I recently had the opportunity to chat with the CEO of PR 20/20, Paul Roetzer, about his views on the future of Inbound Marketing. As the founder of a leading inbound marketing agency and PR firm based in Cleveland, Paul had a lot to tell me about the industry.
My main takeaway from our conversation was his answer to my question,
“Where is the industry headed; do you have a response to all those who doubt the continued success of social media?”
My question originated from the recent article “R.I.P. Twitter as a Marketing Platform” written by Dan Schawbel. The article proves that Twitter’s influence is diminishing due to the increased number of people each user follows. The reach each tweet is able to capture shrinks due to the growing Twitter platform. Twitter is quickly turning into a mass communications system better used for things such as networking, customer support and researching.
Paul Roetzer answered my question by explaining the ever developing nature of inbound marketing. He explained that social media is here to stay. Perhaps it won’t be Twitter or Facebook that we use down the road; maybe Foursquare will take over, or even phase out as a marketing tool as well. But there will always be some form of social media for marketers to work with. A new platform will arise to take the place of those we use right now.
The younger generation grew up learning to communicate using these tools. An entire generation is not going to change their ways of sharing information over night. Paul stated, “Maybe someday it will just be called Media, maybe someday it will just be Social; either way it is here to stay.” He explained that it is the job of today’s PR professionals and those involved with inbound marketing to forever be evolving and stay relevant.
I agree with both Dan Schawbel and Paul Roetzer on the issue. Yes, Twitter is changing, but that is a good thing in the overall picture of where social media is headed. The industry is no longer new, people have figured out what works and what doesn’t with each particular platform. Professionals can now effectively use Twitter to engage, Foursquare to promote and can even measure their results. But more importantly, people cannot settle into these patterns. Eventually, perhaps soon, these platforms will change and we will need to be ready to evolve with them.
So I extend the question further, do you have any opinions on whether social media is here to stay or where it may be going?
Filed under: Social Media, Facebook, Foursquare, Future, Inbound Marketing, Paul Roetzer, PR, PR 20/20, Social Media, twitter
We all know that the Internet and social media are not known for their privacy. Whatever you post to Facebook and Twitter can be seen by almost anyone. Let’s not forget Foursquare that tells everyone exactly where you are. 
