The Impact and Future of Micro-publishing

By Miiko Mentz

For most of us micro-publishing tools such as Twitter, Seesmic and Brightkite are part of our daily lives, but micro-blogging, micro-publishing, micro-journalism, micro-pr or whatever you want to call it is still being defined and in its infancy. Some mainstream companies are beginning to use it as another avenue of communication and conversation, but it has not experienced widespread adoption among the masses or by most major companies, yet.

However, many believe that we will see it further evolve and gain in popularity. Funding may slow in 2009, but innovation certainly will not; and I’m sure 2009 will bring a host of new micro-publishing applications and tools.

At Blog World Expo last month there was a Citizen Journalism track that included a session titled “Microjournalism: Breaking News in 140 Words or Less,” where Laura Fitton, Robert Scoble and Doc Searls discussed the impact that micro-publishing, such as Twitter, has had and where it might be headed.

Micro-publishing apps that offer location and video capabilities are two areas that Scoble thinks could gain in popularity and adoption over the next year the way that Twitter has in the past two years. He uses a client called Twinkle on his iPhone, which lets him show his location in relation to other Twitter users who are within two, five or ten miles from his location.

“I can see a lot happening with location. I can see a lot happening with video in the next couple years, ” said Scoble. “Seesmic just came out with the ability to use your cell phone to have (video) conversations with people all over the world the way Twitter let’s you have conversations all over the world.”

For those of you who weren’t at Blog World Expo, or you were but missed this session, Bub.blicio.us Reporter Ashley Biever caught up with Scoble and Searls after their microjournalism session and talked to them about their thoughts on micro-publishing and where it might be headed. Check out our interview with them.