n00bs don’t exist in social media

If you are unfamiliar with the label “n00b”, “noob”, or “newbie”, here is the definition according to Wikipedia:

“Newbie, newb, n00b or noob is a slang term for a novice or newcomer, or somebody inexperienced in any profession or activity.”

Although the term is spelled in various forms and mostly pertains to gaming, the word itself has spilled over into the social media world. Often referring to a person who is just learning how to use a social network or perhaps even the concept of social media. Although the definition matches the label of a newcomer it is not an appropriate word to use within an industry that is continuously changing. Social media as an industry can change hourly, daily, weekly, monthly or yearly, and that is just based on changes that can occur on a social network itself, Facebook alone changes something so regularly that in order to properly use the site you must learn the new feature or function. Does that make you a n00b? Social startups are built all the time, blogs are formed and apps and tools are developed on a daily basis’s. The terminology is not intended for the social media industry, if so, we would all be n00bs regardless of the amount of years, time or effort we have put forth into social media in all its forms. Personally, I have never been a big fan of the word since in my humble opinion, n00bs is a word designed to inflate another person’s ego. It doesn’t hold true value, since we would have to characterize everyone as a n00b at one time or another. Learning is a beautiful way to keep designing your brain, opening new experiences and opportunities to explore life in whatever new venture you are going to take in social media or elsewhere. The word is obviously not glamorous and perhaps in a fun way it could be more effective like within the gaming world where it should have stayed. The truth is n00bs don’t exist in social media. Since we all have to start from somewhere and in social media that is a regular occurrence. image via: Shutterstock