"The Race" Continues

Lately the value of social media has gone up and every marketing company, advertising agency, application developer and their mom is trying to figure out a formula to monetize this medium. Facebook has recently seen the power of applications create nearly as much revenue as the site itself. I recently received an email from the Milwaukee Brewers to download their banner application for a chance to win prizes. This new trend of advertising, marketing, and engagement is developing exponentially. 

The social media community is scrambling to discover their right formula to monetize these sites and applications. There are many "pioneers" who claim they have found the secret, but it remains to see if longevity and consistency are possible. As a I browsed some posts from today I came across one that claimed the "hottest new app. for Twitter" so I visited the site. I came across a software application called Hummingbird. This creative tool boasted that it was the "best app" and is for the "big dogs." As I read through the details of the site I quickly realized how far from my reality of Twitter it was. 

I was introduced to Twitter by my sister who is a marketer in Chicago. She explained Twitter etiquette to me and I have used her advice. I have tried to develop actual connections with people by pursuing those with common interests, sharing my knowledge, connecting on a human level, listening to their views and opinions, connecting on a individual basis, and maintain my relationship with them. A site like this talks about doubling followers, becoming the most followed, and entering the "Twitter Elite." While all these things sound great and will probably boost sales or site hits; what about your connections, contacts, and friends? 

The site says "what is it worth to be able to time-warp past years of network building and become a Twitter Elite in a matter of days." In my opinion it is not worth the friends I have made, the people that I have meet face to face and shared our experiences, Tweeple that wish you good luck on finals despite the fact you have never met, or the friendly liquor store owner that tweets about how much time left until you cannot buy liquor in Milwaukee. I truly disagree with the statement that the more followers you have, the more credible and authoritative you are. You are credible when people see that there is an actual person and human connection with all of their followers. 

Social media is not about number of followers or becoming a "Big Dog," it is about having a meaningful, and personal presence in your networks. I hope that as we move forward and explore the possibilities of monetizing social media we remember what brought us here in the first place. Keep your identity!