Weighing in on social…

Raising the topic of Social Media can ensue a hot debate these days. There are more and more platforms popping up and it seems as though, as a user, you are either for these tools or very much against. Even as a marketer you love or hate them. Not a week goes by where I do not enter a debate on this topic with my optimistic heart set on converting any naysayers over to understanding the positive impacts of these platforms.

In a Lyft last week one such debate occurred. After some friendly chit chat my driver asked me what I did for work, following my response he promptly replied that he believes social media is the root of all evil and can be blamed for all that is wrong in this world… This is not an uncommon view, perhaps a little rash but I can admit it looks bad when all you see are people on phones; but have you stopped to wonder what they’re doing with them?

Every platform can be used for good or bad. This is obvious. You can use a car to get you from A to B or you could use it to run someone down, dramatic example but hopefully you get my point. These are tools, there are no rules forcing you to use them in a certain way. Their beauty is in their fluidity; it is like a blank canvas that gradually becomes more and more aligned to us. It is our personality extended, it is our brand.

It might sound clinical to think of yourself as a brand but think of how that empowers you. Do you have a message you want to communicate, a cause you want to champion, a great idea you want to spread? Social media allows you to bypass the gatekeeper and go straight to the publisher to spread your message. We now control the production as well as consumption of our technology. We choose what we want to consume and how we want to be influenced.

This is the first time in history where you do not need permission to have a voice! We may be bewitched by our phones but we are connecting; we are communicating.

We have platforms like YouTube to share video, to educate each other; Instagram where you can show you highlight reel, turn your life, lunch and passions into artwork; Twitter, to voice your opinions; and new video Q&A platforms like Kwickie where you can ask questions of thought leaders, friends or fans.

In the connection economy this is our tool to connect everyday people to each other and thought leaders to their audience.

Social Media empowers us to influence and amplify our collective voice.