I just finished getting a jump start on my weeks worth of work. I’m attending my first Blogworld Expo this week in New York City. It happens to be my first time in the Big Apple as well so tips or recommendations on what to see and where to eat are appreciated. I wanted to get a jump start on my work week mostly because looking at this weeks session itinerary at Blogworld, I’ll have a full plate and very little time for day to day responsibilities.
First, we were social
What excites me about this conference is that it really solidifies, in my Canadian born mind at least, that emerging media’s buzzwords aren’t so focused on social anymore. While the constant expansion of social technology certainly illustrates that social is alive and well, as an emerging media communications professional, I’m learning that none of these “things” … these buzzwords … are a one stop shop. Take social media for example, The number of “social media ninja, guru, expert, manager, awesome-doer” job descriptions is on the decline. (Anecdotal of course, on my Delta flight I didn’t have much time for a quick quantitative analysis) Does that mean social is dying? Certainly not, but what has me enthusiastic is a focus on understanding social and it’s role in traditional communications functions, be it journalism, advertising, public relations or marketing. Folks are finally starting to understand it’s not the size of a following that determines social media savvy but rather one’s capacity to immerse their career in new technology.
Now we are mobile
Disclaimer: While I head PR for a tech company that has a heavy interest in mobile, my affinity for the rapid expansion of mobile goes beyond the walls of my office.
What excites me about this conference is it’s not a bunch of folks barking about social media as the new and emerging media. As an aside, I despise the term new media, it’s emerging media people and it’s always emerging.
Check out my schedule for Blogworld. A healthy mix of old, middle-of-the-road and bleeding edge media focused sessions.
Here’s three reasons mobile is huge and it’s part of the reason why the “social expert” job description is fading into the null of the mid 2000′s.
- Mobile takes life and connections on the go
- Mobile is intimately engaging and has laser beam focus
- Mobile will pass desktop internet access
Mobile provides social amplification…. be social on-the-go in everything from traditional networks to your dining/shopping/gaming/farting and everything else apps. Mobile makes discussions of the “coming social revolution” blase and irrelevant because it’s beyond critical mass and has implications left and right. Adapt or die.
Mobile’s ability to engage is astounding from entertainment and game apps to utility and lifestyle apps connect us with each other, with brands and with ideas far more than we’ve ever been connected.
Mobile has tremendous potential for brands that wield it wisely (if your in NYC and wanna chat about this more lemme know on Twitter @ryanruud or email ryanruud@me.com).
Finally, it’s old but it stands repeating. Internet and all things digital guru Mary Meeker predicts mobile access to the internet will soon eclipse desktop. Those intimate social connections will be taking place on a deeper and more frequent level than ever before as a result!
The emerging job description
As communications professionals its our job to stay on top of all these changes, understand and explore ways to implement them and be on the bleeding edge. For me, this technology ramp up has had me salivating for years!
Can’t wait to land and feel like a kid on Christmas morning. The social /mobile / next big thing expert is a thing of the past I whole-heartedly believe. Today an understanding and a passion for it all, the old and new, is necessary. Let’s get our hands dirty!
I’ll blog as much as I can both on my personal blog here in regards to communications and I’ll also post a few notes on mobile specific topics over on the W3i and Smart App Marketing Blog.
You can also follow my thoughts on Twitter @ryanruud.
About to begin my descent so adios folks!
Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.
Ryan
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