Listening to the Internet

The evolution of the Internet is something I find very fascinating.  It is remarkable to see how much the Internet has changed in a very short period of time.  Less than fifteen years ago Google didn’t even exist and now it is a verb in the dictionary.

Google Homepage in 1998

The Internet has grown in many different ways, but it would be relevant to talk about how it has grown to affect the way we do business.

The emergence of social media has provided businesses with opportunities that they never thought could exist.  Social networks bring millions of people together in one place.  Which has opened up brand new marketing channels and opportunities.  Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, etc… all offer new ways for companies to reach consumers.

However the real value of social media is how it allows consumers unprecidented access to the companies they love (and hate).    Social networks give consumers a voice.  People are not afraid to share their opinions of a company/brand with their friends, and their friends listen.  I trust my friends opinion much more than I would trust a stranger’s opinion.  With blogs, Twitter, videos, and message boards consumers can publish their opinions in a matter of minutes and be heard by potentially thousands (or much more) of people.

If that many other people are listening, businesses are now seeing that it is essential for them to listen as well.  From marketing to customer service to damage control listening is important for every department of a company.   A few years ago it would not have even been possible to gather everything that is being said on the Internet and listen to what people are saying, however with advancing technologies (which will only continue to advance) it is now a reality.

The technolgy now exists, but it is still up to businesses to decide whether they want to listen.  At first some companies may view listening to the Internet as a challenge and something else they need to spend time and money on in an economy where time and money are hard to come by.  However while it does offer a new challenge, it offers much more in the way of new opportunities.

- Brian