As we edge towards the six-week mark of the new year, one thing I am certain about and that is the Australian marketing and PR industry - as well as business generally - is finally starting to sit up and take social media seriously.
Now, there's no 'hard stats' to back this up, merely gut feel from talking to many people in positions of influence within major organisations, chatting to others (consultants and the like) who are also dealing with the 'big end of town', as well as reading a large number of press articles that, well, seem downright positive and pragmatic about the subject.
This time last year, mainstream media was quite derisive about the social web. You could almost hear the journalists snorting as they filed their stories on Facebook, Twitter and the like (invariably the articles never strayed too far away from the major platforms).
It appears to be a different situation now.
Serious Stories
For a few weeks there, the Australian Financial Review contained numerous 'serious' stories on social media.
So too a number of other newspapers.
And this, in The Economist last week - a 16-page special report on social networking (I know it's not Australian-produced, but it is read quite extensively in this country, I understand).
Maybe it's because Australians are now recognised as the heaviest users of social media?
So the general feeling I'm getting - and I'd be interested in others' views on this - is that business in Australia is truly starting to wake up to the fact the world has indeed changed thanks to technology and the emergence of the social web. That it's not just about dipping your toe in the water and opening up a Facebook account, but thinking strategically about how the social web can have an impact on your brand.
For marketers and PR people, there seems to be a resigned inevitability to it all. A bit like - "Oh well, this isn 't going to go away...I suppose I'll have to do something about it". But this is balanced by pockets of enthusiasm from those in the industry that are picking up on the incredible opportunities social media presents companies and brands.
Will this polarising view continue, I wonder?
Cold Hard Reality
For business people, they're realising social media isn't so much a fad as cold, hard reality. And you know what, I'm not seeing any where as much of the fear as I did last year. These past few weeks, the vibe I've been getting from senior business executives has been surprisingly upbeat, indeed curious, about the potential opportunities provided by new media technologies. Maybe it's resignation to the fact it isn't going to go away? Or, they've done their homework over the Christmas break and now have a better grip on the situation.
I'm not saying there aren't any in marketing and PR (or business or media or government) who haven't got their heads in the sand. There are still tons of them, no doubt!
As I said at the outset, gut feel only.
There are plenty of stats that point towards greater acceptance of social media in the form of marketers indicating they will be spending more in the space this coming year.
I guess I'm thinking more about public acceptance levels of - and excitement for - the social web generally. Has it finally gone 'mainstream' within the business community?
Or am I barking up the wrong tree?
What does your gut tell you?
