Would like to see studies on how online influencers impact offline society/business/economy.

Would like to see studies on how online influencers impact offline society/business/economy.

Jumping on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook saves time (which also saves money) that phones and traditional mail have always lacked. Hopefully the online marketing industry, as well as other niches, become more more efficient and social media platforms stick around for the long haul.

You also mentioned charity. If any central Floridians (or philanthropic social media-ites) are interested, we'll be hosting a charity bowl-a-thon in March. Details can be found at http://www.bripardun.com or on the link in my comment name. Feel free to contact me for more details!

Would like to see studies on how online influencers impact offline society/business/economy.

I love using the social media tools and think they have great value, but most all of my "normal" friends and family have no clue about them. They do not seem to have hit mainstream yet, although most that use them have "numbers" that disagree. I think the power of social media will be even stronger when it does hit mainstream – like television or cell phones have.

Nice post. Thanks for taking the time to write it. Your optimism is refreshing as well.

Corey

For example, granted journalists with have come under a bad PR rap lately whether it be that it is the "liberal media" and unethical journalism only helps to further that by some newspaper reporters completely fabricating stories. However, on the opposite side of the coin you will have opposing view who has no formal educational background claiming to be a credible expert who people will follow because of similar beliefs that aren't necessarily the truth, often seen in today's talking heads of politics. These people know their target audience is too lazy or doesn't have the time to cross reference the truth. They are too busy trying to make a living. This is how the class system Upper, middle and lower has always worked. This plays into this constant battle of the various waves/ages we all learn about in school of knowledge equals power. The agricultural age, industrial age, technology age, etc. This thinking will and has adapted to social media. Some may see it as an adaption, but to others it might be more on an extension. The content hasn't changed just the way it is being delivered.

You can apply the same thinking to any category with regards to Marketing (product reviews, testimonials, advertisements, infommercials – Billy Mays, etc) and PR. The message hasn't changed just the vehicle. Access to the politician went from the form letter in the mail to the form letter via email, etc. from a secretary.

The only reason there is a paradigm shift is happening right now is because there is nothing to watch on TV (except all the fabulous "reality shows" dumbing down America), almost everybody has a computer or internet ready device, people can get their news customized and in real time and the economy is in the dumper thus ramping up the new technology apps and Google dominance. Convenience has killed traditional media and they are playing a reactive game. Some may say they saw it coming and that is why you had deregulation of FCC rules for company owners to only be able to own so many radio and TV stations and newspapers. Those rules weren't just there for money purposes, but potential influential purposes, liberal, conservative or otherwise.

Another example of double edged sword is Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace and other networking sites. It is great in that we can get back together with old friends or even kids from high school who we didn't get along with, but communicate with now because we are adults and hopefully more mature. ;) This does bring a sense of community although temporarily or longer by geo-location, but often too much time is being spent on social aspects and not doing ones work that one was hired for. Counterproductive is some arenas. Not to mention it keeps the individuals and families away from being social with each other and neighbors. An old coworker told me how his teenage daughter would be on the internet chatting with a friend while being on the phone with the same friend. Great for marketing and advertising of communication services, but not good for human interaction face to face and getting away. Part of the reason we as a nation are getting fatter. Eating chemically enhanced fast food rather then eating healthy and exercising. People wonder why healthcare costs are going through the roof. Part of is the babyboomer generation is living longer, but this also contributes to being unhealthy in the long wrong.

I don't want to sound like a total debbie downer because I agree with what you have to say. Alvin Toffler wrote about this in Future Shock and you see proof of it things like Amazon's Kindle and elswhere. Proof is in Obama's pudding the positive importance to social media, but it is only a matter of time that the old guard catches on and uses it for not doing the right thing. I think it depends on ones education and how we utilize it. The question that will remain to be seen is are we wading through the bullshit or creating more of it. Does short term gains in the name of commercialism outweigh the importance of the long term big picture health of the worlds resources. The CEO of an SEO/SEM firm sent me a video to a great Lous CK clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoGYx35ypus