Although I focus on helping business leaders and business owners use podcasting to attract new clients and generate leads, podcasting is just one slice of the social media pie.

And that brings us to the biggest question of all – “What is social media?” The definition on Wikipedia.org is pretty lousy, so instead, I’ll share with you my definition of social media.

Social media is simply the tools that you use online to share content with other
people.

Simple, huh?

If you stay away from the technology and just think of the concept, you’ll find that social media is so simple to understand.

For example, a hammer is a tool with many uses. It can be used to build a home, as a weapon to harm someone or protect yourself, and can also be used as a prop in a play.

You don’t have to understand how a hammer is made or what type of tree was chopped down to make the handle. Instead, you know what a hammer can be used for and you select it based on the project you need to complete.

If social media are the tools, then how are people using them online? Here are 7 unique examples to help you understand what social media is all about:

1. People share photos using websites such as Flickr and Bubbleshare. Here are a few pages of photos that people took of me at conferences I attended in 2007.
2. People share video using websites such as Blip.tv, YouTube and Revver. I created a video called What Is Podcasting and uploaded it to YouTube.
3. People share text using blogs such as WordPress, Blogger or Typepad. I used WordPress for my blog and I just love the flexibility.
4. People share bookmarks or links using Technorati, Digg, StumbleUpon or del.icio.us. If you find something interesting, instead of bookmarking it using your browser on your computer, you can share it with other people online.
5. People share laser quick info using Twitter, Jaiku and others. Otherwise known as microblogging, you can share short burst of information in 140 characters or less to update others on what you’re doing. People can read your updates online or through their mobile phones. When I first started using Twitter in 2007, I used it mainly to update people on the progress of my book.
6. People share audio using a podcast, or websites such as Talkshoe, Audio Acrobat or Blog Talk Radio. These tools help you create your own online radio program that you can share on your blog, your website or through podcasting directories.
7. People share contacts and interests using Ryze, LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, Ecademy, Plaxo or Xing. You create a profile and then you’re connected to others based on your interests, hobbies and business needs.

Whether you share what you create or share the creation of others, think of social media as simply the tools that enable you to share, give and help others online.