Malcom Gladwell at Globe and Mail on what 100,000 fans may (or may not) mean (via PSFK) –
If I’m putting together a flash mob, that I want everyone to meet me in half an hour in Times Square, it’s really useful to have 100,000 followers on Twitter. If I want everyone to go to my website and buy my new book, it’s incredibly useful to have 100,000 followers on Facebook. If I want to start a political movement to overthrow a tyrannical regime, it may be less useful.
I have often said that the only way to create real change is to build real institutions. However, as online and offline merge into each other, these institutions can come together online and continue offline (or the other way round). So, 100,000 fans on Facebook or Twitter may or may not mean much, depending on what you can inspire them to do.
I build and nurture online communities as CEO of 2020 Social. Read my bio, interview me for a media story, invite me to speak at a conference or ask me how we can help you. E-mail me at [email protected], call me at +91-9999856940, or connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, or Slideshare.
