The nature of the cyberbeast

This weekend the British national newspapers were full of reviews of Barack Obama’s first 100 hours in office. Debate over his ability to continue his use of the web as proactively as he did during his campaign formed a large part. The Guardian on Saturday, reminded us how Obama, “used the web to inform, beg, organise and, crucially, create a sense of community among supporters”.

His campaign moved from intensive email communication to potential supporters and the media through to a dedicated website (Change.gov) within days of his election, eventually transitioning into Whitehouse.gov. The site is a mix of information, YouTube videos, as well as comments and questions from those involved or wanting to participate in the new administration. The new President understands the power of the Internet to communicate and engage with billions of people and used this powerful resource to his advantage.

Understanding the tools available – email, websites, social networking and Twitter to name but a few – is just one step towards understanding the true nature of the online beast. Making the web work effectively for you requires more attention. The power of the web is immense - this “cyberbeast” has to be given constant attention and respect just like any animal with human contact.

Once engaged online, it is important not to slow down the communication with what can be an ever-growing audience. It is vital to maintain the dialogue and ensure responses are given to questions and requests. Otherwise momentum, trust and reputation can be lost and a once supportive audience can turn very quickly into a negative force.

News of the BarackBerry – a highly secure Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) specially designed for President Obama – enabling the dubbed “e-mailer-in-chief” to keep digitally in-touch 24 x 7 is an indication that he is set to continue his online strategy.

Although we can’t all have industry leaders develop our own personal technology, we can learn from Mr Obama and his team in terms of taming the cyberbeast. Listen to your audience, engage using the tools available and continue to communicate.