Google Sidewiki: The PR revolution that won’t happen

You might have heard about the Google Sidewiki when it launched in September 2009. Google Sidewiki is a browser sidebar that lets you contribute and read information alongside any web page. The internet was buzzing: “Google’s Sidewiki is a Revolution in Social Media” wrote iMedia Connection, “Google Sidewiki could damage corporate brand reputations” PR Week claimed and “SideWiki will change the lives of beleaguered PR folk” wrote The Guardian. Yet, several months later Sidewiki didn’t take off and PR hasn’t changed.

What most commentators missed is that Sidewiki is just another communication tool, and it doesn’t dramatically change how people communicate online already. Internet users can already leave comments, post what they wish on their social networking profiles, spread their thoughts on twitter, etc. Sidewiki is just another tool and should be treated as such. I like to think of all online and offline communications as one dialogue, because in most instances it involves the same speakers and same audiences. Additional tools such as Sidewiki provide new platforms for speakers to reach their audiences, but don’t change the content of the dialogue.

Right after the launch I asked tech blogger Robert Scoble what he thinks of Sidewiki and found out that I was not alone in my thinking. “I think it’s interesting, but as a content publisher I dislike the approach. I don’t really care anymore, though. I don’t think it will take off. Mostly because you need to install a browser plugin to use it, but also because we already have enough places to discuss how bad your blogs are so not sure we need yet another place,” Robert Scoble said.

When hype begins about the next tool and everyone starts talking about revolution, think of Sidewiki… or Second Life if you like. New platforms? Yes! Revolution? Not quite.