“What is the promise of the social web? It’s supposed to make our lives better.”
This was a cause for celebration. New, democratizing technological tools combining with the established, powerful distribution and networks of established business meant that we could go further than ever before. However, instead of business adopting groundswell thinking, most businesses sought out the tools without the new attitude, seeing them more as a new, cheaper way to get to market rather than a better way to do business altogether. Fast forward to today where social means a Facebook page with millions of likes, a Twitter account with thousands of followers and scrambling to figure out how to integrate Instagram, Pinterest and fill-in-the-blank hot social network of the day.
This is not even close to the promise that social offers. Business interests and customer interests are pinned against one another. A few beloved brands can break through the noise and get attention and a few influential social media stars can get lots of freebies, but all-in-all, the everyday customer’s life is not being improved.
