You may have noticed recently that we’re in the midst of what seems to be a social media mania. You can’t pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV news without reading or hearing something about Twitter, Facebook or similar social media. Manias make me nervous.

First, this isn’t your grandma’s Internet anymore. Social media is more than just a collection of social networks or new technologies. It’s really about a fundamental shift in how people are using the Internet. I think of the old Web — or “Web 1.0” — as the simple migration of conventional media and commerce models to the new Internet channel. Webmasters publish content just like newspaper and magazine publishers. Retailers sell their products online, just as they do in their stores. And “surfers” (remember that term?) would seek information on search engines and consume content.

Enter Web 2.0, or what I prefer to call the “Social Web.” The emphasis here shifts from selling, searching and consuming products to connecting with others and exchanging content. “Surfers” and “consumers” have become generators, collaborators and commentators. There’s no better example of how the Web has changed than to look at how the ranks of the 10 most visited Web sites has shifted from 2004 to 2009. While several big names remain the same — Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, AOL, Amazon, eBay — there are some very big differences.

So who’s out in 2009? Search engines, portals and content publishers like Ask Jeeves, Terra Lycos, About and Monster. Who’s new in 2009? Social networks (MySpace, Facebook), video sharing (YouTube) and Wikipedia, the collaborative online encyclopedia.

What does this have to do with your travel agency? Well, you know as well as I do (probably much better) that travel is social. Travelers love to share their experiences – good and bad – with friends, family, their travel agents and even strangers. Seventy-eight percent of U.S. travelers say travel creates experiences that they inherently enjoy discussing. Some social media, such as traveler reviews and photos, has become hugely influential. But the direct impact of social networks is not clear. Only 22 percent of U.S. travelers indicate that social networks are influential in the travel planning process.

Get the full story at travelpulse.com