As marketers, we all love a bit of hype and are specialists in repackaging things that are not necessarily new (and hopefully make lots of money out of it).

For instance – in my opinion – the most overrated web 2.0 word thrown around these days is Social Media.

At the core of it, social media is used to describe a platform through which a conversation between two or more people take place. Whether it happens on Facebook, Linkedin or at a supermarket isle, they are essentially the same thing: people discussing, interacting and exchanging information on things and interests they have in common.

As far as I am aware, this conversation thing has been happening for a few million (or is it billion?) years at least, so can someone please tell me when did that become media?

Back to my first paragraph, maybe it’s because no one could make a buck by becoming a Conversation Specialist, but all of sudden people are prepared to pay for advice from a so-called Social Media Strategist?

Yes social media platforms play a very important role in helping brands listen to, engage with and influence consumer behaviour, but the way some of the experts go about it is a bit predatory and opportunistic.

People have always talked and will continue to talk about brands they love or hate. Yes they are more connected than ever now so their voices can become louder and reach further, but please oh please stop making it sound like it’s something complex and out of this world.

Social media is not rocket science, no matter how high or low tech is the platform you’re using. Social media is a lot of common sense, along with full transparency of who you are and why is it that you’re interested in joining the conversation.

Disagree? I am always happy to be proven wrong!

Get the ball rolling and let me know what you think about it…