Social media: Not a spectator sport

In Social Media this week we read a chapter from PR 2.0: New Media, New Tools, New Audiences. At first, it was just like every other book on public relations to me, until I read the line, "Social media isn't a spectator sport." It hit me like a brick wall. I'm not playing the game very well.

One of my very first blog posts was about how I am not too fond of social media, but that doesn't matter, I'm in the game whether i like it or not. Social media is like a competitive sport. For example, if social media was basketball you wouldn't just jump for the ball, get it, then hand it over to the other team. No! You would have some back and forth but the ultimate goal is for you to control the game (or the situation). Such a simple concept.

I feel like I've known this before, but for some reason just reading that line was like an epiphany!

When I was younger, I was an athlete (until my back went out). While playing games I never gave up, or fed up with any situation. Why not treat social media like a sport? Sure, I won't be sweating like crazy or heavily breathing when I'm done (probably a good thing), but perhaps if social media is seen as a sport, with offense and defense, I'll get better at it with practice.