– it contains masses of content from leading practitioners, consultancies, academia and students, from the UK and further afield

– you can register and syndicate you personal or company blogs to increase the audience you receive

– you can upload consultancy profiles and link to the wider industry online

– you can comment on posts and receive points of view on your own content

– there’s no need to fill out lengthy registrations, you can log in with existing social network permissions

This is the first attempt by a professional body to run such a large social network and it will be launched officially at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations’ (CIPR) s social media conference, 11 April.

See the official launch post here on the CIPR site:

It will mean that syndicating blogs couldn’t be easier, as it will allow the wider PR community to find your content, find your personal, business and consultancy profiles, and respond to your news and points of view.

What’s more, this is an open community – you do not have to be a CIPR member to take part in The Conversation. Everyone is welcome to register themselves and their organisation.

Happily, we don’t need to ‘make friends’ all over again. We can give The Conversation permission to link up with our existing social networks and those relationships are established immediately. One of the many good things about The Conversation is that you won’t need to share your passwords with us. It is, as the CIPR’s Social Media Panel say, ‘instant social glue’.

The Conversation is therefore a really exciting addition to the CIPR’s website – and we want your input. It won’t match Facebook for functionality or LinkedIn for seeing who’s connected to whom, but it is the first platform of its kind provided by a professional body. We hope you’ll jump in, and work with us as we iron out the inevitable glitch or two.

I am looking forward to having a nosey around when it is live next week – hope to see you there too.

Cross posted with my work blog