Building digital embassies can help organisations stand out amid the information flood, says online trends expert

In the last two years, the world was flooded with information on the bursting of the United States housing bubble and the global financial crisis.

Blogs, tweets, news headlines, SMS and Facebook comments filled all the communication channels, said Steve Rubel, 40, the senior vice-president and director of insights for Edelman Digital.

It led to an attention crash, said Rubel, who looks at technology, media and online trends. 'It's like a sushi belt moving at 100 miles per hour, carrying lots of content to everyone. So how do companies who want to get their information out get heard above this noise?' he asked.

One way organisations can break through this noise is to build digital embassies, which can be a Facebook account, Twitter channel, YouTube video or combination of such channels.

Digital embassies, he explained, are designed to facilitate entertainment, help the environment, provide tips and tricks or give out information.

He said: 'The important thing is to equip them with people who can interact and engage with consumers and customers, leading them to a shared outcome that both parties desire.'

He admitted that it would not be easy as the people who work in digital embassies must create value, such as information that benefits consumers.