Sneering at Social Media Day

It came and went so fast, it almost has a “did-I-just-say-that-out-loud?” feeling to it.

Eight days ago I didn’t know an official “Social Media Day” existed. Today the Sioux Falls observance of Mashable‘s global celebration is in the rear view mirror. Now it’s time to reflect.

The mention of “social media” generally sparks either enthusiasm or scorn. It’s like Glee. You either love it or hate it. In this digital Blitzkrieg, Switzerland is more the size of Liechtenstein.

I’m writing to the haters. Those who sneer at social media and mock the idea of a global day to celebrate it’s growth. Yeah, I’m talking to you. Here’s why you need to stop trashing Twitter and flipping the bird to FourSquare.

Reason #1 – It’s Way Beyond Critical Mass
The numbers are staggering. Twitter has 105 million registered users. Facebook claims half-a-billion users (the population of the USA is only 309 million). And nearly 15 billion videos were watched last month on YouTube. Imagine everyone in the world watching two videos… that’s how big 15 billion is!

I’ll admit, I CLEPed out of math in college and my wife balances our check book, so math isn’t my forte… but those numbers are really, really big. And anything that gets that big has undoubtedly triggered a reaction that is self sustaining.

Reason #2 – It’s Noah’s Ark
Hours before the Sioux Falls celebration kicked off, I was called into a meeting. Two executives from a Chicago-based consumer products company were in town visiting L&S TeleServices and they wanted to discuss social media. They wanted to know what L&S is doing to help other companies in the social media space.

I don’t want to say their products aren’t sexy, but truth be told, they wouldn’t jump to mind as they most tweet inspiring. But visiting with them, it quickly became obvious they get it. If their company is going to survive the flood of online customer reviews and consumer rants raining down every day, they know they need to listen and engage in the same digital spaces.

Reason #3 – It’s Ageless
My three-year-old knows YouTube is the place to find Harry Potter and The Mysterious Ticking Noise. Gloria, a 60-something grandmother from my hometown, is on Facebook.

The demographic base of social media is as diverse as its various platforms and applications. The wider the base, the better its ability to survive long term. Eventually Twitter and Facebook will go away. And when they do, social media won’t miss a beat because an ageless, global audience will have already embraced their replacements.

Business success often comes down to assuming an appropriate level of risk. Play it too safe and you won’t get off the ground. Take on too much and you’ll flame out. Today, scorning social media is a risk businesses can no longer afford to make.