The parallels between Social Media and Motorbikes

I have been reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance recently. It is a fascinating read and that is not because I am motorcyclist, but because of the observations that the author, Robert M. Pirsig, makes between the road trip he is on, his companions and peoples psyches. In one particular section he uses motorcycles as an analogy to the thoughts of Phaedrus, the Roman writer. It is a particularly well thought out explanation of how the “Classic” (as oppose to the “Romantic”) minded think. However it got me pondering about the parallels between Social Media and motorcycles.

It is hard to understand what draws the individual to the motorcycle until they have experienced it first hand. I did not take up riding until a few years ago. I wanted to cut back on the costs of owning a four wheel drive but still have the “go anywhere” capabilities. Motorbikes appeared to offer that. Purely a practicality until I started to ride.

What is a motorbike to the person who has not experienced riding?

They conjure up images of being fast, dangerous, annoying perhaps (especially as you sit in traffic and they nip past you) and intimidating (as someone comes up behind you with something that sounds like shotgun, handlebar moustache and leather waistcoat that reveals several tattoos sporting skulls and an unhealthy obsession for one’s own mother). That is probably more the sceptics view. They also conjure up the image of the rider being “misunderstood”, a desire to become part of this brotherhood (or sisterhood), freedom (just look at all the new or reborn riders who are over 50)…

Renegade... the quintessential biker?

But actually a motorcycle itself is none of these. It is simply a machine that is generally stripped back of all un-necessities that are found on cars (this is ignoring some bikes like the Honda Goldwing which has so many extras that it questions why the owner just doesn’t have a convertible instead). There is no air-conditioning, stereo, wipers, seatbelts or airbags. Sometimes there is not even a seat for a passenger. They come in all shapes and sizes but essentially they are an engine, drive train, speedometer, fuel system and wheels. A few electrics and lights and better throw a seat in just in case you are sticking to a bitumen road (as if you are off-road you are mostly standing).
Some of these items are essential (such as wheels), others ensure that you can get through almost all other situations (even an engine could be optional if you were only ever planning on riding down a soft slope, but highly un-recommended).

The Honda Goldwing... a car with two wheels

 Deus Ex-Machina... Reg Mombasa & Co reducing bikes for enhanced experiences








 

So what are the parallels between bikes and social media? They are both things that are here and are not going to go away. In fact they are both growing in adoption. But social media is also perceived as something to be cautious of, a danger of sorts and should be avoided. Why take a risk when you can just take a train, car or plane?

As Ted Simon wrote, the motorcycle is the only motorised form of transport that truly allowed you to understand your environment. You are so attuned to your machine and all it’s quirks that as soon as something feels or sounds different you immediately pick up on it and can fix it. You try doing that in a Boeing 747, or to parallel, a global advertising campaign. And if something goes wrong with either a plane or a campaign, the consequences can be so severe we block them out of our minds.

Social media is the bike of the business world… it offers the most accurate finger on the pulse and is highly responsive when used properly. But to achieve this an organisations use of social media cannot be made up of just a single part. Like the bike, there are a number of fundamental components that it needs to work in synchronisation to allow you to ride through the environment you operate in successfully. What is the point of a Facebook page if you have no dashboard to monitor it?
So like the bike, sure there is a load of fluff that you can add to it, but knowing what the key components are and how to used them in your environment is what matters.