The ever-expanding types of online mediums - traditional websites, blogs, social networks, social portals, twitter, friendfeed and so on - have trampled all over many traditional models and concepts.
Online influence is one of those things. It's been sliced and diced so much it looks like one of Dexter's victims, a concept so butchered, miscommunicated and poorly understood and explained, that it's really quite hard to make head or tail of it. (As an aside, even Technorati has completely stuffed their influence rankings in recent times, and they're supposed to be the Web 2.0 kings of it.)
With some news today, I have high hopes things are about to change, as Ross Dawson officially announced some new focuse areas for his work:
- The future of the enterprise
- The future of influence
The second looks at how messages disseminate when traditional media is being trumped by social media. Together they bring together the inside and the outside, the twin domains in which open communication is transforming business and society.
Having focused deeply for a while on the future of the enterprise, for the next period my attention will shift significantly to the future of influence."
If there's a person I'd expect to properly understand this topic and make it an understandable, workable concept for the rest of us, it's Ross.
Subsequently, I'm really looking forward to seeing how this work develops. It has huge relevancy for the understanding of online communication and its value and dynamics for businesses (internally and externally) and individuals alike.
