Social Media 101: Tactics and Tips to DevelopYour Business Online

Chapter 5. Social Media as Personal Power

Enterprise software isn't very sexy. I agree with Robert Scoble's^[8] perspective on this. And though others are disagreeing with this, people like Nick Carr^[9] are seeing Scoble's point. The conversation around the argument is that enterprise applications aren't meant to be sexy; they're meant to work flawlessly for the organization. Well, here's where it's interesting to me.

SOCIAL MEDIA WORKS FOR YOU

Every tool that social media counts in its arsenal—blogging, podcasting, video blogging, microblogging (Twitter,^[10] Posterous,^[11] Tumblr^[12]), and all the rest—is a tool equipped to offer you personal power. How do I mean this?

• Social media gives you a voice. Though some organizations have strict policies against blogging about that organization, it'd be hard for them to stop you from blogging about other areas of interest, your passions, and things that don't relate to your day job.

• Social media gives you an audience. Instead of waiting for mainstream media to determine whether your thoughts are worthy of a larger audience, you have the chance to build an audience from day one. (And believe me, there's someone for everyone out there.)

• Social media gives you flexibility. Are you better in pictures? Use Flickr. Not very tech savvy? Use Utterli. A budding Kubrick? Make a video blog. Hemingway? Write a blog.

• Social media gives you a world audience. Okay, what happens inside the firewall is one thing, but what happens out on the Internet goes pretty ...