Social Media is indeed causing a sea change in how we connect, how we access information and our ability to reach out to others.
This week several celebrities and mainstream media outlets raced to be the first Twitter user to get 1,000,000 followers. Ashton Kutcher won. CNN was second. Oprah featured Twitter on her show and started tweeting. In just a few days she’s got half a million followers.
According to PC World unscientific estimates put the number of new users signing up in the post-Oprah days anywhere from 500,000 to 1.2 million. Those figures come from looking at the progression of user ID numbers assigned to new accounts.
Twitter and Facebook are no longer just social networks, they’ve become the focal point of millions of people’s lives. It’s where they get their news, information and gossip.
PR Lessons:
“For one person to actually have the ability to broadcast to as many people as a major media network, sort of signifies the turning of the tide from tradition news outlets to social news outlets. With our video cameras on cell phones, picture cams, blogging, twittering, posting, and Facebooking, we actually become the source of the news, the broadcasters of the news, and the consumers of the news…we have the potential on this day to turn the tide…where social media and social news outlets can become as powerful as the major news outlets. We’re doing that with the help of you. It’s sort of power to the people and I like that, a lot.”
Ashton Kutcher on the significance of gaining 1,000,000 followers on Twitter.
That applies to companies too. It is possible to gather millions of followers and fans. Some brands have already done it on Facebook – Coke and Victorias’ Secret,to name just two. You can become the source of the news, the broadcasters of the news and reach millions with your message – directly.
Monitoring these online conversations is vital. We’ve seen the effect negative content online can have. Dell Hell, Kryptonite Locks, Motrin Moms and the recent Domino’s debacle. But those with their ear to the Groundswell are ahead of the game. Naked Wines recent experience with a disgruntled customer nipped the complaint in the bud and turned it into positive PR.
Yet the CMO Council report released in January revealed that only 16% of companies are monitoring social media conversations and comments.
If your company is one of the 86% that don’t, get started right away.
Meet me at Media Relations Summit 09 in New York City next month. And follow me on Twitter
