Here is a lite contrast of Social Networks, Blogs & Social Media

I. Social Networks

A Social Network’s architecture is comprised of a series of sites linked together around that Social Network’s identity. Active Rain, MySpace and FaceBook, for instance, are built around individual presentations of personal information inside that framework. Users can easily communicate with others in these environments using any number of applications, but those individual sites are NOT independent of the Social Network. Put in another way, it is a user’s place online… but it’s not really their own place. If free, the user helps to build a database of content for the Network, which may leverage the content outside the control of said user and in various other ways [i.e. Advertising Sales.]

II. Blogs

A Business Blog can offer its’ owner a way to communicate openly, to communicate directly and also to collect information, via comment oriented conversation, with an unlimited no. of people; however, it offers an independent presence or online brand that is entirely in the control of its’ owner. One may use it personally or for advertorial marketing purposes, but the Blog’s look, feel & ultimate destiny is completely in the control of its owner.

III. Social Media

A great example of Social Media might be YouTube. YouTube is built on individual presentations or independent pieces of content, which become available for all takers. Those pieces of content can be indexed for search, organized into category channels and commented on mostly within that framework, but they are not necessarily organized into sites and they are not independent of the Social Medium itself. Like Social Networks, YouTube offers a user a place to present content online, but it’s not really their own place. YouTube can also leverage content outside the control of its’ creator for things like advertising.

In each case, there is a potential audience… and value! In fact, a multi- layered approach to sharing content via Blogs, Social Networks & Social Media might be a great way for an individual or for a business to build its’ audience

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