Social Media is a Tool
Posted on 12 June, 2009 at 15:12 PM There are already 10 Comments

About the Show

In response to Money Web's rather badly thought our article about Social Media we point out that a little bit of research would have helped.

We also point out that the majority of us won't make money from Social Media but by using Social Media.

We also officially launch our Obox Signature Series Launch Diary and talk about our feature in the Mail & Guardian newspaper.

Links mentioned in the post:

I suppose the moral of the story is that us web people are a rather sensitive bunch!!

User Comments

Michael Savage 12 Jun, 2009 15:24:40 PM

Social Media isn't a revenue stream just like the telephone isn't a revenue stream. Agree with you guys fully!

liam 12 Jun, 2009 15:29:50 PM

Yeah, you guys are right. People expect too much for very little, you've got to work at making social media sites work for you, it's not as simple as just making a twitter account or signing up to facebook and expecting fans, viewers and money to roll in.

You guys are a perfect example of using social media to your advantage, and you've done well out of it without over-doing it.

Congrats on the feature in the newspaper, I can't imagine how cool that must feel. Good work guys!

Karen 12 Jun, 2009 15:55:11 PM

Congrats on the Mail and Guardian feature.

I couldn't agree more about social media. How can someone not see the value in Twitter or Facebook? It's free marketing and if used smartly, can really pay off. Look at Oboxperfect example.

kyle steed 12 Jun, 2009 16:08:37 PM

I really like how you put social media in perspective with the telephone. Too many people, including myself at times, want all these services to do things for us instead of us bending them to our needs. That's what I've really enjoyed about starting to video blog, is that I can record a video, write up a blog, post it on my website, then turn around and link it on twitter and facebook. The possibilities are only limited by our imagination.

Also, you guys being featured in that newspaper is freaking awesome. Even with the spelling errors and no URLs. Before long you guys are going to have your own tv spot. ;) Great work.

Max Stanworth 12 Jun, 2009 18:31:16 PM

Awesome stuff guys on getting featured / listed, i have no real opinion on social media as such, but... you get out what you put in and thats how i se it.

Excited about the video diary, David you looked stressed in the video lol

Marc Perel 12 Jun, 2009 18:59:12 PM

@Michael - "Revenue stream" that's the phrase I was looking for, but couldn't find...

I agree with Karen, Liam, Kyle and Max - What you put in is what you get out. The reason they are tools is because you have to make them work for you. A car doesn't drive itself - you have to make use of it by learning how it works (okay, some people drive for 50 years but still have no clue! but the same could be said for social media, on a smaller scale)

And yes Max, Dave was a small stress ball yesterday!

Finally, thanks guys, we're stoked to be in an actual physical item (the M&G) and not just listed in the digital world!

Aaron Irizarry 13 Jun, 2009 23:47:17 PM

Hey guys... great vid! I am actually speaking on this topic at a conference in July... this vid affirms what I have been thinking and prepping for the conference.

Thanks again for some more great content

~ Aaron I

Dave Jones 14 Jun, 2009 17:05:03 PM

I agree with you that social media is great, cheap, mass audience marketting tool - and that is how it should be judged. It's reach is a little skewed, but certainly if you have a presence in North America its use is a no-brainer.

There is, however, a problem - It is one thing for the users of these services to not make money from social media, it is an entirely different matter for the social media companies themselves.

To use your analogy, if AT&T, British Telecom and Telekom SA weren't making any money on phone calls I would be extremely worried if my business was telephone dependent. Companies that don't make any money don't tend to stay around for very long. Unless they are banks in the middle of a credit crunch, though that is another matter entirely.

For sure, use these social networks to enhance your marketting presence but in my opinion companies should invest in their own websites first and foremost by adding useful interactivity and incorporating content from social streams (twitter, flickr, facebook, etc) into your site.

Monique Vanek 14 Jun, 2009 19:06:04 PM

Hi David and Marc

Thank you for the vlog on my article, I really appreciate the feedback. Just thought it is worth mentioning that my surname is Czech, not Afrikaans. Also my article was written in response to a book I read by Juliette Powell called 33 Million People in the Room and was clearly marked as a book review. The author gives the impression that it is easy to make money out of social media and become a micro-celebrity. I disagree with her. Not much thought seems to be given as to how one makes money out of social media. For example, I had a meeting with someone who develops social networks for businesses, when I asked him what the business case would be for Moneyweb developing its own one he said he had no idea. With regards to Blogger it was not making money when Google bought it. The other issue I had with 33 Million People is that it seemed to suggest that if you use social media, Reeds theory would magically apply, which did not happen with Cope, and as you and Justin rightly point out, you need to do more than just have a presence on social media to make a success of your business or party. I am incredibly inspired to hear that South Africans are making a success of social media and would love to do a follow up article on how The Couch etc, are making money from social media. I am certain that it was not as easy as Powell suggested in her book. Can I get in touch with you next week?

David Perel 17 Jun, 2009 11:41:57 AM

I think we need to give Monique full credit for taking the time to phone us to talk about making money in the Social Media space. We just got off the phone with her now and she will be doing a follow up article.

Cool stuff.

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Social Media is a Tool
Posted on 12 June, 2009 at 15:12 PM There are already 10 Comments

About the Show