Comments on: Throwing Out the Social Media Rulebook http://blog.customscoop.com/mb/2007/12/throwing-out-the-social-media-rulebook.html Helping Communicators do More with Less Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:47:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Mark Grabowski http://blog.customscoop.com/mb/2007/12/throwing-out-the-social-media-rulebook.html#comment-64 Mark Grabowski Sun, 23 Dec 2007 01:42:15 +0000 http://www.mediabullseye.com/?p=109#comment-64 Good observations, Chip. Another myth, I often hear: You can't pitch a blogger the same way you would a traditional journalist. What exactly does that mean? Most PR people don't know how to pitch to the traditional media, either. It's funny to hear some of these guys pontificating about the new PR rules of online journalism, when they never really mastered the ropes of traditional media. Good observations, Chip.
Another myth, I often hear: You can’t pitch a blogger the same way you would a traditional journalist.
What exactly does that mean? Most PR people don’t know how to pitch to the traditional media, either.
It’s funny to hear some of these guys pontificating about the new PR rules of online journalism, when they never really mastered the ropes of traditional media.

]]> By: Mike Chapman http://blog.customscoop.com/mb/2007/12/throwing-out-the-social-media-rulebook.html#comment-63 Mike Chapman Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:54:16 +0000 http://www.mediabullseye.com/?p=109#comment-63 Great lesson in the realities of communications. I love all the new social media. And I love that it is enhancing, not totally replacing communications and media of the past. I'm for all of it...the old and the new. Whatever works for any single individual is ok. Why can't we all just get along? Great lesson in the realities of communications. I love all the new social media. And I love that it is enhancing, not totally replacing communications and media of the past. I’m for all of it…the old and the new. Whatever works for any single individual is ok. Why can’t we all just get along?

]]> By: Chip Griffin http://blog.customscoop.com/mb/2007/12/throwing-out-the-social-media-rulebook.html#comment-62 Chip Griffin Tue, 18 Dec 2007 18:06:20 +0000 http://www.mediabullseye.com/?p=109#comment-62 I have begun a series of commentaries responding to the feedback on this original. Link appears above. I have begun a series of commentaries responding to the feedback on this original. Link appears above.

]]> By: Douglas Karr http://blog.customscoop.com/mb/2007/12/throwing-out-the-social-media-rulebook.html#comment-61 Douglas Karr Sun, 16 Dec 2007 04:50:30 +0000 http://www.mediabullseye.com/?p=109#comment-61 So Seth Godin doesn't have a blog? Nor influence? I'm not knocking your rules, I actually like them. I'm just not sure if this is the perception of blog authority applications, blog ranking engines, or blog search engines. It's quite evident that they would disagree with you. So Seth Godin doesn’t have a blog? Nor influence?
I’m not knocking your rules, I actually like them. I’m just not sure if this is the perception of blog authority applications, blog ranking engines, or blog search engines. It’s quite evident that they would disagree with you.

]]> By: John Johansen http://blog.customscoop.com/mb/2007/12/throwing-out-the-social-media-rulebook.html#comment-60 John Johansen Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:44:38 +0000 http://www.mediabullseye.com/?p=109#comment-60 Great way to get people engaged Chip. I think that the best point this article was found right in the very first bullet <blockquote>Go ask someone outside of the tight social media circle you play in</blockquote> As was mentioned in a few comments, most people aren't joining in conversations, they aren't learning how to use the new technologies, and they aren't trying to connect to everything. I use RSS because it allows me to more quickly absorb more content from the many blogs I follow. My wife will open up her blog, and click on the links in her blogroll to go see what her friends have been talking about. How many social media insiders have actually clicked on the links in their blogroll? In the list of blogs they profess to be interested in? Non-socialites (that I know) don't try to keep up with everything. They're using the social media tools that provide them with value. The definition of value is a slippery one but if you can understand that for the people you're trying to reach then you can create your own rules (or guidelines or principles or insights or whatever) as you commit yourself to being a valuable part of that community. Great way to get people engaged Chip. I think that the best point this article was found right in the very first bullet

Go ask someone outside of the tight social media circle you play in

As was mentioned in a few comments, most people aren’t joining in conversations, they aren’t learning how to use the new technologies, and they aren’t trying to connect to everything. I use RSS because it allows me to more quickly absorb more content from the many blogs I follow. My wife will open up her blog, and click on the links in her blogroll to go see what her friends have been talking about. How many social media insiders have actually clicked on the links in their blogroll? In the list of blogs they profess to be interested in?
Non-socialites (that I know) don’t try to keep up with everything. They’re using the social media tools that provide them with value. The definition of value is a slippery one but if you can understand that for the people you’re trying to reach then you can create your own rules (or guidelines or principles or insights or whatever) as you commit yourself to being a valuable part of that community.

