I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Relationships are what drive new media. Relationships are trusted contacts of yours within the new media fabric. They are people whose opinion you trust or respect enough to give them your time in consuming their content, or engage in conversations they are involved in. If a trusted contact offers up specific links, stories, applications, or other content with you, you are much more likely to follow them verses a targeted advertisement or computer-generated link. Here-in lies the power of new media. The trust you have in your contacts.
As the new media fabric continues to grow, your sphere of influence is becoming more and more important. It’s time to think about where YOU fit within this word of mouth economy.

THE WORD OF MOUTH ECONOMY

One of the biggest buzz words in new media is viral marketing. Flash influence. Generating enormous mass consumption for a short period of time. Often, these viral events happen because something influences those that hold the biggest trust base in the new media fabric. While I’ve never been a big fan of flash marketing (as I believe it has little staying power in the grand scheme of things), it’s an important lesson of how important your placement is in the new media, word of mouth economy.

ARE YOU AN A-LISTer?

Okay, I’m not a big fan of the term as well. But I’m not simply talking about people like Robert Scoble, Jason Calacanis, Walt Mossberg, and the like. I’m asking about where you fit in your niche. Can you be considered as an expert or influencer in your area of expertise?

Here are some people that can be considered niche A-listers:

With new media becoming that channel for personal recommendations, your value in the word of mouth economy is crucial to the future of your new media presence. Add services that look to utilize your influence in the new media fabric such as Mahalo, and the future is bright for those that can influence those at the top (if not be those at the top themselves).