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The Changing Definition of “Audience”

August 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

The social media aspects of the Internet are changing the rules of the game and personal technology, (i.e. mobile phones) are changing the audience at those games. As I prepare to take in a ballgame of the 2008 World Series Champion Phillies tonight, an article on Mashable caught my eye. It seems the SEC College Football Conference has updated its media policy to be stricter on regular fans in the stands:

football-fans“Ticketed fans can’t “produce or disseminate (or aid in producing or disseminating) any material or information about the Event, including, but not limited to, any account, description, picture, video, audio, reproduction or other information concerning the Event. …”

This policy is stricter than most policies out there and written that way for a reason. Since it’s publishing it has been slammed by bloggers, Tweeters, and the like as “chasing shadows,” or “not enforceable.” All true, but I don’t see security personnel scanning 90,000 fans and swooping in on a fan in the stands who’s using TwitPic to upload a shot of the latest touchdown by University of Florida.

I agree with most that state that such policies, such as the SEC’s is a fear reaction to not only the present technology that makes every fan with a mobile phone “a mobile news van” but also a policy that is trying to prevent the future from happening when phones will be uploading and sharing video of the action (can you imagine the phone bill?). The definition of audience is merging with the media. Fans are becoming reporters and reporters are relying on such technology to capture fan reaction or track down different perspectives. Remember policies about using the phone at work? Or ones regarding sending personal emails from work? Some are still in place in the corporate world. And right now there is an HR professional out there somewhere writing a policy regarding the use of social media within the company. All will be ignored or skirted as the technology becomes easier and easier for everyone to use. “It’s my mobile phone. I can do with it what I like,” is the prevailing attitude and I think the SEC will soon find that out. Technology is making it more difficult to keep events, whether they be sporting events or a plane crash on the Hudson, from being the sole domain of the media. We’re all media and the sooner the traditional media: newspapers, TV, even today’s bloggers realize it and forget about trying to legislate how we interact and use technology the easier it will become for them to reach and engage their “audience.”

What do you think?

Until next time, Tim

Somewhat related video from YouTube, could this be the future the SEC fears.

Filed Under: Blogging, Social Media, Technology Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Made in America – Red, White and Green…

June 11, 2009 By Leave a Comment

img_0490Last week ABC’s NIGHTLINE did an interesting story on how hard it is to buy products Made in America. As I watched I found it interesting how complacent everyone was about it. I remember watching John Ratzenberger and his Made In America series on the Travel Channel and thinking how proud I was that Americans still make top quality products. A search of “Made in America” on the web finds that maybe the future of American industry lies in new forms of energy. This video is cause for hope, maybe this economy will force America to embrace alternative energy. I recently returned from a trip to San Francisco and was amazed at the “eco-savviness” of the city. Recycling was prominent everywhere, the food court at the Westfield served you on china and with utensils to cut down on the paper plates and cups going in the trash stream. Hybrid taxis and no or low emission vehicles were everywhere. I understand from one of our cabbies all taxis in SF must be hybrid or natural gas vehicles by 2012. It just reminded me that we have a long way to go here in Pennsylvania. The future is alternative and thinking green and the East Coast of the US has a long way to go.

Filed Under: Environmental, Technology Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

eBooks for Marketing – David Meerman Scott Part 2

August 8, 2008 By 1 Comment

Sorry, this took a while to get this entry posted. But while at David Meerman Scott’s keynote address at TS2 in Philly, he brought up something that I hadn’t noticed happening in the marketing arena.

guess I was too close to it, as a writer of white papers, I was trudging along doing the “industry standard” technical papers for clients describing why their whatchmacallit is the greatest and most dynamic in the industry. Meanwhile a sub-culture of marketing was developing the “marketing ebook.” I’m a convert!

The ebook differs from the white paper in 3 ways:

1: it’s formatted in the landscape ratio, making it easier to view online.

2: it’s colorful and makes use of eye-catching graphics.

3: it’s FREE!

