Can Twitter predict public opinion?

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via mashable.com

Crimson Hexagon -- which uses technology based on work from Harvard's Institute for Quantitative Social Science to distill meaning about brands, products, etc. -- determined that American Idol viewers are enthusiastic about adding Ellen DeGeneres as a new judge.

I don't watch Idol, but found the Mashable report interesting. If enough people on Twitter are talking about your company/brand/product/service/whatever, can an analysis of that chatter provide a glimpse into broader public opinion? At one time, blogs were shown to be a predictor.

The Mashable report also notes that DeGeneres' activity on Twitter could have made the Twitter audience more amenable to the news. Connect the dots: If your company has a strong presence on Twitter, will it make the Twitter audience more likely to support organizational news and announcements?

About

I'm Shel Holtz, principal of Holtz Communication + Technology, consulting with organizations to enhance their online communications since 1996. I have more than 30 years of experience in organizational communication, including stints as corporate communications director at two Fortune 500 companies. I'm a founding fellow of the Society for New Communications Research (SNCR) and a fellow and Accredited Business Communicator through the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

I've written or co-written six books on communication, including "Public Relations on the Net," "Corporate Conversations," "Blogging for Business" and "Tactical Transparency."

Since January 2005, I have co-hosted the twice-weekly PR-focused podcast, "For Immediate Release," with my colleague and friend, Neville Hobson.

For information on consulting and speaking engagements, visit my website, www.holtz.com.

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