Is it Social Media or Social Networking?

Recently I've seen a variety of opinions on blogs, Facebook and Twitter about the "proper use" of what I call Social Media.

I've also seen a variety of uses of Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, YouTube, LinkedIn and other social sites and platforms.

Look, these are all just tools and communication devices. I really don't care what you call them, but I do care how you use them.

Not that what I say matters because it is all a personal matter, and there is no black/white=right/wrong answer.

Because I come from the advertising, marketing, and media world, I prefer the term Social Media.

But I've noticed that a lot of people who come from a semi-professional networking world use the concept of Social Networking and sometimes the term Social Networking.

What is the difference?

I'll start with Social Networking.

In the Fort Wayne Indiana area where I live, there are dozens of organized networking groups that meet either weekly or at least once a month.

Nearly 8 years ago I was a member of the Summit City B.N.I. group which I believe is one of the best of these types of organizations. For 2 and 1/2 years I was a member and am often asked to fill in for a member in their absence. I still recommend this group which is filled with professionals.

There are other groups that are further down the food chain and are often filled with Multi-Level Marketers who seem to only try and sell to each other. Quite frankly, I am turned off by this.

It may work for others, but it is not for me. I have met some wonderful people and some not so wonderful people in these type of networking meetings. But overall, it is not a productive use of my time to attend these meetings every week.

Enter Facebook.

The movie was called the Social Network. And perhaps this movie contributed to the growth of in person social networking to online social networking that I sometimes find annoying.

When I see people ONLY trying to sell me stuff on Facebook, because I am in a particular group, it turns me off.

Now I try and give everyone the benefit of the doubt by not being judgmental about this, because sometimes these people were told that this was the "Wonder of Facebook" or "Make Millions Selling your Stuff with Facebook".

And maybe it works for some, but most of us don't want a sales pitch, we want to build connections and relationships.

Social Networking seems to place the emphasis on the Networking and not the being social in my experience.

I gravitate towards Social Media.

The emphasis for Social Media for me is Social. Media is just a term to classify what all these social platforms are.

Radio, Television, Newspaper, are all forms of (traditional) Media.

Telephones, letters, email, text messaging are all forms of communication, usually two way communication and conversations.

My use of Social Media is to give information (like traditional media) and be conversational.

What do you think about all of this?

Social Media or Social Networking?