With the launch of Google SideWiki, health organizations and the marketing communications pros that serve them have been hit with another potentially significant technological development.
I’ll get back to Google SideWiki in a moment, but first, I want to bring up a point that’s highly relevant to Google’s new tool. Over the years, I’ve had a number of conversations with marketers from across the health industry that include the following questions:
- I’m confused about how to deal with the onslaught of social media technologies. Yesterday, I was dealing with MySpace, now it’s Twitter! What should I do?
- How can my organization prepare for the future, develop policies etc. when things are moving so quickly? Some of my colleagues just want to give up! Should I let them?
- How do I know which technologies to pay attention to and which to ignore?
There are no easy answers to these questions. Yet, the failure to address them is one reason health organizations have been slow to embrace social technologies. (See below for some tips that should help organizations struggling with these issues.)
However, being slow to embrace something should not be confused with not “getting it.” A growing number of people in the health industry — including *surprise* those working for drug firms:
- Understand that they cannot control the conversation
- Acknowledge the need to engage their stakeholders using social media tools
What’s holding them back? Well, quite a few organizations don’t have the internal skills, knowledge or flexibility to adequately leverage OR accept social media tech. (It helps that we have tools that enable people to quickly examine what others are doing like the Pharma and Healthcare Social Media Wiki.)
Now, Back to Google SideWiki
What is Google SideWiki? Google describes it as “a browser sidebar that lets you contribute and read information alongside any web page.” Basically, anyone using the tool can comment on a Web site’s content – whether or not they have enabled comments on the site. This moves control of the conversation from the Web site owner to Google. (I’ll get back to the issue of control later.)
What does it mean for people in the health industry? Well, some of my colleagues in the pharma marketing space, have been buzzing about this new development. For example, Steve Woodruff has called it a “game changer” because control (on a companies Web property) has shifted from the company to the consumer. Others, have described it as a marketing problem waiting to happen. (Phil Baumann used a non P.C. term to describe the situation.)
While I don’t have enough information to address what Google SideWiki will mean for health organizations’ businesses, I’m comfortable saying this: With SideWiki, Google has dropped a boulder into the scale, futher tipping the conversational power from corporations to people. However, I don’t think it’s a game changer. SideWiki is simply another (albeit big) step on the road toward people empowerment we’ve been traveling on for many years.
Health Organization Executives: How to Anchor Yourself in the Social Media Storm
After doing some thinking, I’ve decided to impart some advice on how to stay afloat in social media’s choppy waters that’s highly relevant to the Google SideWiki issue. I won’t go into great detail here, but if you want to learn more about these concepts, you can certainly contact me.
- Manage change by sticking to the fundamentals: Technology will always be in flux. If you are truly focused on communicating with people on their own terms, you’ll pick the tools that can deliver the most impact — and leave the rest behind.
- Remember, engagement can be a form of control: While you can’t control the conversation, you can influence its direction by choosing to participate. If you’re helping to steer the ship, you have a say in where it goes.
- Choose your conversations wisely: Sometimes it is not necessary to participate in every conversation – even if it is taking place on top of your Website. Be aware of the conversations that are happening around you. If the discussion is relevant or inaccurate, decide whether and how to engage.
- If you control the platform, or space, you own it: This is especially true for pharmaceutical companies. If they “own” a space on a social media platform like Facebook, they have to moderate the conversations and ensure they are adhering to relevant regulations.
- Train your people . . . NOW: Unfortunately, many people in health organizations – especially those in leadership positions — are still woefully uninformed or have misconceptions about social media technologies. These people have to be brought up to speed now (and on a continual basis) to ensure they are able to make sound decisions. (It does not help if they can’t access (or install) the tools everyone is talking about.)
Hopefully this advice will help health organizations manage the change associated with Google SideWiki and the next technology that appears.
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Image Source: Google
Read More from Walking the Path:
Google SideWiki & 5 Ways Health Organizations Can Anchor Themselves in the Social Media Storm: http://tinyurl.com/ydv7otn.
