Social Media
This is an excerpt from an interview Shel Israel conducted with Charlene Li. I think it is important for anyone trying to understand Social Media to have read (or at least be aware) of these three books. Li does a great job of juxtaposing each books role in the evolution of Social Media and the Internet.
Shel Israel Question: There are three books that are being called seminal in social media. Cluetrain, published in 1999; Naked Conversations written in 2006 and now Groundswell. How would you describe the similarities and differences of these three books? How are they different?
Charlene Li Answer: Each book was written for the sensibilities of their time. Cluetrain was about the burgeoning power of the Internet and people’s ability to connect with each other at the most basic levels – its role was to get us to think about the power of conversations. Naked Conversations was at the advent of social media, and exhorted people to put aside their fears and think about the possibilities — it awakened the nascent interest in social media. And Groundswell is the handbook — once you buy into the power of the groundswell, what do you do about it? The tools are available now and an ecosystem of agencies stand at the ready to support businesses.
