Social Media is about spreading the word through a grapevine of kinship. It's about building a tribe of common cause. It's about creating identity - a sense of belonging. It's about uniting values for continual reform. The following proposal was presented to the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) staff and members of the Whistler2020 Team in 2009. It's mission was help the community to embrace social media and multiple languages online.
Content Quick Links: Growing 3x faster than anything else has ever grown online before (including email), social media is having a profound effect on the way that people live their lives - and even the entire make-up of our globe.
Executive Summary The more effective our communication, the faster will be our journey towards a united prosperity - achieving a sustainable world.
Enabling the viral spread of grassroots ideas, Social Media is fast becoming the most powerful communications tool of today. Without inclusion of a strategy for its embrace, creating a model for sustainability will never be complete.  Go Back
Our Changing World Social Media is growing at at a speed never encountered before - and it's only just begun.
- The World is embracing the power of online technology and grassroots ideas.
- We live in a time for community-enriching solutions that proliferate sustainable growth.
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It's 2-Way: the right way Social media is any content online, which allows the viewer to interact. It's a 2-way conversation - nothing more, nothing less. Whereas traditional media (both on and offline) and traditional advertising were only one-way, social media empowers communication in a far more meaningful way. - 'Blogs' are only one aspect of social media - they generally refer to articles, which invite people to comment.
- Project management tools, online surveys, group messaging, rating systems, forums, private chat rooms, are a few examples of other 'social media/Web 2.0/3.0 tools.
Social Media Terminology: Quick Links to Common Terms
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How society reached this point Over the last 100-150 years - socially, economically and environmentally, the earth has taken quite a hit: -
Industrial revolution -
Inequality/imbalance of power -
Rapid rise of technology -
Finite global resources -
Lack of awareness -
The development of science and technology over a relatively short blip in time has affected mankind in unprecedented ways. In its beginnings, the birth of Information Technology (IT/Computers) arguably did more damage than good. Increasing access to and promotion of information, the Technology Revolution meant that business with the initiative and ability to afford jumping on the bandwagon greatly benefitted by doing so. Now able to gather, store and analyse data for more effectively, they were much better equipped to cater towards demand and supply (consider the impact IT had on the Steel Industry for example). Although saving resources and improving service, the new-found competitive edge increased the wealth gap. Corporate enterprise was on the rise, robust local economies declined. Larger business had greater marketing power. Those with access to power had greater influence on the way information was exchanged. The puppeteers of traditional one-way marketing focused on increasing bottom lines and gaining political advantage. Manipulating societies perception (and so demand), most corporations negated real needs. Dependency and increased demand on depleting natural resources turned them into political bargaining tools giving rise to conflict and furthering imbalance in power. This has hastened their extortion - extortion we can no longer afford to make. Go Back
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New media is taking the world by storm, because it speeds up the flow of ideas and information in ways not achievable before. -
Our ability to converse, engage, communicate and collaborate has never been more accessible or effective.  The age of Information Technology (computers) has been significant for two key reasons: -
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Expensive in its beginnings, business who could afford to employ technology became better equipped to serve demand and supply (thus saving resources and improving service) so significantly increasing their bottom line (as observed through the success of the steel industry). Increasing the efficacy of how we use technology, developments in the software industry further enabled businesses to cut costs and gain competitive edge. As costs in both hardware and software reduced, more and more businesses could get involved. The 'dot com' boom took off. Societies ability to benefit from developments in technology created a temporary saturation point. Until relatively recently, most of media and online communication was ONE-WAY. This: -
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Limited our ability to identify real needs As a result global awareness over current affairs has been warped and resources have been exploited beyond our means (consider the current state of the economy). Something had to change. Social media is enabling that change. It's making online communication a 2-WAY gig. The consumer of information has become the supplier as well. Individual perspectives and ideas have entered the mix. Go Back
Social Media is about spreading the word through a grapevine of kinship. It's about building a tribe of common cause. It's about creating identity - a sense of belonging. It's about uniting values for continual reform.  1. Synchronicity & Loyalty People can watch what they want when they want it, and group themselves according to whatever shared interest they feel most strongly. It's about choice. 2. Free Opportunity & Selectivity Everyone who has access to the tools, has the power to get themselves heard. Online videos and podcasts mean news and information is no longer restricted to print. Whereas traditional media was controlled by the few, the rise of Citizen Journalism is: - Diversifying news and information available (increased choice of content)
- Enabling faster capture and distribution of news ('at the scene' Citizens get there first, can instantly post content then use online tools to promote)
- Providing a more trusted source of news * ('free for all' - reduction in political and bureaucratic control)
- Identifying new preferences in viewing experience ( grassroots media reflecting peoples sense of identity & belonging is hugely popular - see 'An anthropological introduction to YouTube' )
- Helping to connect governments, business & citizens (by identifying and promoting the need for Community Media )
The increasingly accessible world of online media gives new emerging business powerful opportunity to get into the marketplace - it is a time of global reform. 3. Accessibility & Environment New developments in technology, reductions in the cost of hardware & software, availability open source software and the viral spread of content (ideas and information), is making the internet more accessible to all. As previously unreachable communities begin to get online, global distribution is rapidly changing too. The need to 'get green' (online media is 100% recyclable) provides even more reason to get online. 4. Power of 2-Way By giving ordinary individuals a voice and the ability to assert their values and influence issues directly affecting their lives, people want to engage. The resultant increased flow of authentic, grassroots communication helps to drive accountability and promote real needs. Unlike traditional media, social media allows information to flow both ways: -
Encourages the flow of authentic communication -
Helps to create accountable markets based on real needs Social media breaks down traditional boundaries of bureaucracy so enabling the open sharing of information and grassroots ideas.
