Early this week, my Twitter feed was a-buzz with talk about Quora, the online and user-generated and edited collection of questions and their answers. After browsing the site, I created an account and started answering questions. I can easily say that Quora will become a big part of my suggested marketing strategies in the year ahead. Here’s why.
It’s not just that asking and answering questions is a fun way to spend the day, it also allows users to demonstrate their authority about a specific topic, whether it’s bikes or user design. In addition, it also provides an opportunity to expand social networking. I have met people through Quora who I have begun to follow (and vice versa) who I would not have found on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. However, this isn’t to say that Quora will replace any of them — it is just another tool that can be used for networking.
I encourage everyone to approach Quora as a way to reach out and touch somebody. Sure, anyone can Google a question, but with Quora users have the opportunity to get answers, while gaining perspective. Additionally, those who have answers have the opportunity to share knowledge, which is instrumental in building networks and establishing trusted sources.
While I don’t recommend blatant self-promotion, I do recommend joining conversations, commenting thoughtfully with unique perspectives and lending insight. By doing so , it will be easy enough to promote yourself as an authority on a particular topic or as an inquisitive and curious person.
I look forward to the ways that Quora can help broaden my horizons and those of my clients this year. Have you used Quora? How will you be using Quora to help you this year?