on3

Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn… many of us are feeling the pressure to try to make sense of the world of social media to avoid getting left behind. The good news is that you can take some of that pressure off by re-framing how you look at social media tools. In a very refreshing article, Eric Karjaluoto discusses what social media can mean for your organization.

In short, Karjaluoto argues that social media is just a tool, and jumping onto every platform for the sake of it is as backwards are saying “I just bought a screwdriver. What should I fix?” (My favourite quote from the article).

Define your problem/purpose first, and then see if there is a social media tool that fits the job. If none fit, then you don’t need them. Social media is absolutely NOT about free advertising. As Karjaluoto argues, if you “push” your message out like you would with traditional advertising, you’re sure to fail in the social media realm. Here are some great clips from the article:

I often lament the hubbub around social media. It’s not that I question its necessity or importance; rather, I dislike how it’s upheld as the answer to all our problems.

(more…)