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
RT @blueeyepath: Google SideWiki & 5 Ways Health Organizations Can Anchor Themselves in the Social Media Storm: http://tinyurl.com/ydv7otn
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Perspectives from @fardj on the Google Sidewiki discussion: http://bit.ly/1ht7ol
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Google SideWiki & 5 Ways Health Organizations Can Anchor Themselves… http://bit.ly/pMEPU
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Google SideWiki & 5 Ways Health Organizations Can Anchor Themselves in the Social Media Storm – http://bit.ly/yNpqD
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Hot post of the wk: Google SideWiki + tips for staying afloat in the social media storm: http://tinyurl.com/ydv7otn #hcmktg #hcsm
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
RT @blueeyepath: Hot post of the wk: Google SideWiki + tips for staying afloat in the social media storm: http://tinyurl.com/ydv7otn
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Google SideWiki & 5 Ways Health Organizations Can Anchor Themselves in the Social Media Storm http://ow.ly/rSQn
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Google SideWiki & 5 Ways Health Organizations Can Anchor Themselves in the Social Media Storm http://ow.ly/rSPM
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Gregory C, Jeff Russell and Path of the Blue Eye. Path of the Blue Eye said: Google SideWiki & 5 Ways Health Organizations Can Anchor Themselves in the Social Media Storm: http://tinyurl.com/ydv7otn. [...]
Fard,
Important points you’re making about how distributed messaging is influencing communications and web presence in general.
I don’t see SideWiki itself as necessarily a game-changer, but I do see it how it exemplifies the direction the web is taking.
It’ easy to make too much of the technology and organizations can end up on wild goose chases if they try to go after every new shiny conversational object that arises. Nonetheless, your point about training people and empowering them to make important and timely decisions is very important.
I don’t think these challenges are necessarily a bad thing. In fact if these challenges may be leveraged by organizations which have done the hard work of earning trust and establishing a robust and effective voice on the web.
The bottom line is this: conversing effectively is hard work – and the work gets more challenging as conversational technologies evolve.
By the way, I’m sure you recognize the tongue-and-cheek irony of giving my post a politically incorrect title. It may be dramatic, but in my opinion, the C-suite has the right to be told in clear terms just what sort of challenges they can expect to face.
@PhilBaumann
Phil:
Thanks for coming over to comment. I enjoyed your post as well. Re: the title of your blog post, yep I recognize the value of “tellin’ them like it is.” However, b/c I have a policy of not using certain language on when I blog (I’m not as brave as you), I decided to reference it the way I did. Thanks for continuing the conversation!
Fard
More SideWiki insights, this from @blueeyepath – http://bit.ly/3bB1Bo with my comment #hcmktg #FDAsm
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
@Fard
That’s a smart policy. Enjoyed your post.
I’m sure next week or month, we’ll be talking about some other new shiny toy that affects how organizations communicate. Cheers!
Phil
Oh,
…And I put a comment on SideWiki on this post. Politically Correct, of course.
Google SideWiki & 5 Ways Health Organizations Can Anchor Themselves in the Social Media Storm: http://bit.ly/11aFqT ( via @PhilBaumann )
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Funny, I don’t see it . . . hmm, Google must still be working out the kinks.
[...] who I am & I speak as I see. #American More SideWiki insights, this from @blueeyepath – http://bit.ly/3bB1Bo with my comment #hcmktg #FDAsm I’m hoping FireFox slows down more. Nothing aggravates me more [...]
RT @PhilBaumann @blueeyepath More SideWiki insights, this from blueeyepath – http://bit.ly/3bB1Bo with my comment #hcmktg #FDAsm
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
[...] Hot post of the wk: Google SideWiki + tips for staying afloat in the social media storm: http://tinyurl.com/ydv7otn #hcmktg #hcsm HealthCampNYC: HealthCampNYC will take place on November 7th at Teachers College, [...]
[...] The other potentially big news right now — certainly a potentially big headache – is google’s SideWiki. Be prepared: anyone can use the SideWiki to post their uncensored comments right next to your web site. Some commentators I have read say the SideWiki is too geeky and too difficult to upload to get much pick up. I disagree, having just uploaded it this morning, very easily. The big issue here is, can a company be held responsible for discussions on or next to its site over which it has no control? For some thoughtful takes on this new development, read Steve Woodruff’s post on Impactivi and Fard Johnson’s post on Walking the Path. [...]