|
Future Enterprise - The Blogsphere-2.0
|
| Written by David Hunter Tow |
A new force is shaping global political, social and business culture. The millions of blogs permeating the web and covering every conceivable topic are now starting to provide a meta-communication platform of incredible power and complexity when linked together into intertwining communities comprising the blogsphere. Information and opinions can be exchanged, transformed and sifted at a global meta-level in real-time across international boundaries and timezones.
The Blogging phenomena in general provides vast potential for collaborative learning, marketing, public relations, political, social and civic discourse and at the same time allows bloggers to bypass corporate and political media gatekeepers.
Blogging is also seen as extension of consumer activism. Fifty percent of bloggers express an opinion about a company or product at least once a week. Seventy seven percent of online consumers view blogs as a useful way of gaining insight into products they are looking to buy. For example out of the estimated 20 million blogs, over half a million feature discussions relating to product/service environmental and ethical issues.
Major enterprises are already incorporating this resource into their marketing plans, with the accepted model of advertising changing to capitalise on the blogshere’s connection-shaping influence in both the real and virtual social spheres. Larger companies have started recruiting ‘brand ambassadors’- key social figures in the community, paid to drop brand references into blog conversations. At the same time blogs are now merging with all other forms of media communication- from traditional newspapers to social networks such as CIOzone.
Future Trends
The greatest benefit from the blogsphere will be at the social level. Blogs are increasingly being linked to social networks which allow amplification of views and experiences. The phenomenon of citizen journalism is also flourishing as more individuals distribute locally garnered information at both the community and global level, reshaping the voice of community and democracy.
More people on the planet will therefore be exposed to diverse topics, ideas and opinions without the need for third parties such as politicians or television commentators to act as news filters. Citizen generated media will be freed from the restrictions of traditional top-down media. This new media meta-form will increase consumer control over media content and a form of participatory democracy will then emerge, dramatically decreasing the power of traditional media such as newspapers, magazines and broadcasters.
The emerging Blogsphere-2 will not just become a major new voice for the mass media, but the beginning of a global consciousness, reflecting the diverse views of all inhabitants of the planet, with the power to shape future global opinion and consumer culture.
It is therefore set to become a vital strategic planning force to be harnessed by the future enterprise.
Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. |
| [ Back ] |
