It’s About the Talk, Not the Tech

Social Media is, in the minds of many, a new thing on the technology treadmill we race to keep up with.  Some hope it’s just a fad. Some see it trending. In the minds of many, this is still technology tough to grasp. The “minds of many” should stop thinking about the tools. Think connections. Think access. Think bigger.

A reality that may help us keep clear heads is to split the term in half: Social and Media. And we’ve always had them both.

Social: We’ve always been social beings. It’s in our nature. On the constant lookout for connections. Each of us will always find ways to connect with other. Using the power of the Internet, people are finding collaboration and conversation, celebrations and commiserations, legitimate and sticky communities are forming at rapid rates across the globe.

Media: One of the earliest forms of media must’ve been “chalk on a rock” or what science might term Hieroglyphics. Again, with our natural human need and capacity to connect, we always find a way. Carrier Pigeon or Pony Express. Telegraph or Telephone.

It’s About the Talk, not the Tech. Today’s versions of Social Media (yep, it’s bound to change and improve tomorrow) are connecting voices, hearts, and minds across the globe in ways never before available to the general population.  And the variety of tools, and purposes of their use, is as across-the-board as there are human personality types.

There are so many different tools and uses available, we’ll not introduce them all here. But standards and barriers of old are disappearing. You no longer need a record contract to get your music heard, no longer is a book contract necessary to get your words to the masses, no longer do you need an agent to sell your art or photos. You can produce your own movies, television shows, comedy routines, magazines, and even tech startups from your garage or dining room anywhere in the world.

A person in Waverly, Iowa can connect with another in Cork, Ireland and converse live via text, video, audio, or whiteboard-like sketching. They can take on idea, topic, or product prototype and create, modify, adapt, mashup, plan, or simply share.  No postage necessary. No long-distance charges.

Want a simple metaphor to lean on? Think of social media tools like automobiles: Different people use them for different reasons. Many for personal, some for business. A few do bad things (and we hear about them), and many do good things (and don’t make the news).

If we can keep our focus on the people possibilities, the need to feel “tech-savvy” is soon replaced with a new sense of “tech-comfy.”

Mike Sansone is an independent business consultant specializing in business blogs and conversational copywriting. His experience in public speaking, sales and marketing, writing, and real-time online communication are strengths Mike relies upon in his role as a Conversation Conductor.