Social Media: Mobility is the Message

The U.S. economy boomed in the 20th century because its citizens were mobile. U.S. workers were productive because they were willing to relocate to match their talents with business needs. The mobility of the U.S. workforce was enabled by the automobile, and accelerated by the interstate highway system. As farms mechanized, underemployed farm workers moved to industrial jobs in the Northeast and Midwest. Later, as the Sunbelt grew, Northeasterners and Midwesterners migrated south and southwest.

Today, Americans are in constant motion, and are no longer tied to a wire for telephone or tied to a desk for office work. We move while we talk, chat, or text. We can work while we wait for a flight or ride in a taxi. Social media has become ubiquitous, and the ability to communicate with facility is creating a new culture. Movement and media feed upon one another. Marshall McLuhan, the originator of the term "global village," might have viewed these changes as part of the inevitable transition toward a fully connected society. McLuhan, who penned the book, "The Medium is the Message," might say today that "mobility is the message."

Movement and message are changing the way we communicate, therefore social media professionals must determine how to leverage the flows of information. Consumers create new information on the run, so old marketing tools may not be viable.

At a recent conference, I tweeted a new news items from the back of the conference hall. Later, a young conference organizer said he’d seen my tweets. Then, a prominent member of the sponsoring organization looked at my name tag and declared, "I enjoy your tweets!" I was transformed from anonymous audience member to participant in the conversation. As I multi-tasked -- participating as both attendee and reporter -- I was learning more and contributing more to others.

Can we all increase our productivity by doing more with social media? What makes sense and what adds to the clamor? What adds value and what makes the conversation louder but not better? Will social media boost the productivity of the US economy in a measurable way?

I do not have answers to those questions, but by participating in the conversation I am more likely to figure it out.