Saravanan Sahadevan

Many people this days tend to give up on things which are complicated when aging comes to a factor. I have a strong feeling that we younger generations have being stressing the age factor too much. 

Of course there is a mindset among the old folks that are slow in adopting new digital lifestyle. Its just a slow process but not completely difficult. 

Old folks are similarly to teaching a child. When a method or a lifestyle is introduced, it has to be companied by a working example. The reason, I say this because its seriously true. I have seen it worked. When I was on a tour last week, I met a couple of good old folks there. Mostly Canadians and Kiwi’s. Well I guess after speaking with them, I’m seriously aware that nothing is impossible. 

These folks loved emails very much but they were against mobile phones. Why? Because its not on their needs. Communicating through emails was a more efficient and cheaper way for them. They did claim that they mailed their children’s often, perhaps daily. This folks are retired and are on tours for months. So it also makes sense.

So, the point here is that, see how technology could become part of you, no matter how old you are. If email fits their needs, why not social media. A heavy digital lifestyle. If you could provide a reasonable examples besides the cool factor, I’m pretty sure that they would be catching up soon in no time. 

If you are trying to convince your boss for example on emerging technology trends and needs, well try providing a working example, something that would benefit him not you. Besides that, go slow on them. Imagine your self being asked to cut off all wired connections, notebooks, PC’s, peripherals and to be back on paper systems. That is some kind of disaster for modern day workers? Well its the same for your boss, just that its opposite. Adaptation take time but it definitely progresses.

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Technically, the overall fuel price hike that the world is facing today may be benefiting the social web although it is completely virtual. I guess we are heading towards super virtual with second life and so on.

Well first of all, I’m sure many others would not agree to me on this but I’m sure most web freelancers or anyone who depends on the social web growth would do.

Let’ face it…price hike is heaven for Web Freelancers.

Companies and individuals would now turn around their heads towards freelancers as its rather cheaper to higher someone to do a short term work rather then having a permanent employee that might be cutting their neck somehow. Some may get all worked up when it comes to short term projects. Well, indeed its not promising on security basis on your career but I guess the fuel price hike might help as well. Probably quantity of projects received would increase and therefore I do not see any web developer who would be empty handed at any time soon.  

Social Web & Web Branding Era

I have to say, people are going to start spending more time virtually rather then socializing the old fashion way. Its not a trend but its because of transport price. From public transports to your own vehicle, cost  would gradually increase. Of course most people would get used to it slowly but there would also be a significant increase towards web socializing. Why? Because its free. Now if any company or individual who have not hit the web yet, I guess it now time for you to do so. Most businesses and Individuals would soon find web branding unique and a practical approach. There was sometime ago, a limit to types of companies that would be benefiting virtually. Now, I feel that there is no barrier at all. The reason is simple. The internet community is now mixed and varied. It’s your choice on who and what you would like to aim for.

Virtual Connections Is the Next Thing

As I said above, The Social Web is now a growing nest and would continue to do so. Packed with virtual data & profiles. There would be no fool who is not going to utilize it. For the older folks, its likely enough that they would be changing their mindsets and aiming for the social web as how they adopted e-mail. I must say, old folks do really love emails. I will tell you why on the next post. Making connections online is becoming more promising over the last few years. 

Everything I say, is somehow related to the growing volume of individuals on the social web. With more and more profiles, the more and more connections one could have. Eventually more and more rich content. In Asia, I seriously do see a great growth on the web that is proportionate to the fuel price hike. I guess its got a lot to do with our mindsets. 

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Social media is known wide for its various applications till date. When the moment we say social media at the Silicon valley, Boston or so, things that come in mind would be a blog, a facebook profile, a twitter presence and more. But this is not the case elsewhere in the world. Being in a developing country, I guess I and people like me feel it the most. 

There is no social media when there is no local community in it. Of course there is the global reach. But how much would it be if our substance required a local attention? Social media strategist often fail to point out this areas, whereby we cant blame them too because they have a social media background at the place they are. 

So what do people like me, who call them selves little social web strategist would do locally.

The strategy that we use is more on awareness. Connecting people from the real world into virtuality. Preaching and guiding throughout the importance of the social media. Even it goes as simple as a “How to use twitter” screen-cast. 

But no matter how simple it is, the main goal for us in countries like Malaysia, is to get people to adopt the social media culture first and then talk about what I do as a web strategist and how the social web could boost your business and presence. 

Can we get people to adopt the social media culture? One-adopter-a-day.

The answer is all about time. But that does not give us the opportunity to just sit back and relax. If there is no preaching or guidance going on, then likely the culture would never be adopted much. We have been taking serious steps throughout the years. Now, once again another approach would be the SocialCafe project that I am co-founding with a blogger friend, Novinthen. 

What SocialCafe would try to do is simply organized a monthly meet-up that would assist social media preaches to reach a better audience. The meet-ups are in various forms. From just a networking session, right up to hosting a seminar or a conference as part of the SocialCafe project. Getting experienced local active social media enthusiasts to be our social media preaches are the priority of this project. At the same time getting the general crowd to participate and learn what the social media is all about is definitely a challenged to be faced. 

Social media is not extra headache. Its an extra activity and extra fun as well. Sometimes people do even get confused. You do not need to own a blog. Getting involved in social media is all about using the various application and getting used to a prominent culture. It starts from facebook, twitter,…. it never really ends. So let’s wake up and get the buzz moving. 

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