Ross Dawson, an expert in global social media, presenting at Ketchum’s Global Media Network conference in New York recently, started his presentation with the statement “There is no worked-out wisdom about social media that I have and can give you as the final answer. This is all so new, it is still being worked out – no one knows exactly where it is going and how it will all turn out.”
With this statement, he had immediate credibility! He made a clear point – that the only way to learn about social media is to participate in it and learn iteratively through your own experience. Just plunge in.
I think he is right. Those not plunging in will not be able to learn from others about this phenomenon as it is too new – you have to experience it to be able to begin to understand it and how much it is changing our experience of the world around us. Although it can seem risky or inefficient to learn this way, it is actually more risky not to play, as the world is going into this means of communication, like it or not. Eventually it will reshape all of our relationships.
One member of our Ketchum Digital group recently noted she had learned of a divorce in her extended family first through a Facebook posting. At first it seemed strange to her to learn of it this way, but it also gave her important information that she had not gotten otherwise. Yes, things are changing. Plunge in so you can be a part of the change.
