"Don't let your organization be that company that 'doesn't get it'!!!" - Rob Quigley of the Austin American-Statesman (speaking in regards to social media)
There was certainly too much social media cheer leading at the 2009 SXSW Interactive Conference. iPhones, Twitter, Facebook were all heavily adopted by the majority of attendees. The speakers and panelists were "preaching to the choir" in their evangelizing of just how the world is being effected by the new media tools.
Yet it was Rob Quigley, an employee of an "old media" company (some might say in a dying industry) who hit the core of the whole conference with the quote above.
You see, even if you and your peers are not sold on the concepts of these trendy new modes of communication and interaction .... we are all on board a northbound train. When you are on a northbound train you only have two choices - Go North or Get Off.
But those who get off run the risk of being left behind.
Social media and all the new-fangle tools and applications that come with it are not a fad.
*Because of social media the Iowa Caucuses in 2008 had a turn out over 2000 times higher than in the past election.
*Facebook has over 175 million (and active) members. If they were a country, that number would make their population the 6th largest country in the world. Additionally, most of their users are outside of the USA.
*Members of Congress and politicians in races from dog catcher, to mayor, to President of the United States are tweeting every day. (all the major candidates for Mayor of Austin, Texas are on Twitter, Facebook, etc... and Barak Obama would not give up his BlackBerry!).
While I conceed that if you are reading this blog, you most likely are in the crowd who "gets it" - But look around and spread the word, as this train is in motion.
Have A Great Day.
No comments:
Post a Comment