Posted by: Suzi Senna
Social media: Here to stay or something that will blow away with the sands of time? As much as I don’t want to admit it—it’s definitely here for the long haul. This world’s next generation will only know a world where tweeting is a second language, where Facebook status determines how liked you are, and where the number of YouTube views sets the bar for success. I know what you’re thinking:
Hey grandma! Why don’t you get with the times? Embrace these key social influencers as forward progress and shut the hell up!
You’re right. For the most part. Social media is truly an amazing mode of communication. News and information can spread like wildfire within a little less than a few minutes—that is, of course, if the right people are sparking those flames. Well—sure—you assume celebrities and celebrity wannabes can quickly diffuse information to public and have it catch on, but not people like you or me, right? There’s couldn’t actually be a way to measure the influence someone has in the realm of social media—right?
Leave it to me to StumbleUpon something “new” that’s actually been around for years. Something that seems completely unnecessary, yet relevant; borderline ridiculous but yet makes absolute sense. I’m talking about Klout—the online measure of your social media worth. The site claims that everyone has influence. Even grandmas like me.
Previously, people relied almost entirely on radio announcers, TV hosts, and traditional media to shape their opinions. Today, you can drive the conversation, voice your opinion, and connect with people all over the world using social media. Social media has democratized influence. -Klout
So it’s the Monday after Super Bowl XLVI and of course the hottest topics of conversation in advertising and marketing agencies across the nation have been the game, and even more importantly, the commercials. While the quality and entertainment of this year’s commercials are still up for debate, the level of online fan engagement was at an all-time high.