As most of you have probably heard or read by now, Apple has announced that the latest version of iTunes, iTunes 10, will feature a built in social network.  Known as Ping, this social network will be built around music.  Users will be able to follow others, including bands and artists, see who is buying what, and post updates and reviews of music and the artists who make it.  All very exciting.

However, many questions still loom large, the biggest one being how popular and widely used Ping will become.  Everyone knows that iTunes is insanely popular and if even a small portion of the iTunes user base becomes active on Ping, it would instantly become a leading player in the social media arena.  And since Ping can also be accessed and updated on the go (via the iPhone and iPod Touch), a huge number of people will have access to Ping at their fingertips at all times.  If you are a marketer, you are already twitching with excitement.

The potential value of Ping to the music industry is huge, obviously.  With record labels and artists still struggling to figure out a workable business model, using Ping as a marketing tool is a no-brainer.  But many other groups are going to be taking a hard look at Ping and its potential as a social marketing platform, as well.  The iTunes user community is huge, diverse, and growing.  You can bet that every online marketer, and the brands that they support, are already devising marketing strategies around Ping and its potential.

Once Ping is released to the general public (which will probably be happening, literally, any minute now), you can bet that it will be exploding with activity.  Within hours, millions of profiles will be created as the iTunes nation begins to take Ping for a test ride.  And, just as certainly, the marketing industry will be working overtime trying to develop winning marketing strategies for this new platform.  The next few days are going to be exciting for music geeks and social marketing geeks alike.  As I consider myself a member of both camps, I can’t wait.

-Dan Cheek
LaserBurnMedia.com
dan@laserburnmedia.com
Twitter.com/LaserBurnMedia
(570)795-9467