Participation & Collaboration IS 2.0

I hear a lot about the technical aspects of upgrading an individual or an organization to a 2.0 level/state, etc. There are lots of features on social media tools, and how to use them for business purposes to strengthen a brand, etc. 

We are beginning to see more and more ads in main social networks and this trend does not show any signs of losing steam. What I fear is that a couple years ago we had intranets of a private nature, now social media is generally open to the public, and if the marketing aspect becomes too strong, perhaps individuals and organizations will go back to private networks and isolate their information stream from the general public in order to cut themselves from the "spamming", i.e. automation of "user-generated" content. 

That will be a blow to the internet in its inherent nature: transparent and free. But some would say the the Web is becoming more and more like TV: more ads & control, less freedom.

What I would like to see is the focus remaining on what seems like the most important aspects of social media: participation & collaboration. The interactive nature of social networks is best when genuine; let's not spoil that through automated content-generation processes and programmed functions. Or can it be done while keeping control over content quality? Interesting topic...

Relations online = Relations offline (Not true)

Online relations are different from offline relations. Most of the time your relation begins online yet you have never met that person face to face. Online relations have a direct link with your capacity to communicate online and to put the right words on your emotions. When you communicate online and the purpose of your communication is to nurture a relation just stop and think before you write. Think about what you want, what you feel and the nature of your online relation. Think that words are eternal and will travel online at the speed of light. Think that maybe you will never meet that person offline but yet you need to feel that strong connection and that powerful interaction. FEEL online.

Managing Human Capital in the 2.0 Era

Managing Human Capital in the 2.0 Era

This is a great presentation about how 2.0 practices can transform your organization and make it sustainable in the current, 2.0 context.

Even in 2012, many businesses seem to forget that the social business in about the people not about the products. Human capital needs to understand what is a social business before you become a social business because chances are they won't follow the change. And what happens then? Well, your business can and will fail, after investing thousands of dollars to become a ''social business''. Saying that social business is business as usual is wrong. Social business asks for organizational change. Changing the patterns of doing business, of managing your people and the way your are treating your partners and customers. 

For more details on social business you can read this great article by Haydn Shaughnessy (Forbes) :

Why Social Business Will Fail (And How to Save It) http://www.forbes.com/sites/haydnshaughnessy/2012/03/02/why-social-business-will-fail-and-how-to-save-it/ 

Analysis of Social Media Policies: Lessons and Best Practices

Analysis of Social Media Policies: Lessons and Best Practices

Image source: http://www.autorevo.com/search-engine-optimization/social-media-management

Even though this piece was written in Dec 2009 by Chris Boudreaux it still is a much interesting theme: how to empower staff to use social media and participate to online business growth while exercising some sort of governance over this empowerment-based global process. At least that's how we felt the document was particularly significant but we let you be the judge!

Social Media Governance : http://socialmediagovernance.com/downloads/Social-Media-Policy-Analysis.pdf

Best social business practices need to be clear enough for people to follow them, to participate and to engage actively online and at the same time should be able to regulate online communications in order to assure that the business' image and reputation is not harmed.

Google Plus: how to use it

Here is a great infographic by Chris Brogan that could be used as a basic training tool in how to use G+.

In fact it could be useful for tips on how to use social media accounts in general!

gplusinfographic

Chris Brogan brings humans and relations as a core social business value. It is not easy to make a living by telling businesses that they should stop putting their products before the people that work from them or the consumers that buy those products. We need more people that value the human experience in businesses and ask companies to C-A-R-E about people. That is what social business is ALL about. A network of people working together, connecting and interacting for a better tomorrow. 

Social media as marketing tools

SOME NICE TIPS: USING SOCIAL MEDIA AS MARKETING TOOLS

The autor suggests that if your current online presence and its center of command - your business website - is lacking in quality, using social media accounts to beef up your online leadership could help you but it won't save you.

4 Things Someone Needs to Tell You - Social Media Marketing

eRelations website: erelations.info

erelations.info

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