Sometimes when I think of the internet I can only help but conjure up images of a technological jungle. Now, I'm not talking about a place where lions, and snakes, and dangerous predators live (although there is always the occasional stalker), but a place that is dense, vast, and full of discovery. But unlike the jungle in Fern Gully, the internet is not being chopped down and decimated by man. In fact, 17,000 websites a day are being added to the already immense amount of data that is spiraling through the internet right now. With this influx of information, entertainment, and potential for public relations and social media, its hard to find what you actually like out there. It could almost be equated to the ole needle in the haystack story.
However, I write you today to tell you about an amazing website: www.stumbleupon.com. Unlike most social bookmarking sites that mainly filter through articles or special tags you identify, Stumbleupon takes that one step further. Browsers on Stumbleupon can cycle through videos from a variety of sites including Google Video, Myspace Video, and Youtube, and vote on whether they liked it or not. Basic social bookmarking right? WRONG. The great thing members of Stumbleupon can utilize is that once a user votes on whether or not they like it, they can view multiple members who also enjoyed the same video. This also goes for websites, users can click a button, be taken to a website and assert whether they like it or not.. Members can create profiles, add pictures, quotes, and likes and dislikes and become friends with other users. In a way it is a social networking website that connects people, videos, and websites. All with the simple click of a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Instead of having users dig through the attic of what the internet has to offer, one site brings all this information together in one easy to find spot.
The role this can potentially play in public relations is quite easy to imagine. Perhaps you just released an funny, engaging video about your non-profit organization. A member stumbles upon it, likes it, and quickly his friends check to see his videos that he likes. Without much delay several individuals could all stumble upon it, like it, and give your organization a quick demographic of individuals you might want to market to. The possibilities are endless.
So before you decide to brave the hidden dangers that lurk in the depths of the technological jungle that is the internet, I suggest you try stumbling a little.
Youtube video on Stumbleupon
1 comment:
I to use stumble upon. It is one of the best ways to search through content. First of all it filters out all the junk sites, because no one is going to submit junk sites to a social bookmarking sites... no one would like it. So that makes it to where you are only viewing content that people are hoping others will like.
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