Social Media Meets The Real World

I’m sure you’ve seen a sketch or spoof of Facebook in real life.  These sketches usually include someone “posting” something on a physical wall, an awkward “friending” or “de-friending” encounter, or people actually poking each other.  These are of course ridiculous and funny, and where we don’t think any of these spoofs will become reality, we do believe that social media will be integrated more and more into the real world.

A decade ago the physical world and digital world were distinctly separate, but now the lines are becoming blurred.  With the advancements of technology, the Internet is mobile and right at our fingertips.  But even beyond the ubiquity of the Internet, social media is finding a place in real life.

Fliike.  A new company called Smiirl states that its purpose is to develop “an ecosystem of innovative, connected objects that shorten the link between the digital and physical worlds.” Smiirl’s first attempt at accomplishing their purpose starts by releasing its first product called Fliike.

Fliike is a slickly designed smart counter that solely keeps track of a company or business’ number of likes on Facebook. The counter is updated in real time so that a customer can whip out their smart phone, like the business and watch the counter flip one like higher.  Admittedly, there is something appealing about the instant gratification of clicking on something on the Internet and watching it affect something in the real world.

Pinterest price tags.  Another example of social media making it’s way into the physical world is Nordstrom, a fashion retailer, and their use of Pinterest in their store.  Pinterest has been such a key in Nordstrom marketing that they are now bringing Pinterest into their real life stores.  Items in their store that are popular on Pinterest will now have a little Pinterest logo tag next to them so customers can see the items that are the most popular on Pinterest.  Nordstrom is utilizing the powerful social reinforcement of Pinterest to help promote their items in their real stores.  Now that’s a clever utilization of social media in real world.

The QR link. One of the major recent links between the physical and digital worlds has been the use of QR codes.  QR codes aren’t quite as popular as they were a year or so ago but they are still a main way in which advertisers can get consumers to interact with their print ads.  But it’s the idea of QR codes that is spreading.  Wherever you are, as long as you have a smart phone, you can be directed to creative content or information with a quick scan of the code.  This idea of instant connection between things in the physical world and digital world is where social media is heading.

Social media is going to be coming to life more and more.  With our mobile access to the web we are going to be finding social media spilling into the real world.  After all, social media is one of the most common uses of the Internet.  So whether it comes from companies from Smiirl, technological advancements or retail stores, look out for new ways in which the real world is becoming increasingly digitalized by social media.