This is the first post in a series that discusses the very basics of social media for photographers – what it is and how to get started.
What is social media? Social media is a new(ish) form of communication. It involves things like blogging, microblogging (Twitter), social networks such as Facebook, and other two-way interaction.
What Isn’t Social Media
Let’s look at some “old” forms of media:
- Television
- Radio
- Newspapers
- Bulk (snail) mail
All of these are mediums for spreading a message, but they are pretty much one-way affairs. You can’t provide feedback in realtime through a television set. Bulk mail hopefully drives people to other forms of interaction. Have you ever tried having a conversation with your paper boy about how you disagreed (or agreed) with an editorial? Have you ever talked back to a billboard? It’s not likely to be a productive event. I jokingly refer to these traditional delivery mechanisms as antisocial media.
Social media is a form of communication that not only allows one to spread a message but to receive rapid feedback and engage in a two-way conversation. For more details about the conversational aspect, see Social Media is about Conversation.
Why Photographers Should Care
You might be thinking that social media sounds fun. It’s probably a great way for the kids to hang out. Why should a professional (or hobbyist) photographer care? Photographers should care about social media because it’s a new way of networking. Social media can expose your work to new clients and reinforce existing client relationships. If you’re not participating in social media, you’re probably losing business to someone who is.
In the next post of our “basics” series, we’ll look at a variety of social media tools and discuss which make sense for photographers.
Photo by Avolore, used under Creative Commons licensing
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