Twiststl

In response to the 2010 Grammy’s surge in ratings, a recent article on Mashable posed the question, Did Social Media Play a Role? It’s quite obvious that the answer is a resounding yes, and to be perfectly honest, it’s really no big surprise. Entertainers are some of the most prolific users of social media, and with members of the music industry Tweeting in the days, hours, and minutes leading up to the event and all the way through it, it would have been pretty difficult for fans to ignore the buzz. Grammy viewers added to the social media storm as they Tweeted and updated Facebook statuses voicing their thoughts on performances and award winners.  

Social media, however, isn’t the sole reason for the increase in ratings. These days, performers are so wildly over the top that audiences can’t help but tune in. The draw of witnessing what stunt Lady Gaga will pull next or what body part Pink will leave exposed is undeniable even for those that don't claim to be fans. Performers have become experts at making themselves a marketable brand, using Twitter and Facebook as important marketing tools. When a celebrity with a large following Tweets or updates his or her Facebook status their reach could potentially match or exceed that of a daily newspaper. Lady Gaga currently has 2,608,471 followers on Twitter. That exceeds the circulation of The New York Times, the USA Today, and even The Wall Street Journal.

Being able to get a message out to the public is great, but it’s not inherently important. What makes social media and the phenomenon of “following” so exciting is their potential to drive change. People with large followings have the means to do something as important as generate and organize relief efforts following a natural disaster or do something as seemingly insignificant as get people to turn on their televisions. I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say that with social media, individuals with large followings have the potential to change the world.