It’s the biggest buzzword on the web; social media. But do you really understand what it means? That isn’t a stupid question, because it can mean different things to different people and they are all right! The trouble is, it encompasses so many different tools, techniques and websites. But I think it means just one thing; community. Social media is using websites and webtools to develop communities. But how does it help small business?
Mashable’s Matt Silverman has compiled a big list of articles and advice. Mashable has written extensively on social media for small business and Mashable’s social media guide for small businesses lists 81 articles on social media 101, blogging, video, mobile, productivity, PR and marketing, numbers and stats, and strategy and management. It’s a fantastic list. But I think it will take some while to read, so it’s best digested in small chunks.
As as a small business owner and webmaster, you cannot afford to ignore social media. It’s growing in leaps and bounds as traditional media wanes. A good example is the dwindling circulation of traditional newspapers and the rising popularity of blogs, video sharing and youtube. But if you are still confused and looking for a nice, neat explanation of social media, watch today’s video on social media in plain english produced by commoncraft. It tells a story about scoopville. I don’t know about you, but I love a good story.
These days, social media should be on every small business agenda.
