Most of the internet saga is about innovative projects that move at the forefront of developments and capture what eCitizens would like to do next. Preferences,tools,everyday ‘Likes’ appear to be the primary field of concern for e-corporations,that fight recession with the power of the mind and a handful of high-skilled web developers. Internet ventures are moving forward,exploring the boundaries of growth and innovation,trying to be the next big thing of Facebook talk or Twitter messaging flow.
But what about the traditional brick and mortar? What about companies,establishments,groups of people whose days pass with more tangible work,away from entertainment screens and lazy browsing?
These are people who wished they had time to engage more actively online,but at the same time they are unwilling to spend their time in ‘Farmville’,milking cows or running imagery errands.
Most of what we once called white collar job positions are now internet oriented,minus the collar. Especially when the crisis calls for a reorganization of priorities and a restructuring of the production paradigm. Not to mention the advanced communication techniques corporations will be called to come up with when growth starts knocking at the door.
Is this far away? Even in Greece, the turning point is not that far away. In fact,it is nearer than most people think. And when it comes, positioning in the Attention Economy will become top priority for corporations that have gracefully survived the rough times.
Repositioning the company is one thing;redefining the idea behind the company is something different. Both,however,are directed related to the new platform convergence of content,computing and telecoms has produced in the last fifteen years.
Corporate associations and leading company groups need to reassign resources to accommodate the need to integrate their messaging systems.
It is now commonly argued that the corporate website has become the most valuable medium an organization has,even if the organization spends tens of millions on advertising,promotions and other media.
This is because the web is becoming the primary driver for company’s communications.
In really large companies,the formation of a group of web specialists within the company premises will soon turn to be an absolute necessity. The deconstruction of the media industry allows corporations to appear picky and satisfy all of their needs for content handlers,specialists and technological resources. The end-game would be the creation of a corporate web department,responsible for company information design,that will provide total editorial support,as well as programming and administration of the information flow. Also,explore more particular tasks,like soc-nets campaigns and blog activity.
The traditional approach of a corporate environment that allows communication to run in parallel or some times conflictual way is coming to an end.
The future will untangle the corporate web,sort out the target audiences,explore the particularities of the stakeholders,develop intranet knowledge and will embark from a new scheme.
These days,established media are going through a tremendous crisis,that is altering their core operation. Things will never be the same again. Many outlets will disappear completely,amidst an era of extensive debt,falling revenues and scandalous relationships between vested interests and content handlers.
Channels and carriers of information and communication policy messages are subject to change. We are already moving away from the traditional source – relationship towards what many would call ‘the terra incognita’ of the soc-nets and multimedia press releases.
In the digital era,old dogs will not be obliged to learn new tricks. They will simple die. New techniques,tools and online strategies will explore the new potential of user-driven social media,strategizing on multi-dimensional messaging and its effect not as a key priority for the future,but as an urgent necessity of the present;no matter how hesitant corporate decision-makers may appear to be.
Deep inside,CEOs know that the world is changing and companies should do their best to remain close to citizens and their digital voices.
What is also undeniably true is that in the new era of entrepreneurship that will emerge from the crisis,corporations will be much more than volume of sales and profits. Their existence will rely on their ability to communicate successfully and persuade people for their social significance.
The digital approach to corporate necessities,either this is a new marketing campaign,a social responsibility strategy,or a company’s need for internal coherence and peace will turn out to be an absolute must. What is most interesting,is that this will occur much sooner than expected.
Ο Δημήτρης Καμάρας είναι δημοσιογράφος (PhD,London). Εχει εργαστεί σε εφημερίδες,στο διαδίκτυο και στον τομέα της πολιτικής επικοινωνίας και στρατηγικής.
