Social Media: Building a COMmunity

When you think of the term “community,” what is the first thing that comes to mind?  Your neighborhood?  Religious affiliation?  Group of friends?  The truth is that community is a broad term that means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.  “Community” covers a lot of ground. Webster defines community as, “a unified body of individuals.”  So yes, community can be sports team, a workforce or a city’s population.  But the term community has taken on a whole new meaning in the past few years.  Why?  A little thing called ‘social media.’

Social media has completely transformed the way we think about communities.  We can connect, reconnect and develop relationships with people all over the world because of our similar interests.  By simply clicking “LIKE” on a Facebook page or following someone on Twitter, you are becoming part of a community and can interact with others with interests similar to your own.  And the amazing part – you may never even meet other community members in person.  But does a bond still exist?  Definitely.

This is why we stress social media with our clients so much.  When an organization is NOT involved in social media like Facebook and Twitter, there is a real lack of connection beyond their walls. By involving yourself or your organization in social media, your community can grow exponentially and limitlessly, which we have experienced with several of our clients!  Social media allows you to connect with others who you would never find otherwise.    If you have not yet embraced the wonders of a “COMmunity, you’re missing the boat.  Social media is here to stay and it can be a very powerful and effective tool.