People eventually find the best use for new technology, even if it's not the use that was originally envisioned.
I remember watching one of those "world of tomorrow" films from the 1950s. It triumphantly demonstrated a fully-automated nursery for babies. All of the carrying, rocking, and feeding of the babies was done, gently, by a complex series of machines.
At the time, they thought it was a great idea: no-touch, hygienic, controlled, standardized care. Now, of course, we know that it was worst idea ever. Children need the human touch for proper emotional development.
This is not to say that the mechanical engineering involved wasn't brilliant. It was. It just needed the right application.
Similarly with internet technology. As the internet matures, it is providing more sophisticated and more refined tools for sharing information as far as we choose. "Social media" may not actually be sociable. But the fact that any of us can now broadcast to everyone else in the world at very little cost or effort represents a revolution in information distribution. We will eventually figure out how to put these tools to their best use.
For example, one of the best uses of Twitter I've heard of is by a neighborhood produce stand and bake shop. They broadcast messages to their customers: "Just got a crate of ripe bing cherries, $2.99/lb." "Fresh baked peach pies, out of the oven at 3:00 this afternoon!"
It's not a social conversation, but it's a very useful way to transmit information.
I think it is true that a lot of companies use Twitter as just another channel for press releases but some of the more innovative ways are legitimately social. I added The Home Depot on Twitter and they have a few employees whose job it is to respond to tweets, blogs, etc about home improvement projects, complaints, and questions. That kind of customer interaction wasn't possible before social media and is a great way to increase customer loyalty by forming a relationship instead of just being a faceless corporation.
ReplyDeleteI wish that my world had a bake shop across the street that would tweet me that they have fresh baked pies! It seems in the right area/town, tweeting could be a great way to bring people together for social events.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Malcolm, thanks for mentioning about the Home Depot. I was going to blog about how Quiksilver is following my twitter account. And not only Quiksilver. I have competitors to Quiksilver also following my dynamic and riveting comments! It is another way to "spy" on what is going on with your competitors, I suppose.