The term Social Media is a tricky term, After going through plenty of Google searches and a lot of articles i realized that it is better to express this term rather than defining it.
Though i found a definition from the most authentic source of the world, Wikipedia, Here’s what it says,
Social Media is a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, and that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content.
The definition is okay with the sense it holds for the people who are already in the social media industry and aware of the terms that are being used in the definition but what about the people who don’t even have a clue about Web 2.0 or user-generated content, they won’t be able to get it, right?
SEE ALSO: Being “The New Guy” In Social Media
Being the admin of this Social Media blog, i took it as a responsibility to explain all the readers what is social media, in the best possible way. I am not sure if i have done it or not but i have given it a try.
The term Social Media is a combination of two terms,
Social refers to Us.
Media Means of mass communication
Earlier, Media used to be a one way process, It was Industrial media telling us what has happened, what is happening or what may happen and all we have to do is to sit back and be good listeners. And if an ordinary person wanted to be a part of Industrial media, it was not as simple as it is now a days.
Social Media is a platform where we can interact with the media, we can be a part of the media too, if we intend to.
With the advent of Internet and web applications like Internet forums, weblogs, social blogs, microblogging, wikis, social networks, etc. we now have the media which is not imposed on us, we choose what we want to see, read or listen. No matter from which part of the world we belong to, we have our say in the media. Social Media gives us platform to be more than just listeners.
It broadens the horizon for Industrial Media by having users interacting with their content, expressing themselves, sharing with their friends, which further generates more content and exponentially increases reach of the media.
Although, i am almost done with the explanation part but there is one fact, which i would like to share, it somehow adds a lot to the explanation of social media.
In 2006, Time Magazine made an exception by choosing You for the award for person of the year, instead of choosing an individual. For the record, This award is given to the person who has done the most to influence the events of year.
You refers to the millions of people who contribute user-generated content to wikis, YouTube, Facebook, open source operating systems and all other websites where user generated content is being featured.
SEE ALSO: How To Go Viral On Internet? Well, I Have No Idea
And all this user-generated content was made possible only by Media being Social.
Now, I believe i have answered the question in an appropriate way.
