As you know, this blog is a place for the bigger picture. It is about the future of the web and building the foundations of a knowledge civilization. That’s what excites you and me. It is not about selling chocolate bars more effectively. Or is it?  

Besides my personal background and excitement with Social Media Marketing in the context of strategic brand building campaigns, I believe in a higher meaning of Social Media Marketing. It originates from my discussions with the members of Sophotec’s Executive Science Network, especially with Karen Halpert of Mastercard and her “Big Marketing” approach. In this approach, we developed a concept in that Marketing is much more than selling stuff. It is actually to core of economic value creation: aligning supply to demand, and taking care companies do what people want. Other expressions for this basic principle are customer-centric leadership, outside-in perspective and brand alignment.  

In this most fundamental perspective on marketing, Social Media changes the very fabric of what we are doing today. It changes the way people connect with each other, exchange information, build social clusters and take decisions.  

With this new, breathtaking technological and social framework, the very core of Big Marketing changes, too. If the task of marketing is to connect supply and demand – and, even more important, build a relationship between producer and consumer to make sure the producer’s resources are strictly aligned to the consumer’s needs and therefore to efficient value creation – and Social Media is all about a new level of connectivity, it marks a major shift in the economic fabric of our world.  

Social Media enables us to connect to others in a much more precise, effective way, and the same is true for connecting supply and demand. The principles of Social Media Marketing and its success factors are therefore of vital importance for building the Web 3.0, and empowering everyone to become a media entrepreneur. The rules and principles we identify through large scale research projects like Sophotec’s Social Media Magic with over a hundred case studies can be translated into strategic blueprints and technologies on platforms like Klatcher.com, and help everyone to connect more effectively with the people who need your products. To connect knowledge and knowledge demand. And finally, to connect minds. Deciphering the principles of the Social Web therefore becomes a stepping stone to building the Web of Minds.  

That’s why Sophotec not only enjoys working with clients on Social Media Marketing strategies and conducts knowledge development projects like Social Media Magic, but embraces it as a major strategic opportunity on our way to the wisdom society.

Don’t forget to join the discussion at my Web 3.0 group!

This article is part of Web 3.0 – the book by Johannes Bhakdi, available on sophotec.com