Social Media For All

Social media empowers everyday people by giving them a voice. As said on page 2 of “Social Media? Get Serious!,” “These days, one witty tweet, one clever blog post, one devastating video–forwarded to hundreds of friends at the click of a mouse–can snowball and kill a product or damage a company’s share price.’’ Conversely, these actions can also bolster a company and send them soaring past their competitors. In the past, I have heard the internet referred to as “the last frontier.” Upon first hearing this I laughed, but after giving it some thought, I now believe this to be true. Because the internet, especially social media, is quickly growing and ever-changing, there lies great opportunity. The article “Social Media? Get Serious!” addresses the crucial building blocks associated with social media and how companies can utilize these blocks. Businesses need to get on board with social media or prepare to get devoured and left behind in this fast-paced day and age. Social media can help them promote new products, get feedback, develop a presence, provide customer support, and more. The more a company is seen and tries to interact with its customers in a positive light, the more people will come to prefer and trust the company.

In my opinion, the importance of “becoming connected” and utilizing the building blocks of social media is not limited just to companies. Individuals who do not join social media sites are doing themselves a disservice. For years, I avoided social media. I chose not to join these sites because I did not want to exploit myself or risk being taken advantage of.  It was not until my freshman year of college that my friend forced me to get a Facebook by setting up an account for me. I now realize I did myself a disfavor by not staying up-to-date with social media. Now, as I look to stay connected with friends and family in day to day life and promote myself as a realtor, I recognize I have a lot of ground to make up. Teaching myself to upload photos, tweet, and properly use different social media sites has not come to me as easily as I would have desired. This is why knowing and understanding the building blocks and honeycomb framework discussed in the article are important. The age of technology is upon us. Cutting edge products are coming forth that change our lifestyles and how we communicate and see the world. Companies and individuals need to get on board and have their voices heard or risk being left behind.

Pictured below: What happens when left behind.

Works Cited

Have You Ever Felt This Way? N.d. Photograph. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Google Image. Web. 14 Sept.          2013. <http://prescottech.com/wpcontent/uploads/2010/12/computer_frustration.jpg>.

Kietzmann, Jan, Kristopher Hermkens, Ian McCarthy, and Bruno Silvestre. "Social Media? Get Serious! Understanding the Functional Building Blocks of Social Media." Science Direct        Business Horizons 54 (2011): 241-51.