Share Media vs Tell Media

Of late, I’ve been burning up brain cycles on the branding of social media – that is, how can we simply and accurately present what social media is, and what it offers, to the vast majority of people who are non-users?

Wired in the way that I am, that always boils down to a terminology issue first and foremost. How to craft the best arrangement of words to express the message? Because I fear that the words we currently use may not give a good “hook” into the minds of those who are not “in the club” as of yet.

And we have to look at the social media revolution in at least 2 dimensions: the personal dimension, and the professional dimension. For the latter, how can people in the corporate world come to appreciate and embrace the business value of these new inter-communications? For the former, how can we simply and compellingly explain social media that it is not discolored by pre-conceived and inaccurate notions shaped only by, say, MySpace?

So, here is today’s thought. Share Media vs. Tell Media.

Traditional media is top-down, them telling us. We (the audience) have little to no input, little to no voice, little to no involvement. Tell Media.

The new web enables Share Media. We share opinions, thoughts, news, pictures, reviews, videos, and just about anything else. We are all publishers; we all have the microphone if we so choose. Communications are now rapid, de-centralized, and potentially viral.

For the personal dimension, this verbiage works. But it also works in the professional realm. We simply say to a Marketing Director: “OK, you have a Tell Media plan with your traditional advertising, PR, etc. Now, what are you doing about a Share Media plan?”

Let’s discuss together how to brand this world of social media. What are your thoughts?

::Matt Dickman explains a key business justification for the new approach here on his Techno//Marketer blog.