As discussed throughout this book, Social Media is a dynamic, organic force that transforms over time. New channels and communities are constantly introduced. The popularity of each network waxes and wanes, with some channels ceasing to exist altogether. Influence within and among channels also changes over time. The savvy PR pro monitors and participates in a variety of Social Media outlets, and thus stays “in tune” with those changes and adapts listening, observation, and conversation strategies accordingly.
Chapter 19, “PR 2.0 + PR 1.0 = Putting the Public Back in Public Relations,” mentioned the Conversation Prism, a social mapping tool developed by Brian (along with Jesse Thomas of JESS3). You can view the prism online at http://tinyurl.com/5chmt5, and you can contribute to its growth and relevance at http://tinyurl.com/6mf7wk. Table B.1 is adapted from the latter site. We provide it here to introduce you to the full spectrum of the Social Web, which is representative of this moment in time but will evolve as the Social Web continues to mature. This table was developed by Brian Solis in conjunction with both Beth Kanter, a leading authority on how nonprofit organizations can benefit from the use of Social Media, and Richard Edwards, a technology research professional who works with Solis. The most important thing to remember is the source of this spectrum: the public. In this case, “public” refers to the people and their conversations; they are the “white light” from which the full spectrum of the Social Web emanates. Keep an eye out online for updated versions of the prism—it will change to match the tools, communities, and channels that refract the light of important conversations.
