Constant Forums of Learning

In chapters 3-6 of Engage, Brian Solis introduces the concept that "We are forever students of new media" to reinforce that we have to constantly be open to and realize that social media is going to be constantly changing and evolving. In addition, that we need to be able to learn about and interact within multiple forums of media.

In chapter 3, Solis discusses how we need to pay careful attention to the definition of social media as well as words associated with it so that they do not get overused and thus lose their meaning. I had never given this much thought but it makes perfect sense that the frequency which people refer to social media with would allow for misinterpretations and overall mutation of what it and words and phrases associated mean. There are many instances of words changing in meaning because of frequent misuse and we need to be weary of this in terms of social media because it can lead to misunderstanding.

Chapters 4 and 5 introduce how we preside in a time of the "next Web" and the risks and implications. As I'm sure we're all aware, there are numerous examples of companies that have misused as well as successfully navigated the "next web" (blogs, podcasts, wikis, and virtual worlds). Solis gives an example of Southwest Airlines cleverly naming their blog "Nuts about Southwest". One implication may be viewed both positively and negatively; The fact that anyone and everyone has the opportunity to comment on company posts, podcasts, or wikis.

Lastly, chapter 6 discusses the dedication of social networks to multimedia, and the point that I found most interesting the social media press release (SMR). I put the term into the search bar on Google and multiple results about how to build a SMR came up. I found this interesting because as I have mentioned in previous posts social media is becoming incredibly interactive and instructive as well.

Engage thus far has served as a valuable resource because it presents social media in a way that encourages new and fresh ways of looking into it. I look forward to learning more!