Social Media Explained

February 8, 2016

A while back, I came across an image that went viral that explained social media using donuts. Naturally, the use of donuts caught my attention since donuts are at the top of my nutritional tree… and social media seemed kind of important, too.

As it turns out, the social media explanation, ala donuts, has been knocking around the Internet since 2013. It’s a simple, yet effective way to visualize the social media food chain. It’s easy to see why it caught the imagination of anyone who is trying to figure out a way to take advantage of all that social media has to offer – especially for businesses. I guess that’s why I keep a copy of these nine definitions pinned to the bulletin board near my desk.

As you take your business beyond the physical boundaries that encompass your store, you need to understand the nuances of each faction of social media. Hopefully, your marketing plan for your store includes some use of social media. Unfortunately, the time has passed when any profitable operation can operate in a vacuum void of some sort of social media connection.

Here are the classic nine definitions of social media explained using donuts:

Twitter – I’M EATING A #DONUT
Facebook – I LIKE DONUTS
Foursquare – THIS IS WHERE I EAT DONUTS
Instagram – HERE IS A VINTAGE PHOTO OF MY DONUTS
YouTube – HERE I AM EATING A DONUT
LinkedIn – MY SKILLS INCLUDE DONUT EATING
Pinterest – HERE IS A DONUT RECIPE
Last FM – NOW LISTENING TO DONUTS
Google+ – I AM A GOOGLE EMPLOYEE WHO EATS DONUTS

What may be most surprising about this list is that for the most part, it’s still fairly current. If you look at social media tools that are currently trending you have to include Periscope and Meerkat. These may be the most likely new social media outlets that will impact your business in the next few years.

Periscope/Meerkat are both live-streaming video apps that can create even more immediacy. These live streaming apps already have over 2 million users each. Periscope is owned by Twitter, which helps us create our latest social media definition:

Periscope/Meerkat- WATCH ME EAT A DONUT LIVE!

Chances are your operation won’t need to master every facet of social media. But to that point, some areas of social media can’t be ignored, while others may rest beyond your need or your comfort zone. It doesn’t take a marketing genius to see that Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are probably worth your time. And if you’re participating in more live events in your museum or institution, then Periscope probably should be on your radar.

The best thing about this list – and its use of donuts in the definitions – is that it puts social media into a language embraceable in daily terms. It’s a quick guide to the subtle differences between the different types of social media outlets. If you’re asking, “What do I need and will this work for me?” then maybe it’s donuts to the rescue.

If you want to add a little icing to your operation, a steady diet of social media may put a little extra dough in your cash drawer.

Steve White is a writer and entrepreneur based in Denver.