The recent buzz from the technology community around Quora, an online Q&A service created by former Facebook employees, is causing many top brands and their PR agencies to ask what is Quora and should it be incorporated into PR strategy? Anytime a new social network emerges PR professionals must quickly evaluate how the site can be best utilized for their organizations or clients.
First, is the site legit, here for the long-term and worth the time to dedicate resources to develop a presence? Early indications and a reported increased number of sign-ups show that Quora is another social community that PR pros must keep on their radar.
How does it work? Formally launched in June 2010, Quora is a collection of online questions and answers about various topics that can be developed and edited by any online user. My initial impression is that Quora is a Twitter-Wikipedia mash-up where you can follow people you know, follow and search topics that interest you and also provide answers.
Quora might turn out to be a great learning forum if it can gain critical mass. Right now, it appears that early adopters are somehow connected to the tech community. From a PR standpoint, just like any other social network, companies must monitor what is being said about them on Quora and when appropriate post answers that are relevant to their organization.
We think Quora is definitely a social media tool to watch in 2011. Stay tuned for more best practices as the site evolves.