is”)

Social media is the interactive internet where people share posts, photos, videos, music, and talk with others to form a social community online.

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Speakers / sources featured

• Professor Walters (speaker; appears in the subtitles)
• Oxford Dictionary (source of the quoted definition)