If social media has become a four-letter word in your world, and you feel like you’re missing out on something ‘big’ but you don’t quite know what it is, join the club. The internet has a lot of people feeling like drowning ants in an Olympic-sized swimming pool, but there is hope! Let Siyathetha Communications be your ‘swimming coach’ over the next few weeks. We will be putting together some articles on Social Media 101 – how you can get your business out there and into the online marketplace.
Let’s start with the beginning of instantaneous, modern, mass communication (before the radio people pretty much just relied on a public soap box and the rumor mill.) Yes, there were newspapers, but you had to wait until it arrived on your doorstep to read about what happened yesterday.
In 1916, the first radios with tuners were invented, marking the beginning of the evolution of instantaneous mass communication. People no longer had to wait for the morning newspaper, they could tune in to regular news broadcasts on their ‘wirelesses’.
The invention of the Television in 1923 brought the wonder of visual communication into the public’s living rooms.
For nearly 60 years, we were content to receive our information via the radio, TV and printed newspapers or magazines. However, since the mid 90’s, the development of the internet has created a landslide of instantaneous mass-communication opportunities.
In the world of business or pleasure, information is power.
In the big wide world of the internet, blogs, email, instant messaging, VoIP and social media, businesses need to ensure that their own message isn’t overwhelmed by the flood of information that is produced on a daily basis.
So where do you start? How do you figure out what your business needs to focus on and where to invest your time and energy when it comes to online communication?
First, take a deep breath.
Now make a decision.
Facing your fear of the internet starts with the understanding that it is a man-made invention. It is an incredible tool that you can use to broadcast your business’ message to millions worldwide. So how are you using the internet? What is your message to the world?