This document summarizes key aspects of social media including common technologies, trends, and how organizations can embrace social media. It discusses blogs, podcasting, social bookmarking, social networks, video sharing, wikis, and how RSS feeds and readers allow users to aggregate information from these various sources. Emerging trends include microblogging, social search, mobile integration, and the importance of online reputation. The document provides examples of how government agencies can effectively engage with social media and emphasizes the importance of listening to existing online conversations.
5. Blogs Short for weblog is an online publishing engine and journal. - Business, academic, government and personal - 200 million+ blogs - 120,000 new blogs created today - 1.5 million blog posts today - Adult blog usage grew 163% in 2007 Blogger.com Wordpress.org Livejournal.com
6. Podcasting - University lectures - PR Releases - Press conferences - News Updates automatically for users Allows for users to listen to what they want when they want. iTunes.com
7. Social Bookmarking Allows users to share links, information snippets, articles and resources - Recommendations - Comments - Ratings - Tagging for clustering and searching Del.icio.us Digg.com Stumbleupon.com
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9. Social Networks Web sites that bring together users based on interests, friends, etc. - Share - Communicate - Find Facebook.com MySpace.com LinkedIn.com
10. Video Create, upload and share videos online - No bandwidth issues - Comments - Ratings - Embed on other web sites YouTube.com Hulu.com
11. Wiki’s Web sites that allow users to collaborate and edit online - Project management - Version control - Total transparency - Everyone is responsible not one person Wikipedia.org Wikispaces.com Wiki.org
13. RSS Really Simple Syndication - Pushes content to users’ readers - Automatically updates - Allows users to get all their information in one place - Puts the user in control of their information Feedburner.com Friendfiend.com
16. Key Trends - Microblogs - Fragmentation - Social search - Online reputation - Mobile integration
17. Micro-blogging - Short text updates - Using computer or mobile phone - Users can gain “followers” Share information easily and quickly Gaining market share Twitter.com
34. Final thoughts on embracing social media Start out by listening The conversations are going to take place with or without you. Embrace the possibilities! Everyone has the opportunity for their voice to be heard.