No longer are you putting out a white paper trying to get sales or customers to read about your latest and greatest. You’re entertaining and educating them in a style that’s easier for them to digest. And you’re not collecting an email or making them register to get it. It’s free and if they like what you are saying they will contact you.

It’s a softer marketing – it’s much like television shopping. In the mid-80s a lot of TV shopping channels popped up in the USA. By the late 90s, only two really survived and thrived, QVC and HSN. What made them do better than the competition? It’s the perfection of the soft sell. QVC hardly ever talks about “hurrying up” or “buy now before it’s too late.” They don’t have to, they gently tell their shoppers when the price “changes” and “what a good value it is,” and let the shopper decide when to call or click.

The same can be said about ebooks.

Looking for some good examples: David Meerman Scott has some I’d recommend, as does Cameron Chapman in a Mashable entry.

Until next time, Tim

More on New Marketing

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Very Cool WordPress for the iPhone

July 30, 2008 By 1 Comment

Well, this is coming to you from my iPhone. I just downloaded wordpress off the app store at iTunes and within a few moments I’m blogging from my phone. Very cool.

Anyone else out there doing this? This type of mobile blogging was a fantasy a year ago – the pace of technology amazes me and I follow it pretty closely.

Until next time, Tim

Filed Under: Blogging, Technology Tagged With: , , , ,

Reports of the Death of Email Prove False – For Now

July 17, 2008 By Leave a Comment

According to Harry Hoover whose Blog entry I found on Social Media Today. I have found that emails keep coming into my mailbox, but like the omni-present banner ad – is anyone paying attention anymore?

I realize this position is in contrast of my post a few days ago regarding companies marketing through email and calling it Social Media Marketing, but that was with a company I have a relationship with, and I think that’s key. The experience with the company, whether it’s ordering something online or ordering dinner at a local franchise, is still king. Good Customer Service is the foundation of success for any company – always has been always will be. Companies who are using technology such as email to cold call you are as annoying as pesky telemarketers.

What are your thoughts? Email is slowly dying out as an advertising venue for those trying to get there foot in your door, other technology will come of age that marketers will embrace as the next big thing, remember getting unsolicited faxes? I don’t even own a fax machine anymore, soon Twitter will be filled with albeit brief ads, they still will be annoying ads.

Until next time, Tim

Email: It’s Not Dead. It Says It’s Not Dead..

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Filed Under: Social Media, Technology Tagged With: , , , , ,

Obsolete Skills and the Skills Needed for Today’s Blog Communication

March 8, 2008 By 4 Comments

The other day I heard about a neat little blog entitled Obsolete Skills. It covers the skills that all of us seem to be leaving in the dust of technical progress. I encourage you to check it out.

Today, some of the skills being used in communication are changing as rapidly as technology and the Internet flashes forward. Blogs seem to be popping up everywhere. I’ve joined at least a half a dozen site just to “socialize” this blog, a skill in itself. I’ve applied to many of them to be accepted into their site. It’s like joining a country club.

The number one parameter they examine — your topics. Blogs are becoming so omnipresent that blog directories are becoming selective in their acceptance of your blog. Find an unexploited niche (your cat’s diet or nuclear physics) and you can find room on their directories. Of late, I’ve been discussing blogs in more detail, this third in a series will examine topics. My case study has focused on “Company S” where I’ve been priviledged enough to have access to their Intranet and its associated blogs. They are top-notch and the employees are just starting to explore what can be discussed and accomplished with blogs.

Everything from wikileaks and Wired Magazine’s coverage of the whistleblower site is being discussed with a tint of how it affects Company S. Other topics include how to make the best use of cutting edge virtual worlds like Second Life in business or graphic design within the company. There is tongue-in-cheek blog that plays on the name of the company’s founder and covers everything from how the company is marketing itself to the latest news that affects the industries the company is involved in.

What blog topics do you think are the most popular? Which ones are the most popular at your company or on your blog? For me it’s about anything discussing this new corporate world that is using Web 2.0 technology. What are your interests and what do you want to hear more about?

Let me know. Until next time, Tim


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Filed Under: Blogging, Communication, Social Media Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,