5. Friends Connect with Friends! People do not market to friends in the same way they do to strangers. Friends (good friends...) treat one another with authenticity, with respect and a genuine intent to share for mutual reward. Makes sense, then - that we'll listen to messages delivered from friends in a much more open way than we'd attend to the voice of someone we do not even know. This is why Social Media is taking the world by storm. Real people, real values, real needs. Social Media is about spreading the word through a grapevine of kinship. It's about building a tribe of common cause. It's about creating identity - a sense of belonging. It's about uniting values for continual reform. 6. What about Quality of Content? The quality of online/interative media has been an important subject of recent debate. It should be noted that tools such as online rating systems (for authors as well as content), content sharing and authentication processes, as well as content recommendation sites (such as digg.com ) provide increasingly effective solutions directly addressing these concerns. As more and more people become familiar with using these tools, finding trusted & desirable sources of online content will soon be easy for all to do. Go Back
Who's Engaging? Sites where people stay longest are the ones that allow them to interact, consume or connect to powerful streams of information that's relevant to them. In other words, sites which embrace social media are where people spend their time. General Facts - More than 43% online traffic comes from Asia.
- More and more sites are becoming community based (where interaction is strongest - assertion of viral spread).
- Time spent on social network sites is expanding. Across the globe in 2008 activity in Member Communities accounted for one in every 15 online minutes - now it accounts for one in every 11. In Brazil the average is one of every four minutes and in UK it is one in every six minutes.
Older Net users giving youngsters a run for their money - Between 2006 and 2008, the largest increase in Internet use coming from the 70 to 75-year-old age group (generation G.I.).
- e-mail is rapidly losing its teenage audience to newer communication methods like social networking and blogging.
- Last year, the biggest increase in traffic to Social Media sites came from 35-49 year age group.
Age Composition on Facebook - Last year, Facebook added almost TWICE as many 50-64 (+13.6m) than under 18 (+7.3m)
- If present trends on Facebook participants in the UK continue, by mid-June there will be as many 35-49 yr olds as 18-34!
- Facebook began as a site targeted at university students. These statistics are illustrative over the fact that social media is now a vehicle for targeting ALL demographic groups.
- The reason older people are getting in is because this is the future of marketing (see Slide 8: The Changing World of Advertising)
 Pew Internet and American Life Project. (arstechnica.com) Go Back
Global Online Shifts With less than 30% of online users speaking English as their first language, to maximise online marketing potential, businesses and organisations must promote themselves in more than their native tongue.  Analysis of the latest trends Global Demographics: language and location - English is now a minority on the Internet: increases in online accessibility and changes in global politics, such as the EU and emerging financial power of countries such as the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and and China) are rapidly changing who is online, where they travel and where they live.
- English content on the web represents less than 29%.
- If your content is in English only, you are reaching less than 1 out of 3 potential clients since more than 95% of these markets are searching for online content in their own language.
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Global Access & Use 
 - The Internet is now more accessible to more people all over the world.
- Interactive participation is increasing the number of people creating content online.
- As a result, whereas most users used to be from western, english-speaking nations - other more impoverished/war-striken areas are quickly catching up.
- The Internet is therefore becoming far more multicultural. Online access, know-how and ease of use make the Internet increasingly global.
- Considering that the Internet is now the Worlds leading marketing tool, the ramifications of this global shift are nothing short of huge!
