Social media is growing up
Posted by Doug Williams on January 20th, 2009
In case you’ve missed it, we here in the United States inaugurated a new president today. Big news. Not to be footnoted is the inauguration of a new website at Whitehouse.gov.
I surmise that communication is vital to leading. The ability to communicate – dare I say market and sell – ideas and news to constituents is paramount to earning buy-in and support. And with the new URL at 1600 Pennsylvania avenue, we are seeing a new approach to communicating that embraces social media. Indeed, social media – from iPhone apps to Twitter (admittedly probably updated by a staffer or intern, but still an official tool) to video and podcasting was used by the new administration with varying degrees of effectiveness to earn the office. Whitehouse.gov even features a new blog.
The old Whitehouse.gov
It’s an acceptance of social media as the norm, and not a fringe or a fad. In addition to the traditional media of print, radio and television, we can see this administration embraces new channels for communicating with its people.
It’s a validation of the medium. And this validation makes it important for credit unions to look at this as an example of the power of social media.
It’s no longer a cool way to communicate. It’s how we communicate.
Great post. As a footnote, I would recommend the following article from WIRED magazine”
The Wired Presidency: Can Obama Really Reboot the White House? http://www.wired.com/politics/onlinerights/magazine/17-02/ff_obama
It’s an interesting article…ie: Did you know that there can’t be any hyperlinks on the new White House site?
Since the government cannot endorse commercial private organizations, some federal Web pages cannot link externally
Fun facts I’ve learned:
1) Obama’s web design was done by Simple Scott .
2) His the digital side of his campaign (in all of it’s impressive social media goodness) was done by Blue State Digital .
I’d love to see Obama bring back Fireside Chats over Youtube.
Also, speaking of growing up, your byline has grown up, Mister D. B. Williams.
Terrific post regarding the Obama administration harnessing and channeling the power of existing web tools. Yes, it IS the way we communicate today (which I think I realized for the first time last month when I sent my mom a YouTube video of her grandkids when two feet of snow made the planned 3-hour trek to visit impractical).
I was SO impressed with the Obama campaign’s iPhone app. The app asked permission to access your contacts, and once given, organized them by state, among other things.
Which states’ friends were presented to you first changed as we approached election day. When I first launched the Obama app, it showed me my Pennsylvania friends first, but closer to election day, it showed me my North Carolina friends first. Indiana friends were usually third on the list. :)
Great post Doug. Obama’s campaign was mind blowing. Simply the best use of integrated marketing to activate a movement. Period.
However, at this stage in the social web’s brief history, here is what I am struggling to relate to with this example.
1) People care about government, the economy and this election.
2) People do not care about credit unions.
I hear this over and over again from credit unions these days, “we tried blogging and it didn’t work.”
To your closing argument, “It may be how we now communicate,” but if you do not have a compelling story to tell, there will be no one listening.