How community is linking content to user

Following Meg Pickards presentation, I have started to think about community in a different way. I don't think I was giving enough attention to this area. I don't know why maybe I thought it was more about the younger generation, more about "chit chat" - I don't really know. But as I read my notes from that day, I am sitting thinking how community is becoming the connector on the web.
There are, circa 70m blogs and as I write Podcast Alley has 32,537 podcasts - so getting people to find your blog or show can be difficult. Communities can be that link. People trust recommendations, follow the links of people they respect - communities are a feed ground for how and what your "customers" consume as their products.
Recent research shows that

• 70% of people visit a website after a friend has recommended it on a social networking site
• 43% will search for a product recommended
• 38% will forward the link to a friend
• 33% will tell a friend

Syndication or RSS allowed content to be delivered - making it easy to consume content.
Communities are now your "recommendation syndicate" that you trust to choose the content that you subscribe to....mmmm think I am starting to see an increased value to communities! Today I have set up a Facebook account for The Engaging Brand Podcast and Blog - I want to explore it more! Join up and follow my journey.