Katy Lindemann argues that the term "social media" is meaningless and unhelpful. She claims it suggests media are social when it is really ideas and behaviors that are social. Being social is about more than just marketing - it is about listening to customers, gaining insights, providing customer service, and building long-term relationships. We should stop thinking about social media and instead think about how to truly be social.

1. Confronting the elephant in
the room…
Katy Lindemann
Naked Communications
APG Battle of Big Thinking – 26th Nov 09
Hi, my name’s Katy and I’m a senior strategist at Naked Communica8ons. I’ve only got 3 mins so without
further ado…

2. YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THE ODD BIT OF
BUZZ ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA…
Cartoon © Gapingvoid.com
Right. Social Media. You’ve probably no8ced the odd bit of buzz about it.
You’re probably totally sick of hearing about it.
But what exactly is everyone actually talking about?

3. WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA?
SOCIAL MEDIA IS MEDIA DESIGNED TO BE DISSEMINATED
THROUGH SOCIAL INTERACTION.
SOCIAL MEDIA USES INTERNET AND WEB‐BASED
TECHNOLOGIES TO TRANSFORM BROADCAST MEDIA
MONOLOGUES (ONE TO MANY) INTO SOCIAL MEDIA
DIALOGUES (MANY TO MANY).
WIKIPEDIA
Photo © Scott Pargett Photography
Let’s see how wise the crowds are, and consult the oracle of all that the hoards say is true – Wikpedia.
OK, so social media’s like regular media only it’s more social.
Brought to you by the school of sta8ng the bloody obvious.

4. SOCIAL MEDIAʼS A CATCH-ALL TERM FOR
BLOGS, FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND SO ON *
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stabilo-boss/
So, really when we talk about social media, we’re using it as a catch‐all term for social plaPorms like blogs,
Facebook, TwiSer, wikis and the like, aren’t we?

5. * THIS IS A LOAD OF BULLSHIT
Sorry, but I think this is actually a load of
bullshit.

6. ITʼS TIME TO CONFRONT THE ELEPHANT IN
THE ROOM…
I think it’s 8me to confront the elephant in the room that the so‐called social media experts don't want you
to talk about...

7. THEREʼS
NO SUCH THING
AS SOCIAL MEDIA
There’s no such thing as social media. It’s a thoroughly meaningless and really unhelpful term.

8. IT SUGGESTS THE MEDIA ARE SOCIAL. IT
MAKES IT ALL ABOUT THE ʻWHEREʼ.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rainofwonder/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rainofwonder/
It suggests the media – the places – are social. It makes it all about the ‘where’.
But it’s not the where that’s social.
It’s the ‘what’ and the ‘how’.

9. WHAT:
SOCIAL IDEAS
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cayusa/
The what is essen8al – it’s about social ideas. Social ideas are ideas that spark conversa8on & get shared
and passed on.
Social ideas aren’t anything new. They’ve always been at the heart of brand communica8on.
It’s about being talked ABOUT.

10. HOW:
SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
Most importantly however, is the ‘how’.
If social ideas are about geYng talked about, social behaviour is about joining in.
It’s about two‐way behaviour, engaging in a dialogue. Sharing. Connec8ng. Collabora8ng.
It’s this that’s the really important bit.

11. ITʼS ABOUT BEING SOCIAL
So let’s stop thinking about social media. It’s just about being social. Social technologies might facilitate
this behaviour, but just using these so‐called social media doesn’t automa8cally equate to being social.
You can use TwiSer completely an8socially – lots of brands use it as just another broadcast medium. You
can have a Facebook page and millions of followers, but s8ll use it simply to push out brand messages.
The places aren't inherently social. But what you do there might be.

12. ʻSOCIAL MEDIAʼ SUGGESTS ITʼS ANOTHER
FORM OF MEDIA & SHOULD BE MANAGED
AS A MARKETING FUNCTION
It’s also a completely unhelpful term because we tend to focus on the ‘media’ bit, and automa8cally start
thinking of it as a channel within which to push out brand messages.
But it’s not just another media channel and can ‐ and should ‐ be used for so much more than just
marke8ng.

13. BUT BEING SOCIAL ISNʼT JUST ABOUT
MARKETING. ITʼS ABOUT SO MUCH MORE.
LIKE CUSTOMER INSIGHT & RESEARCH.
Being social is about more than just talking. Someone who only talks but never listens wouldn’t remain
your friend for very long.
Being social isn’t just about pushing out marke8ng messages – it’s about listening to what people are
thinking, feeling.
What do they think about your brands?
What are you doing well and where could you be doing beSer?
Social media might be great for marke8ng, but being social can be great for so much more – like customer
insight and research.

14. OR CUSTOMER SERVICE
Or customer
service.

15. OR PRODUCT & SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
Or
R&D

16. BUILDING LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS
And so on. All of which can help us to build valuable and longer‐las8ng rela8onships between people and
brands.
Social media lets you market TO people.
Being social is something you do WITH people.

17. SO LETʼS FORGET ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA
AND JUST THINK ABOUT BEING SOCIAL
So please, can we stop banging on about social media and think about being social instead?
Right, that’s definitely my 3 mins done so all that remains to be said is…

18. Thank You.
Katy Lindemann
Naked Communications
email:
katy_lindemann@nakedcomms.com
blog:
www.katylindemann.com
twitter:
@katylindemann
…thank you very much for having me, and have a great
day!