Monday, May 4, 2009

Are You Popular?

I’ve just read a research paper which finds the importance of online influence is measured more in terms of participation, name recognition, frequency of posting and search engine ranking above other factors such as content quality. It also recognises that measurement criteria for social media elements (like audience awareness) are currently lacking. This also seems to support other research (such as: 1) analysis; 2) examination) where the perception that online media is less credible, accurate or ethical (compared to traditional media) persists. So, success online seems to be all about winning the popularity contest. Maybe I need to start thinking more in terms of visibility and presence versus quality and substance!

2 comments:

  1. I think you've touched on a very important topic in public relations. Online visibility is often measured by how many "hits" we get, not by how many people we get to influence. I see a big shift in the way we communicate, where the formal becomes informal and the non-traditional becomes the norm. I have known companies where hiring is done through an ''sms'' (short message service) and I have read about firings which have been done via ''sms''. Language is changing. What used to be impolite to write, is now polite and ''cool". Suddenly what used to be less credible, less accurate and less ethical, becomes the most credible, accurate and ethical standard of measuring ''popularity". I guess it has to do with going with the flow!

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  2. I agree with Justa about the big shift in the way we communicate.
    My husband was offered a job by SMS on his iPhone.
    My bank send me SMS alerts.
    I also agree with the language change.
    And I only really see my "popularity" on Facebook and Twitter (both business and personal), not by how many HAND WRITTEN Christmas cards I get! :-/

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