The article "Social Media? Get Serious! Understanding the Functional Building Blocks of Social Media" by Jan H. Kietzmann, Kristopher Hermkens, Ian P. McCarthy, and Bruno S. Silvestre explores the evolving landscape of social media and its impact on businesses. The authors present a framework that defines social media using seven functional building blocks: identity, conversations, sharing, presence, relationships, reputation, and groups. Each block represents a specific aspect of the user experience and its implications for firms. The framework helps managers understand the functionalities and engagement needs of different social media activities. The article also discusses the implications of these blocks for firms, such as the importance of privacy, the need to evaluate common objects of sociality, and the significance of reputation metrics. The authors provide guidelines for firms to develop strategies for monitoring, understanding, and responding to social media activities, emphasizing the importance of cognizing the social media landscape, developing congruent strategies, curating interactions, and chasing relevant information. The article concludes by highlighting the challenges and opportunities presented by social media for businesses.The article "Social Media? Get Serious! Understanding the Functional Building Blocks of Social Media" by Jan H. Kietzmann, Kristopher Hermkens, Ian P. McCarthy, and Bruno S. Silvestre explores the evolving landscape of social media and its impact on businesses. The authors present a framework that defines social media using seven functional building blocks: identity, conversations, sharing, presence, relationships, reputation, and groups. Each block represents a specific aspect of the user experience and its implications for firms. The framework helps managers understand the functionalities and engagement needs of different social media activities. The article also discusses the implications of these blocks for firms, such as the importance of privacy, the need to evaluate common objects of sociality, and the significance of reputation metrics. The authors provide guidelines for firms to develop strategies for monitoring, understanding, and responding to social media activities, emphasizing the importance of cognizing the social media landscape, developing congruent strategies, curating interactions, and chasing relevant information. The article concludes by highlighting the challenges and opportunities presented by social media for businesses.