I have 100 odd followers on Twitter, a handfull of people that follow my updates on Social Median, a fair number of friends on Facebook and business contacts on LinkedIn. So what?
I've spent the last few days linking these various social media sites and applications The question is why? How much of this is simple ego-building? Or is there a real benefit in having all these elements linked together. What does it give me as a PR person?
Certainly it is a window on the world. Picking up news, tidbits and leads via various channels is useful. I can also use these channels to ensure that coverage I gain for my clients is shared, and that Web 2.0 outlets, including individual bloggers have access to the content we produce. But that in itself is a bit of a betrayal of the authenticity of my voice on line.
But am I really reaching anybody that has any influence, that I could not have reached in other ways? What's more, does the channel itself actually mean anything? It is likely that Twitter is a fad and will soon give way to something else; so all my efforts at creating witty 140 character comments to build a following will have been wasted. The same may be true of LinkedIn, Facebook etc.
So what's the point? I'd suggest that what is important is participation. The actual channels themselves will come and go, but the practice of deleivering good content that contributes to a real conversation is important.
This is the real change in PR: moving from one-way, controlled distribution of information to open, honest interaction. It's a hard shift to make - and so the more practice we get the better.
