About Icon Contact Icon Social Icon

Why Social Media Matters – the Class

written on October 6th, 2009 by Zach Braiker

Join the conversation on our PageJoin the conversation on our Page

I’m teaching a course at Emerson College called “Social Media and Marketing.” Unofficially, I’ve titled it “Why Social Media Matters.” I’ve asked 20 industry experts to share with me the most challenging questions they are asked on a regular basis about social media. Their answers shaped our curriculum. Each week the class explores one of the question. Five companies are involved with the class: Cisco, Doink, 8Minute Dating, Zappos and Nokia. Students are working on their real business challenges involving social media.

In the first class, we discussed the meaning of social media, based on its application and various definitions. There is considerable debate on what social media is.
Prior to the class, I asked several prominent bloggers for their definition, many of whom referred me to the Wikipedia definition.
While that’s a good place to start, we shared many other insightful resources:

1. Video: Social Media Revolution
Statistics are persuasive; I wish the sources were cited more fully in this video.

2. Presentation: IAB social media metrics definitions
The Interactive Advertising Bureau offers many concentrated key performance indicators helpful in planning and measuring a social media campaign.


3. TED Talk video: Howard Rheingold
An early and important contribution to defining social media, before the phrase even existed.

4. TED Talk video: Seth Godin on Tribes
An essential framework for brands using social media.

5. Video: Chris Brogan “Don’t be that Guy”
An important reminder of how not to market in social networks.

6. Blog post: Jeremiah Owyang – 50 ways to use social media

7. Blog post: What is Social Media? 23 Definitions

How do you define social media? Why does it matter to you? Share your story on our Facebook Page.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • Twitter
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • Google Bookmarks
  • StumbleUpon

Related posts:

  1. Have you met Tuesdays Join the c
  2. Slideshare: Social Media Perfection, Social Media ROI I have bee
  3. Social Media & Sales How do bu
  4. Boston Social Media Thoughts It’s been
  5. What Social Media can Learn from Pink Triangles When I ser

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

No Comments »

No comments yet.

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL

Leave a comment

Zach Braiker

This blog analyzes where social media culture and business converge. Zach Braiker is the CEO of Refine & Focus a social media agency and an adjunct professor of social media at Emerson College.

Twitter Icon Facebook Icon LinkedIn Icon Flickr Icon
Tweet Image Video Image Photo Image Article Image

Please upgrade your Flash Player

Please update your flash play by visiting the following link

Download the Adobe (Formerly Macromedia) Flash Player