In our increasingly digital world, organizations must do more than just sell their product in order to stay relevant online. To achieve virtual success, an organization must not only advertise and establish themselves as an engaging presence, but also contribute to becoming a social thought leader. An active social media presence plays a huge role in this. The rise of thought leadership has been seen across multiple platforms, but was influenced greatly by LinkedIn. This platform created a space for professionals to communicate while reflecting their own personal interests and showcasing their work. SlideShare, which is owned by LinkedIn, took this idea a step further by allowing users to upload entire presentations, letting their content speak for itself.
As mentioned in The Social Media Examiner, SlideShare is a platform where users “create, distribute and consume presentations…content marketing for target audiences. Good presentations drive page views, leads, SEO juice and often long-lasting evergreen content…Watch for SlideShare video to become YouTube for business” (King). This tool combines the professional atmosphere of LinkedIn with the basic elements of social media, which involves sharing media with each other and providing your own voice. Although the audience is somewhat niche for professionals or those interested in presentations, businesses and organizations can thrive from publishing relevant SlideShare presentations to inform and engage their user base. As suggested by King, the visual content on SlideShare has the potential to rival YouTube for business users.
Professionally, I’ve noticed many educators beginning to gravitate towards SlideShare rather than traditional PowerPoint presentations or even voiceover with audio. I work within Quinnipiac’s instructional design department, where I collaborate with faculty members to design and support the university’s online courses. One of the faculty members that I support has been embedding SlideShare presentations for his lectures throughout the semester, which I found to be very intuitive for students to view. A lecture of his from a few weeks ago, ironically discussing the elements of viral videos, gained over 9,000 views overnight. Although I shouldn’t be surprised by the “Internet of Things,” I was intrigued by the idea that even a professor’s weekly lectures had the potential to go viral. The same phenomenon was mentioned by Professor Schroder, who noticed that one of her presentations had a large number of views.
Like educators, organizations are now required to take a step beyond just informing consumers (or students) of their product or mission. The possibility of going viral can increase credibility, as well as attract followers to view upcoming materials. The fact that SlideShare has such practical applications for both education and business gives it staying power in the digital world. I’ve seen anything from high-profile conference presentations to student-led discussions on SlideShare, and each seems to find a specific target audience. Organizations can post slides about their content strategies or information about new products. Presentations for events or conferences can be shared before a presentation so that attendees can follow along, as well as online users who couldn't attend in person. As King mentioned, the SlideShare environment also lends to content being "evergreen," meaning that it can be viewed and appreciated after it is initially uploaded.
While SlideShare will not become the next Facebook or attract the teen demographic, I think it will become a necessity for professionals to promote their personal or professional work. As seen with the widespread use of LinkedIn, there is a definite audience for professionals looking to connect on social media. In a few short months, I can see professionals including links to their SlideShare accounts in portfolios or resumes, or linking to company SlideShares in any type of content marketing. This can not only lead to a new trend in education and professional events, but also in disseminating information and becoming a thought leader for organizations.
Works Referenced
1. King, Cindy. "28 Social Media Marketing Predictions for 2015 From the Pros." Social Media Examiner. Social Media Examiner, 31 Dec. 2014. Web. 15 Oct. 2015.
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