Linkedin Groups are the new sexy

I knew it was coming, but it is really only this year that a major shift has taken place in the way that clients seek out and find advice on internal communication.

It's the social media forums I am talking about.  On Linkedin there are now over a dozen groups you can join that deal with issues round internal communication and engagement in the workplace.  You are probably a member of most of them.

The thing is these Groups are reaching critical mass; the number of questions placed by members is starting to become significant and there is no shortage of other communicators weighing in with answers and advice.

So far so good.  Internal communications can be a lonely occupation and it is hard to benchmark your efforts when all the work going on that is of interest to you is happening behind the walls of other organisations.

But this is not such good news for the people who sell advice (including our own simply-goodadvice).  The agencies are being disintermediated faster than music record labels.  So what of the supply side of our industry?  You can already see many consultants selling their advice under the guise of helpful posts.  But will it work?  One to watch.