The Reality of Social Media

Excellent perspective, and 100% right on, from Chris Brogan's Newsletter go ahead, subscribe, it's worth your time):

The reality of social media, at least how I've seen it since 1995 (when it was called different things) is that a lot of what we do is done on our own time, for passion, and because we have some ideas that aren't exactly breadwinners yet.

It doesn't make us wrong. It doesn't make the market less viable. We're still in our own respective labs, creating new things, working on the model. PodCamp co-founder Christopher S. Penn is always at it, thinking of new ways to drive revenue to his business. The only wine seller I know with a Hollywood agent, Gary Vaynerchuk is in his lab, finding new ways to extend his brand and deliver more value back to his organization.

This stuff isn't for people looking to punch in, do their job, and go home. Sure, you can use the tools that make sense to you, once you hear about them, once someone else demonstrates them, one you get your hands on them. But to be out there innovating, thinking, pressing forward, and sharing the results requires a lot more hours than we receive in any given day.

But this isn't "woe is me" stuff. I'm telling you this for a reason. If you want to "get it" early, you've got to live it a bit more.

Some of you can disregard this entire section, because you're just observing the trends. That's perfectly fair. My day job is deciding what's has impending business impact and what is still fringe tech. Believe me, a whole LOT of what I explore in social media isn't much more than an interesting toy. Only, that toy might well be the breakthrough to something far bigger.

In not too many years, a lot of the shine will be off these apples. We'll be calling this stuff something else, and it will feel the way email does to us today. Mundane. Just there. Partly a nuisance. That's the shape of curves. We're on the ride up right now. Stick around. Figure something out ahead of everyone else. Innovate. But be ready for the other side, and decide whether you can jump to the new rising curve, or if you're going to ride the old one down.

Me? I'm too busy with this upcurve and with a few ripples behind it to worry about the down yet. Stick around. There's lots more to talk about between now and the next 1:51AM.

Comments

[Reg of Elemental Truths]

Hey Ted,
Tori Deaux has a great post on this same topic (sort of). It's called "Why I Suck at Social Media".
Here is the link.
http://www.mindtweaks.com/wordpress/?p=829

Reg

[T Demop, Blogging for Business]

Great one Reg, thanks!

May I add that maybe, just maybe, I hate Facebook?