subject: What Is Social Media?, Pt III [print this page] So far we have covered the basics of social media in parts II & I.
My definition of a community is one where people who have a similar interest or similar goals meet, interact, and communicate. If the community is online nothing changes except the medium, not the activity.
According to Wikipedia social media are primarily Internet- and mobile-based tools for sharing and discussing information among human beings. The term most often refers to activities that integrate technology, telecommunications and social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio. This interaction, and the manner in which information is presented, depends on the varied perspectives and "building" of shared meaning among communities, as people share their stories and experiences.
Types of Communities
Corporate Intranets and Extranets
Large corporations spend a lot of money on intranet applications that no else ever sees. However they tend to be large, complex, and full of information for employees as they are principally designed to enable employees to find, use, and share documents and web pages. While the casual visitor will not be able to access a company intranet, extranets are networks that connect companies with customers and partners. Extranets require more security and technical consideration because they have to send private information securely over public networks.
Virtual Reality
Companies establish marketing presences in virtual worlds. Virtual reality marketing is the combination of interactive marketing and virtual reality. With virtual reality you can simulate complex environments, markets, decisions, and answers, without leaving your computer desktop. Virtual reality is not true reality, but it is the next best thing.
Events
Calendaring applications used by multiple people to schedule everything from a sporting event to a company function. They may be one time or on going. One very popular event calendaring tool isGoogle Calendar. I have borrowed a description directly from Google.
Seeing the big picture
With Google Calendar, you can see your friends' and family's schedules right next to your own; quickly add events mentioned in Gmail conversations or saved in other calendar applications; and add other interesting events that you find online.
Sharing events and calendars
You decide who can see your calendar and which details they can view. Planning an event? You can create invitations, send reminders and keep track of RSVPs right inside Google Calendar. Organizations can promote events, too.
Staying on schedule
You can set up automatic event reminders, including mobile phone notifications, and instantly bring up anything on your calendar with the built-in search tool.
News Aggregation
Not community specific but communities do tag these services. Primarily these sites are both tie to the press and will allow public contribution.
Social Bookmarking
People can save their bookmarks for viewing by web visitors. It is a method for Internet users to store, organize, search, and manage bookmarks of web pages on the online. It is becoming a more community focused arena everyday. For instance, I bookmark my websites and blogs onDelicious which allows me to find my favorite sites in one spot no matter where I may be in the world.
Online Gaming
People who are fans of console psp, xbox, ps3, mac gamers, pc gamers, etc. are all considered online gamers. Essentially an online game is one played over some form of computer network. At the present, this almost always means the Internet. Sports related game interests also fall under this heading.
MMOG multi mass online games Multi player scenarios built around specific games.
There are others but these are the main ones however search away for others.
