I didn’t fully appreciate the difference between social media and industrial media until I came across this Wikipedia article. Below are the highlights which I hope will be of help in deciding what best to use, when and how. 

Social Media 
This refers to the use of web-based and mobile technologies to turn communication into interactive dialogue using ubiquitously accessible and scalable communication techniques. Examples include services such as Twitter, Facebook and blogs.  

Traditional media
Also known as industrial media. This involves the use of print (newspapers, magazines), television and film to communicate information. 

Differences and opportunities
It becomes tricky for some of us when choosing the most convenient and effective medium to use for our businesses/organisations. One distinctive characteristic shared by both social media and traditional media is the capability to reach any size of audience. A blog post or a television show may reach no people or millions of people.  

Some of the properties that help describe the differences between social media and traditional media are:

1. Reach - Both traditional and social media technologies are capable of reaching all audiences. Traditional media, however, typically uses a centralized framework for organization, production, and dissemination, whereas social media is, by its very nature more decentralized, less hierarchical, and distinguished by multiple points of production and use.

2. Accessibility - The means of production for traditional media are typically government and/or privately owned; social media tools are generally available to the public at little or no cost. Anyone has access and rights to them – no legal procedures whatsoever.

3. Usability - Traditional media production typically requires specialized skills and training. Conversely, most social media production does not require specialized skills and training, or requires only modest reinterpretation of existing skills. In theory, anyone with access can operate the means of social media production.

4. Immediacy - The time lag between communications produced by traditional media can be long (days, weeks, or even months) compared to social media (which enables virtually instantaneous responses; only the participants determine any delay in response). However, as traditional media begin adopting aspects of production normally associated with social media tools, this feature may not prove distinctive over time.

5. Permanence - Traditional media, once created, cannot be altered (once a magazine article is printed and distributed, changes cannot be made to that same article) whereas social media can be altered almost instantaneously by comments or editing.

The differences above present opportunities and things to be wary about when determining what kind of media will be most effective for your business/organization.