An Introduction to Social Media

Social Media

In the words of Solis (2011, p. 20), "social media is many things to many people." Social media, in my own opinion, has got to do with all internet-based platforms that make it easy for people from all over the world to not only interact but also share with friends, family, and associates. There are various forms of social media. For instance, while there are Websites dedicated to social networking and forums, others focus on blogging and social bookmarking (Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010). Some of the best known social media examples include, but they are not limited to, Pinterest, Reddit, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. The relevance of social media cannot be overstated in today's interconnected world. Unlike was the case a few decades ago, social media allows people to not only connect, but also share ideas in an easy, convenient, and straightforward manner. It is, however, important to note that the same social media has been accused of 'killing' close and meaningful interpersonal relations between people.

My understanding of social media, from an individual perspective, may differ minimally with that of my organization. To my organization, social media is a term that brings together a wide range of online communication channels that seem to promote and enhance interactions as well as connection between people from all over the world, while at the same time opening new avenues for collaboration and content-sharing. It is important to note that while mine is a more social approach to social media, my organization's understanding of social media is more professional and business oriented. To my organization, social media does have some distinct advantages. In addition to providing a platform for employees to engage, exchange ideas, mentor each other, and propose solutions; social media could also be extended beyond the traditional organizational boundaries for recruitment or marketing purposes.

Part 2 -- Social Science and Social Media

Social science does have an impact on social media. Social sciences, to begin with, examine social relationships and the human society in general. They could, therefore, help us understand people and the nature of their interactions via various social media platforms. It is our lack of understanding about these platforms that has "unfortunately cased reverberation effects that are difficult to overcome" (Solis, 2011). Being the study of people and their culture, anthropology could be used to gain a deeper understanding of social media uses, consequences, and implications. On the other hand, in psychographics, the focus is on classifying individuals in accordance with their behaviors as well as attitudes. But what exactly should do we do when we intend to learn exactly why a certain demographic group uses social media? Ethnography seeks to describe peoples' customs and cultures in scientific terms. In the social media setting, therefore, it could come in handy as we seek answers to the most complex queries about social media -- by immersing ourselves in it and finding out how it works.