[...] See the video version. [...]

I am a search and online marketer who loves social networking and know there are many benefits for brands to be involved in social media. I do agree with the sentiment of some of Roger Beaumont’s comments as it is difficult to be “plugged in and switched on” all of the time. However, I believe that some people think that social media is only about networking sites such as Facebook or MySpace, when in reality it is much broader than that. One of the original forms of social media is email and forums which people use on a daily basis. Roger is most likely participating in social media such as email (communication between friends and colleagues), even though he may not be contributing to the creation of content, comments or making connections on the Internet.

People behave in different ways online. Some are heavy contributors recording their every step and every thought to share with others on the web, but for the majority, they are merely consumers of this content. And of course there are those in between, where they may not have their own profiles, blogs, reviews, photos or video online, but they enjoy watching others and contribute through occasional or regular comments.

It’s interesting to watch YouTube and see that many of the consumers of this video do not have videos of their own, little alone a profile for the rest of us to learn more about them. I guess we learn about those people over time by following their comments, however not everyone wants to have a following. Collectively though, all these comments make engaging content for the people who are interested in it and can influence networks of people depending on the negative or positive tone of those comments. This can make or break an organisation, so marketers need to decide whether they want to participate or not.

For me personally, I enjoy having balance in my life. I love the offline world as much as the online world. I know when to plug in and also know when to switch off. My advice to Roger is don’t dismiss social media completely – use it to your advantage and at a level that suits you where you get enjoyment and benefit from it. It doesn’t have to be all in or nothing at all.

Roger Beaumont is like the vast majority of the community in avoiding online social media. His reasons are sensible from his point of view. “I struggle to keep in touch with the people I really want to keep in touch with now”, so he doesn’t feel any need to open the door to more social contact.

Those who join social media groups may include almost everyone, but over 80% of those who sign up NEVER actively use their membership. Those who do are a tiny minority of the online population, real pioneers in the use of the Internet.

People join a social media networks for personal reasons, a good friend, a child or an important business contact gives you a reason to sign up. Regular use of the network after that depends partly on what happens next, but mostly on what’s driving YOU. If you are passive, if you wait for something or somebody else to motivate you, the outcome will be insignificant.

A lesson I learned 12 years ago is important here. In 1996 I met a group of brain injured people who were very active online. They taught me how to use IRC, and quite a lot about how to build web sites. They were running a daily IRC chat, building web sites, and offering support to brain injury victims and their families worldwide. What they were doing to communicate effectively then was far in advance of what any business or government department is doing even now. Why? Because they were DRIVEN by their own internal needs to communicate.

Most of us are not driven in that way. So we are less inclined to be proactive in the development of our online contacts.

John, Jacqui, thanks so much for your thoughts!

Jacqui, I agree heartily about the need for balance. I just had a very offline weekend – and then had to Twitter about it today! Having a good balance helps you appreciate both aspects of my life.

But more than that, I find that social media enriches my existing relationships, which otherwise may be fairly fleeting as I’m not a big socialiser or power luncher about town. It also helps make me (theoretically, anyway) more approachable, findable in many different places.

Brilliant quote – “In a high technology age, you actually want easy entertainment.”

I don’t subscribe to the idea that social media and traditional media are really that far apart. That said, could the quote imply the following:

Mainstream media=passive and brain dead
Social media=engaged and brain active

That’s how I see it, Ron. Not so much that mainstream media = brain dead but definitely passive. It doesn’t require much from me, which is just great after a day of interacting with people.