What Is Marketing and Social Media To You?

Hi all,

Well today I'm about to start a topic that I'm sure may open up a big can of worms sort of speak? It has to do with marketing and social media? Lately as I'm acquiring more and more followers on twitter I'm noticing a steady trend of people describing themselves in their bios as "marketing experts" and "social media experts". Now to tell the truth I'm still kind of fuzzy on exactly what marketing and social media "really" means? I have not gone to school and taken any kind of marketing or social media classes, so you can call me an ignoramous about the subjects although I do have a couple of associate degrees in word processing and office tech from back in the day? I have an "idea" what they are but it seems that everyone has a slightly different definition themselves? I guess it depends on what they are trying to sell?

My understanding of marketing first comes from the wiki definition of marketing :

Marketing is defined by the American Marketing Association as the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. [1] The term developed from the original meaning which referred literally to going to market, as in shopping, or going to a market to sell goods or services.

Marketing practice tends to be seen as a creative industry, which includes advertising, distribution and selling. It is also concerned with anticipating the customers' future needs and wants, which are often discovered through market research.

Marketing is influenced by many of the social sciences, particularly psychology, sociology, and economics. Anthropology is also a small, but growing influence. Market research underpins these activities. Through advertising, it is also related to many of the creative arts. The marketing literature is also infamous for re-inventing itself and its vocabulary according to the times and the culture.

Now, from this definition I get that marketing(in may laymens terms) is the selling "of a way" to sell a product or service to the public? Kind of like a person behind the success of someone else? Or in other words, like an agent or manager is to an actor, a secretary is to a boss, a wife behind a successful husband, or husband behind a succesful wife? This is my basic understanding of what marketing is but I could be all wrong?

As for being a "social media expert" as I noticed some of my followers describe themselves? That is a totally different kind of *cough* "important title"? The wiki definition of social media is:

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. Businesses also refer to social media as user-generated content (UGC) or consumer-generated media (CGM).

Now my laymens understanding of social media is basically that you like to talk to people through internet and mobile devices (period). That's not to say that what you talk about is not of importance? The subjects of which you talk about can help you gain new friends, a job, gather information, discover new places, hire someone for your business, and just keep you from being lonely, etc.

So, I guess someone who claims to be a social media expert means that they talk using these means a lot. As for me I guess I'm a social media expert wannabe. Right now, I'm mainly just a twitaholic since that and facebook are about the only social media tools I'm using on the internet right now. I don't even own an iphone or mobile device at the moment; a sad feeling just came over me:(, so I'm stuck doing my social media interactions at home.

Sooo! My question to you is:



Now please, please, please, if you wish to leave a comment about this blog, please DO NOT leave an advertisement for one of your marketing products. I'm only interested in hearing your opinions about what marketing and social media is to you. Do you use it for business or socializing? Any discussion is welcome other than self promoting yourself or business. Thank you.