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Inauguration Day 2009, when social networking demonstrated it could convey the principle of participatory government .. we had communications from some of the two-million people on the Mall in Washington posting to Twitter, and we had a convergence of CNN broadcast and the social network Facebook joining forces for real time streaming of events with a collective voice, CurrentTV turned on their Twitter application, plus countless other gatherings of people with the power to express their opinion.
On a day when at the stroke of noon eastern time, the web site Whitehouse.gov was revealed to proclaim “WhiteHouse.gov will be a central part of President Obama’s pledge to make his the most transparent and accountable administration in American history”. It is a day when the Whitehouse web site includes a blog with the first post Change Has Come to Whitehouse.gov
During the Overflow podcast recorded on this morning of great change in the country, we talk about how social media tools are different for every person, place or thing. Despite some who are trying to apply do or don’t principles to using social media, decreeing a certain protocol must be followed to be true social media, we believe that each situation dictates how to use the tools that we have.
Social media is self governing in a truly democratic kind of way, which will allow everyone to have their own voice in how they wish to use the tools. Those with their own ideas should be allowed to put them forth … and should not be warped to the expectations of the few with the loudest voices. If someone uses social media tools in a way that is acceptable to you, follow and dialogue with that person, if not then find someone who meets your expectations.
From a business perspective make sure that as client and consultant, measurement factors are determined prior to implementation of social media strategies, with an eye towards the objectives to be achieved. It may be number of followers, community members, posts on a forum … more than simply a conversion to sales. As long as the expectations are clear from the outset, tactics that achieve results are to be rewarded.
To tie it back to the swearing in of our 44th President, allow the tools to help provide you with a voice and a say in the process. How much you use them to influence your community depends upon how much you participate. There is no right way or wrong way as long as you act, just make sure you do on to others……..
