How do you define social media? At the risk of appearing haughty [disclaimer], let me venture some guesses.

If you're a marketer Social Media is the new fad, an "add-on" for clients, the new cool thing you're planning to soon offer services around

If you've been exposed to Facebook Facebook. A bit of Twitter. Previously Orkut, but now it's all Facebook - statuses, sharing links and apps.

If you're a social media marketer Conversations. Making the brand relevant. Measuring everything, though the ROI of social media is yet to be nailed. Being honest, being where your target is - and on a daily basis. A great tool for celebrities, the ultimate PR tool. A game changer.

You rarely hear the Indian masses discussing the OTHER SIDE of social media.

The utility side.
For a moment, think beyond branded conversations on Facebook & Twitter.

Bright Kite, Foursquare & Location-Based networks - to see if you're friends are around
Groupon - connecting strangers and allowing them to buy items in bulk and at discounts
Postcrossing - to send and receive postcards from all over the world without leaving your city
Dopplr - to learn about places you're about to visit from other travelers who have just been there
Couchsurfing - to travel the world cost-effectively by staying on couches of like-minded travelers around the world
Have2p - an iPhone app that allows you to find the nearest restrooms and to list loos you yourself frequent
Wikipedia - to create a one-place database on everything
Fmylife.com / Texts From Last Night - to share embarrassing stories anonymously with millions
StumbleUpon / Digg / Delicious / Reddit - to share interesting links and to find new things

The similarity amongst the above networks is that they connect people around a passion to the mutual benefit of everyone involved. Each of the above networks addresses a certain, very specific need, and the networks survive because they solve real needs. This is quite different from branded conversations, since every member of the network can add a unique flavor and has the opportunity to shape the network.

Brands can very well benefit from the other side of social media, as well as the conventionally understood social media - a.k.a. outreach over Facebook and Twitter. We're all familiar with the example of Dell successfully selling millions of dollars worth of merchandise over the web; of Hippo finely-extending it's distribution using Twitter; brands like Fastrack gel-ing with the Youth over Facebook.

But as more and more brands become social-media-ready, there's bound to be saturation of branded conversations on these two social networks. That's when the merits of the OTHER SIDE of social media will become painfully clear (unless your brand is the early bird and did something new first.

Take for example My Starbucks Idea. A perfect mix of brand-specific-conversation built around a need - the need of millions of Starbucks customers to have their individual wishlists met. Another good example is Amazon's Shelfari, a platform over which book lovers can share reviews and ask one another for reviews around books they're considering to read.

It's all well and good to see everyone talking about social media and acknowledging the benefits of brands opening up two-way communication streams. But we should all caution against mistaking social media to be equivalent to outreach on the most popular social networks only.