Virtual Is The Reality

CONNECTIONS | by ROBIN AVNI

TALK A LITTLE. TWEET A LITTLE. TALK. TWEET. TALK. Talk a lot. Tweet a little more.

The numbers are constantly changing, yet remain astonishing: Women online, Facebook friends, and tweets a day, an hour, a minute.

The explosion of social media and the implosion of traditional media have forever altered the new-media landscape. Goodbye Gourmet, hello Chow.

There are now gadgets galore, many of them actually stylish (finally!). Moms have learned to txt. New photos no longer gather shoebox dust but are more like digital debris cramming the virtual pipes. Younger women, not surprisingly, are the most technically talented, and like lettin’ their geek flag fly. But all ages love the social network.

In 2010, it doesn’t really matter if she is working the apps on an iPhone or setting up shop in the local Starbucks with her designer netbook, because whatever the technology affords, the motivation is simple: connecting. It’s not about the tools, it’s about the “talk”.

With the enhanced ability to communicate with friends, family and, now, companies, the ongoing dialogue is here to stay.

As a result, user-generated content will multiply exponentially and savvy corporations will take note and begin to sort and sift through the various voices — and listen. Since women control about $20 trillion in annual consumer spending, it is well worth the time and resources to find a way to make the connection.

_________________

EXCERPTED FROM 10 INSIGHTS FOR 2010 by Lifestyle Insights.
For more information: robin@robinavni.com.

© 2009 robinavni | lifestyle topics, insights & trends llc. All rights reserved. No part of this material may be duplicated or redistributed in any form without written permission.

Edited by MOLLY MARTIN; image source: iSTOCKPHOTO