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Global Internet Access  SOURCE: linux.com - Many regions of the world still have very restricted connectivity to the Internet - if any at all.
- However, new technologies being developed are changing all this making it possible to provide Internet access to the most remote locations in the world.
- All indications lead to suggest that the global shifts seen in recent years will continue to expand at an ever-accelerating rate.
Example of developments in technology making the Internet more accessible to more people: GNUveau Networks builds solar-powered Linux computer networks for remote villages Bringing computers and the Internet to places that have no connectivity, no phone service, and no electricity.
This is no pipe dream. There are real SolarNetOne installations running in Africa right now, providing wireless connectivity and "Internet Cafe" access to hundreds of people. - linux.com  Go Back
The Changing World of Advertising Four newspaper companies have sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in recent months. The future of online advertising lies in the content itelf.  Here's our take as to why newspapers are soon to become a thing of the past - and what this means when it comes to the future of advertising. 1. Why Newspapers are a dying breed - Since the advent of online media, more and more people are looking to this as a way of accessing news and information.
- As online media becomes increasingly interactive and more effective at delivering content content specific to individual wants and needs (empowered in part by RSS and online search tools, e.g. tagwords ), its development and use is set to increase - as will the speed at which traditional media is moving out of sight.
- Declining numbers of newspapers and increased awareness of what is available online adds fuel to this trend.
2. The Future of Advertising Although it is clear that (along with the market consumers) advertising revenues are migrating online, the trillion dollar question over how these revenues will be distributed online is yet to be resolved.
- Online ads are often seen as obtrusive to the user experience - or ineffective to the marketeer (online content formats make ad placement a complex task).
- Free (or OpenSource ) software and reduced bandwidth costs make it difficult for upcoming software business to kick-start revenues. Even the most popular of sites such as Facebook and Twitter are yet to generate effective revenue streams
- Established online models are yet to address community needs of the local advertiser and lack transparency in tracking results.
 The future of online advertising lies in the content itself! - The advent of user interactivity is enabling people to directly market and promote themselves without the need for 'traditional' online ads.
- Increasing focus on sorting online media by community means online media has the power to be more targeted than any form of advertising has ever been before!
- Because popular sites are the ones which enable others to openly interact, online content will be held accountable by the users taking part.
- Whereas ability to market your business has traditionally been closely linked to your ability to afford, shifts in media is making your power of marketing a direct reflection on how good you actually are (business accountability and initiative to use online tools).
"The significant downturn in the print advertising environment that has affected newspapers across the country has continued to severely impact us," said Jeremy Halbreich, chairman and interim chief executive of the Sun-Times Media Group... At least 120 newspapers in the United States have shut down since January 2008, according to Paper Cuts, a Web site tracking the newspaper industry. More than 21,000 jobs at 67 newspapers have vaporized in that time, according to the site. Go Back
In just a couple of weeks prior to writing this, the number of followers on twitter was growing like crazy! This is the power of viral marketing at work.   If you're not yet a follower, GO THERE TODAY - send a quick tweet! Twitter is a social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other users' updates known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length. Updates are displayed on the user's profile page and delivered to other users who have signed up to receive them. READ MORE... - Wikipedia The strongest brand messages are generally delivered in just a few words. Get the user by-in, then provide a link for them to find out more. Be original - think smart, be smart. Go Back
Where's the Industry Heading? At The Citizens Media , we're spent the best part of 3 years researching, deliberating and getting creative over where the powerful world of Interactive Media may lead. (and thankfully are not alone - there's a lot to be done). Watch out for our launch in Feb. 2010!
 There's a lot out there at the moment - just like anything new, can be a little overwhelming trying to figure it out. However, online media is not about to go away (technology won't look back) - so if you want to stay ahead, you need to get involved - before it's too late. The good news is it's continually getting easier to do so. Here's why:
- OPEN SOURCE: We're a collaborative lot - developers are sharing both ideas and their code. This way things more faster and we can each create our own little niche.
- OPEN INTERFACE: Software tools like The Citizens Media are generally designed to be open. This allows external developers to offer additional tools and applications, which can then be added on. The result is a better service to you - the client .
- OPEN USER IDS: Fed up of creating a thousand different user accounts - then forgetting which password you used? You'll be pleased to know you won't have to for long. Applications are being developed that enable single logins to work on multiple accounts .
