With people increasingly becoming used to and familiar with the Internet, they are getting past the learning curve and starting to behave the way they always have: communicating and socializing.
Some online marketers are acting like they've discovered this whole new world called social-networking; yet it is simply an extension of what people go about doing in their everyday lives. This is why it can never be a temporary, short-term event, it is a permanent trend that will never go away.
Like everything else with marketing, it's a matter of finding where and how the communication and congregating is taking place and then bringing your message to where they are.
The reason why communities are so prevalent online is because its the way people behave everywhere. And just like any group of people anywhere, persuasion and influencing them will be essential to being effective in reaching them.
This is why online "conversation" is such a big part of the Internet marketing world at this time, and will continue to be indefinitely. The key thing to remember is what John Yeck, a direct marketer, said years ago: the medium isn't the message.
We need to realize that the Internet, social-networking sites, blogs etc., will never be the message. They are powerful tools that can be used; but can never be the message itself. The reason they are so successful is that they mirror the way life is in the offline world.
People talk, give their input, send communications, share their thoughts and ideas, among numerous things; nothing different than what happens in everyday life. That is what the real message is. Persuasion, trust, integrity, insights, talking, showing your human side...all of these are part of being part of something bigger than yourself.
Community and your participation in it, is the real message. People don't mind there being a commercial side to it if it's part of the community experience. That's what the real story of online community and marketing is and will be for a long time to come.
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