The Age of the Instant: The Rise of Social Media

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[Reprinted from Perotsystems/Washington Report]

The Age of the Instant: The Rise of Social Media

It’s no longer just a fad. Social media continues to revolutionize our society.

I’m probably beginning to sound like an old-timer, but “when I was growing up” it was much different than today – for The Times They Are A-Changin’. A Yammer was something used for hitting nails. Four Square was a game you played during recess. A Facebook was a big glossy souvenir yearbook with pictures of your classmates that you received after high school. Wiki was a Hawaiian word that meant “fast.”  And who the heck had ever heard of a Tweet?  With the rise of the Internet, a whole new world of networking and social interaction which was previously unimaginable has taken a hold. No longer just a fad, social media is revolutionizing society, and it’s fascinating to watch!

As I reported last week, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez recently hired 200 people to manage his newly created Twitter account, @chavezcandanga. While Hugo Chavez has attracted hundreds of thousands of more followers than my site – @MDKev (J) – the news that Chavez created his own Twitter page, let alone hired an entire team to operate his account, fascinates me.  When one of the world’s most notoriously anti-technology leaders turns to social networking to broadcast his message across his country, and more importantly, the world – something is beginning to happen.  As a result, I decided to do some research on how this new medium continues to impact everyone – especially you and me:

·        1 out of 8 couples married in the U.S. in 2008 met via social media – I met Sandi walking out of geometry class in 1967 at Bismarck High School.

·        If Facebook were a country, it would be the 4^th largest in the world – What does this mean for national geographic borders that appear to no longer be borders?

·        Facebook took less than 9 months to reach 100 million users. Compare this to television, which took 13 years to reach only 50 million users – The acceleration of technology adoption is outpacing our ability to pace ourselves.

·        80 percent of companies are using LinkedIn as their primary tool to find employees – You are no longer what you purport to be but you are what the web defines you as…

·        There are over 200 million blogs with 54 percent of bloggers posting content daily – Everyone and anyone is an expert on anything.

·        During one week in March this year, Facebook topped Google as the most visited website in the U.S. – We are now more about connection than content.

If you have a moment, please watch the video “Social Media Revolution” on YouTube. The video, like so many others, has become viral with over two million viewers at this point. It is fascinating that so many of us are posting news, a funny anecdote, pictures, videos, and of course, the arcane, like at which Starbucks we are drinking coffee.  As an example, my team has been encouraging me to “post” my thoughts outside of healthcare on Twitter.  Finally, about three weeks ago, I was at a Greek restaurant in Atlanta where I had the “best” grilled octopus ever in my travels throughout the world.  In a moment of weakness, I sent a “tweet” sharing the information.  I was absolutely amazed that the tweets back asked me for “more of the same.”  Hmm ... perhaps I should explore a new career as a food critic?

No longer just a tool for younger generations, most new subscribers to social media are coming from those aged 35-54, and 55 and above. In fact, last year the 35-54 age group registered for Facebook 328 percent more than they did in 2008, while those 55 and above enrolled 927 percent more (we boomers are getting with it!).  Those are staggering statistics, and illustrate just how widespread social media is becoming.  It is no longer a fad; it is now part of the fabric of America.

Even in healthcare, the social media wave is shifting our thinking. Hospitals are using Twitter and other networking sites to let users know how long the wait time is in the emergency room.  Public health departments are using such websites to alert citizens on how and where to access the swine flu vaccine.  Every month shows more and more hospitals, physicians and other healthcare organizations registering their social media accounts to keep the public informed of different programs and ways to manage their own health.  Examples include @MayoClinic, @AlegentHealth, and @HenryFordNews.  All three systems are using Twitter to update individuals on new programs and ways to keep healthy.

Even last week as I gave a webinar on the impact of the healthcare reform bill on payers and providers, a Twitter follower of mine streamed my presentation live to his own followers.  We are in the age of the instant.  The use of these tools will no doubt dramatically alter how we think about how healthcare is delivered into the future.  Pushing a button to broadcast our thoughts and information has no bounds.  It can go from one to everyone.  It seems to me that Hugo Chavez is on the cutting edge.  While I disagree with his politics, I agree with his assessment.  We should all take note of the changing tides of technology.

http://www.perotsystems.com/MediaRoom/WashingtonUpdate/052410_7

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