Quora: A New Social Media Platform

A recent article from Ragan.com discusses a new social media platform called "Quora." Quora describes itself as a “continually improving collection of questions and answers created, edited, and organized by everyone who uses it.”

So what does this really mean?

According to author Matt Wilson, Quora serves as a question and answer-based platform that strives to provide accurate, focused, concise answers that have a specific audience in mind. Reaching your audience is the backbone of any PR campaign. A platform that allows users to find the exact information they are looking for instantly, without having to sift through massive pages of information, is not only convenient but is any communication professional's dream. Many professionals agree that Quora will be a beneficial tool for companies and mainstream society alike.

Mario Sundar, Social Media Manager for LinkedIn, shared some valuable insights on Quora. He said, "It's the chance to find peers and experts in your field who share a common love of topics and issues." Quora currently caters to academics and technology, but that is likely to change as they open up their platform even more, similar to when Facebook became open to the public. Sundar also said he can see companies using Quora as a corporate blog for providing their audience with insider tips about the company.

To understand what PR professionals can get out of Quora, author Matt Wilson provided some key insights from Poynter's Mallary Jean Tenore, who suggested six ways reporters should use the site. Here are her suggestions:

1.) Ask questions about local events and hotspots. For instance, TBD.com asked for recommendations for the best Washington, D.C.-area pizza joint.
2.) Find story ideas and sources by following users who work in the areas you cover.
3.) Ask users what they would like to know from the people you’re going to interview.
4.) Find out whether people are interested in a topic you’re covering by asking about it or searching for it.
5.) Search for what people are saying about you and your organization.
6.) Build your reputation as an expert by answering questions and giving feedback on others’ answers.

To read more details about the Quora platform or to see the full article, please click here.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Michele Reilley.