Broadcast Media and Social Media...do you see the differences?

The differences are vast. One is emerging...one is declining. TV ads are expensive. Facebook pages are not. Broadcast media is valued as a "cost per thousand" commodity. Social media is measured by clicks, likes, friends and page views. The latter can be categorized as "measurable results". 

Social media represents an opportunity to speak with your customers as opposed to the alternative of speaking AT them. If you are not interested in speaking with them your competitors will. 

"Real communication implies that people speak, and listen". So says Jason Falls and Erik Deckers in their book "No Bullshit Social Media". The game has changed and we will have a new set of winners and losers based on their acceptance of this new paradigm. 

Social media (specifically LinkedIn Groups) helped me build a community of job seekers interested in personal branding and expanding their contacts. The group met in person 2-4 times per month. Enter social media. The size of the group soon tripled. What began as a conversation with 6 people at a kitchen table has evolved into an interactive online forum of more than 500. 

Effective brand message + vehicle to promote conversations will allow social media to be a marketing staple in society for a long time.