Michael Resler


Social media is a powerful force, and as we go further and further into the digital age, its forms and applications continue to multiply almost exponentially.  And though the word social implies communication among individuals, professional climates have undergone remarkable changes as a result of social media.  Gillin points out that although a given social media entity is relatively simple and easy to set up, strategy must be involved in order for its user/users to effectively reach their market.  Howard lists the four elements necessary for the long-term success of online communities: remuneration, influence, belonging, and significance.  But first, what is an online community?  According to Preece, an online community consists of people, purpose, policies, and computer systems.  But an online group is not necessarily a community, and for this reason companies have begun focusing their efforts on reaching communities online through various social media.

Gillin cites Malcolm Gladwell, who says that when people are faced with an abundance of choices, their natural inclination is to not make a choice at all.  I've certainly demonstrated this tendency when browsing StumbleUpon sites; having been a long-time stumbler, if I come across a webpage that isn't immediately eye-catching or engaging, my first impulse these days is to move on to the next page rather than giving the complicated one a chance.  Along the same lines, companies must have a clear business goal in mind before engaging in social media rather than assuming it will arbitrarily help their business.  One reason, Gillen points out, is that customers won't bother with a shiny new social media tool if they are already fully engaged in a similar, albeit dated tool.  Furthermore, branding, channel relations, direct marketing, business-to-business, demographic targeting, and high-ticket items are some practices that social media in fact can't seem to fully carry through.  Part of this is because niche markets, Gillin states, "are the future of marketing."

In a sense, social media is all about niche markets.  Gillen lists the different categories of social networks, which include general purpose, vertical networks, social bookmarking, recommendation engines, social shopping, horizontal networks, photo/video sharing, virtual worlds, mobile, and international services.  And within these networks, subnetworks seem to pop up automatically.  For instance, Flickr has become a platform not only for photo sharing, but for unique, individual platforms such as Mini Cooper enthusiasts who wish to share photos of their Minis among each other.  Victoria's Secret fans who wish to fellowship with other Victoria's Secret fans on Facebook can do so in the Facebook's Victoria's Secret group.  Indeed, social media today is not just about groups of people, but groups within groups... within groups... within groups.  This social "inception" is what has fundamentally altered the dynamics of professional marketing and business development across the globe because people can now communicate in ways no one ever thought possible.