SocialMedia404

This is the second post in our social media “On Ramp” series. The first defined social media. Now we look how it might apply to business. Sure it’s nice to know what Steve Jobs may or may not have had for breakfast, but do you really care?

The short answer to the question “Does it apply?” is yes. I feel like I have let the cat out of the bag early, but it’s the truth. The long answer is that it is not a matter of if it applies, but when and how.

Think about it like e-mail. Twenty years ago many wondered if it mattered. It’s not even a question anymore. Here are a few specific things you can do right now to tell if and how social media applies to you.

First and foremost, listen. You need to find and tune into the 7/24 global on-line conversation. I liken it to entering any large room full of people. When you first enter all you hear is noise until you find the conversations you care about. It won’t make much sense at first but hang in, there is some cool stuff going on.

To listen you can start with a tool called newsreaders. Newsreaders are magic newspapers that let you handpick each section of your paper, and then fetch you fresh articles everyday. You can have recipes on the first page, obituaries on the second and used cars on the third. They are free and easy to use. I use Bloglines because it is free, has no software to install and I can use it from any browser. That means I can get “my paper” delivered to my Dad’s computer if I am visiting for the weekend.

The content you select from will largely come from blogs. Because the New York Times and Globe and Mail syndicate their content through blogs, the articles are virtually identical to the ones you can read on their main sites, or in the paper for that matter.

But, because newsreaders let you search by topic, you can type in a few key words and find blogs written by individuals. You would be amazed at how many folks are out here writing passionately about chemistry, wood, finance, boats, politics, plastic and every other topic under the sun using their own non-corporate voice.

These are the folks you are looking for. Or rather, this is the conversation you are looking for. Non-commercial, honest and above all personal. Once you find it, follow it. Bloggers who write frequently will quote other bloggers on the same topic. Follow those threads and subscribe to those blogs. Your list will balloon at the beginning but that’s OK. It won’t take long to figure out “who’s who in the zoo” and start whittling your list back down to the ones you care about. Congratulations, you are now listening to the conversation.

After a month or so of listening, you will start to get the feel for things. Now you are in a position to figure out if any of this means anything to you. While this may seem like something that takes a lot of work, nothing could be further from the truth. First off, you will have your own opinions after your brief sojourn into the conversation. You will also have a sense of who the players are, and whose opinion you respect. So, to figure out what this all means to you just ask.

One of the topics most bloggers love to discuss is their own importance. I know I do. To help that along, most have a spot at the bottom of every post where you can comment. So ask! Find someone who blogs about stuff you care and that you respect and ask them. Note that it is polite to stay within the confines of their subject area so don’t ask a physician about a celebrities recent nose job unless she happens to be a plastic surgeon. Other than that, it’s open season.

Go ahead and ask them what the impact of social media has been/will be on your business. There is a pretty high chance they will answer you. After this you are off to the races. You can answer back, ask another question, go to somebody else and get a second opinion and so on. And guess what. You are now part of the conversation.

Next up in our On-Ramp series will be a discussion of how social media can be used for business.