We no longer live in the information age — we live in an age of information overload. To succeed, we must use technology to connect, engage, and innovate every day.
New, affordable technologies and the internet have revolutionized communication. Everyone now creates and shares content. Li and Bernoff (2008) aptly describe this shift as information democratization. The audience is crucial in brand success; not merely consumers. Two decades ago, few could have imagined the connectivity rate the world experiences today. Thanks to Web 2.0, people across the globe can now interact as if they are in the same community, sharing information on anything and everything.
Li and Bernoff call this trend the groundswell: a social shift where people use technology to fulfill their needs from each other, bypassing large organizations. This trend is evident on platforms like Facebook, with its one billion users engaging on virtually any topic. In October 2012, The Atlantic reported that Facebook was adding 500,000 users daily. Twitter, with over 140 million users, provides an accessible communication platform, generating 1.6 billion search queries daily in 2012. YouTube, the largest video-sharing site, allows users to upload content accessible to anyone online. Blogs offer personalized content, and wikis serve as flexible, accessible encyclopedias, allowing users to create and edit content on countless subjects.
This new system threatens the traditional establishment, particularly for corporations and businesses. Brands today are defined by their audiences, not by themselves. Treating audiences as partners is now essential. Brands must listen to, understand, and connect with their audiences. This trend is set to continue, and participating in the groundswell is a winning strategy for any organization.
In short, the information age is over. In today’s world, the winners are those who turn endless data into meaningful connection and innovation.
Antoinette H. C. 