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SIMPLIFICATION & COST: We're a simple lot at heart and want to make life as easy as possible for all. Software tools are continually getting more affordable and a breeze to use. Developments such as content streaming are also on the rise, which enable users to promote content on multiple sites with increasing ease. -
WEB BUILD TOOLS: Web-build tools are designed to make it easy for you to create your own interactive website (or network thereof). Done the right way, they're a GREAT way for you to save time when managing an interactive online environment. Providing this service, at the same time as helping locals to generate revenues in an open and authentic way is what The Citizens Media® is all about. Go Back
Whereas in the past technology has been critisised for stopping people truly connecting at the local level - the advent of Social Media has changed all that - and fast! More and more applications are being specifically design with community in mind. Connecting participation through community empowers both business and individuals: - Promotes sharing of resources and information between communities.
- Increased levels of grassroots communication breaks down social and cultural barriers.
- Helping local business to promote themselves beyond the gateways of their home community
- Enables larger scale business to reconnect with where it matters most.
Never before has our ability to connect & engage at the local level greater than it is today! 'Community media is an important component of the larger picture of media transformation and media democracy at the global level. The viability of community media rests on engaging with governments and organizations at all levels in an effort to ensure that platforms are secured by which forms of media outside of the mainstream can exist and function. From this perspective, community media has an inherent link to policy and the state.' - Wikipedia Go Back
Get Mobile!   When selecting which tools you want to work with in creating your online presence, make sure it's developing applications specific for mobile use. People don't want to be stuck at their machines all day (myself included!). Being able to access information when you're on the go is proving extremely popular already (and it's only just begun). Check out this study to find out more: NEILSON REPORT
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Tripling the Bottom Line (Journey to a Sustainable World) The world can no longer afford to exploit its resources. Society must now empower authentic, accountable economies that maximise what we have.
- We need innovative solutions able to significantly impact change - economically, socially and environmentally.
 Resolution in the C's Tripling the bottom line means waking up to the notion that the fundamental elements of our world - ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMY, SOCIETY operate as one. Like a finely balanced equation, you cannot change one without having an impact on all three. Therefore, for a sustainable future, whichever element we are focused on at any given time, we must consider the influence our initiative has on each. This can be enabled through empowerment of the C's: - Community
- Collaboration
- Communication
Environment The greatest pressures on our environment concern our dependancy on finite resources and population growth. We need to: - Discover and take action on new ways of both sourcing and reducing our energy needs.
- Reduce population growth .
Reducing Population Growth Whereas reduced birth rates in many developed nations have led to population decline - lack of education, deprivation of women's rights and political unrest within impoverished and war torn nations has lead to increased birth rates so deepening of wealth divides. By increasing access to knowledge and information in deprived communities, they will be better equipped to empower themselves - to get informed and able to establish sustainable economies of their own, so enabling society to create greater balance in prosperity and power. Population growth will begin to slow down and the subsequent pressure on the earth's resources will be reduced. We live in a time of great change. As more and more people in privileged communities awaken to the need of global community empowerment, an increasing number of grassroot initiatives designed to make it happen are springing to life. Local examples include Bicycles for Humanity and Playground Builders (click on the links to find out more).   We need to work together (collaboration) in doing all we can to ensure deprived communities can begin creating local economies of their own (community). To enable community empowerment, gathering awareness and having a means to learn is essential. Access to information is key (communication). Interactive online media needs to be made available to these communities, as this will provide both the information they need and the ability to market themselves beyond the confines of their local environments. Think New. Think Forward. Generating Grassroot Ideas Social Media breaks down traditional boundaries of bureaucracy so enabling the open sharing of information and grassroots ideas. By giving ordinary individuals a voice and the ability to assert their values and influence issues directly affecting their lives, people want to engage. The resultant increased flow of authentic, grassroots communication helps to drive accountability and promote real needs. Economy Social media is a powerful way to grow and engage your audience. By embracing Social media, business can make better use of their resources - so increasing their chance of success. - Reduced consultancy expenses: identifying the way forward, research and costs time and getting information for your business means time & money. Interactive media encourages people to openly share information online. Why duplicate what has been done?
- Free market research: inviting open interaction acts as free marketing for business - free flowing information identifying real needs.
- Empowering brand: Social conscience
Society Social Media serves politicians can better identify how to be accountable to the people they serve. Go Back
Conclusion It's time for us all to connect - for we all have a stake in one another's success. By embracing equal opportunity to access information and express ideas, authenticity in the way we share and community, the future needn't be so bleak! Go Back
Quick Links: few more...
MyID all about Open ID's - universal logins. Afrigadget.com Solving everyday problems with African ingenuity Acumen Fund Acumen Fund is a non-profit global venture fund that uses entrepreneurial approaches to solve the problems of global poverty. Local's Journal Tom Horler in Beijing!
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