]]> By: Joe Buhler http://blog.customscoop.com/mb/2007/12/throwing-out-the-social-media-rulebook.html#comment-59 Joe Buhler Sat, 15 Dec 2007 22:28:57 +0000 http://www.mediabullseye.com/?p=109#comment-59 I'm not a great believer in a strict set of rules here. Common sense and good practices are more useful than the stridency of many early adopters and advocates when it comes to social media. Having said that, I do believe that markets have turned into conversations and that customers are in control and that these concepts should be considered in marketing and communications practice. Insert yourself in the conversation and spread your own message is a necessity and yes, there are audiences for that. I’m not a great believer in a strict set of rules here. Common sense and good practices are more useful than the stridency of many early adopters and advocates when it comes to social media. Having said that, I do believe that markets have turned into conversations and that customers are in control and that these concepts should be considered in marketing and communications practice. Insert yourself in the conversation and spread your own message is a necessity and yes, there are audiences for that.

]]> By: Chip Griffin http://blog.customscoop.com/mb/2007/12/throwing-out-the-social-media-rulebook.html#comment-58 Chip Griffin Fri, 14 Dec 2007 18:08:31 +0000 http://www.mediabullseye.com/?p=109#comment-58 Quite an outpouring of feedback on this commentary. I plan to follow up on it in the coming days, so keep the thoughts coming. Quite an outpouring of feedback on this commentary. I plan to follow up on it in the coming days, so keep the thoughts coming.

]]> By: Brendan Cooper http://blog.customscoop.com/mb/2007/12/throwing-out-the-social-media-rulebook.html#comment-57 Brendan Cooper Fri, 14 Dec 2007 17:43:36 +0000 http://www.mediabullseye.com/?p=109#comment-57 The only point I would disagree with is the first one regarding RSS. I really don't think it belongs to the uber-geek set. Generally when I show people what RSS can do, they're impressed, and as you say there are tools that make RSS easy to use. For me, the whole point of the blogosphere is that it's many people with varying opinions - that is, the long tail of conversations. How else can this be monitored if we don't use aggregators to bring this all together and make it readily overviewable? This becomes especially critical when analysing those conversations. From a PR pov, we need mechanisms that let us monitor conversations as efficiently and effectively as possible. It's simply impractical to go through a set of bookmarks to see if anyone's said something interesting. OK, so we might miss some important content this way but if I can achieve 90+% accuracy in 10% of the time, I'll buy it. The point is really that we need to combine quality with quantity. At the outset you'd adopt a quantitative approach by getting a feel for what's happening. Eventually you'll home in on the great content, and that's where quality comes in. You'd use RSS for the former, and bookmarks for the latter, essentially as you move up the long tail. The only point I would disagree with is the first one regarding RSS.
I really don’t think it belongs to the uber-geek set. Generally when I show people what RSS can do, they’re impressed, and as you say there are tools that make RSS easy to use.
For me, the whole point of the blogosphere is that it’s many people with varying opinions – that is, the long tail of conversations. How else can this be monitored if we don’t use aggregators to bring this all together and make it readily overviewable?
This becomes especially critical when analysing those conversations. From a PR pov, we need mechanisms that let us monitor conversations as efficiently and effectively as possible. It’s simply impractical to go through a set of bookmarks to see if anyone’s said something interesting.
OK, so we might miss some important content this way but if I can achieve 90+% accuracy in 10% of the time, I’ll buy it.
The point is really that we need to combine quality with quantity. At the outset you’d adopt a quantitative approach by getting a feel for what’s happening. Eventually you’ll home in on the great content, and that’s where quality comes in. You’d use RSS for the former, and bookmarks for the latter, essentially as you move up the long tail.

]]> By: Tim Allik http://blog.customscoop.com/mb/2007/12/throwing-out-the-social-media-rulebook.html#comment-56 Tim Allik Fri, 14 Dec 2007 17:33:02 +0000 http://www.mediabullseye.com/?p=109#comment-56 Hi Chip - Good stuff. The level of hardcore orthodoxy about what a blog "is" or "is not" is frankly extremely amuzing to me. A blog isn't a defined by set of hard and fast rules - it's whatever you need it to be. The idea that a blog must "go viral" to be successful is laughable. In today's long-tail world, it's not the size of the audience that matters - it's the quality of the audience. Perhaps you have a list of 1,500 influencers and thought leaders that you want to reach with your blog. RSS isn't necessary to reach those people. Counting eyeballs as a measure of success is a throwback to late '90's. It's all about targeting now. Hi Chip – Good stuff. The level of hardcore orthodoxy about what a blog “is” or “is not” is frankly extremely amuzing to me. A blog isn’t a defined by set of hard and fast rules – it’s whatever you need it to be. The idea that a blog must “go viral” to be successful is laughable. In today’s long-tail world, it’s not the size of the audience that matters – it’s the quality of the audience. Perhaps you have a list of 1,500 influencers and thought leaders that you want to reach with your blog. RSS isn’t necessary to reach those people. Counting eyeballs as a measure of success is a throwback to late ’90′s. It’s all about targeting now.

]]> By: Stevie Wilson http://blog.customscoop.com/mb/2007/12/throwing-out-the-social-media-rulebook.html#comment-55 Stevie Wilson Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:49:20 +0000 http://www.mediabullseye.com/?p=109#comment-55 First off, bravo at least for attempting this! Comments by item nunmber #1 RSS feeds are useful but not essential but when there are videos, podcasts, they are downright essential. There are some who solely rely on the RSS for the up to date news not realizing that's like relying on only one newspaper or one tv station to give you the full story. (so limited and narrow) #2 & 9 comments are nice - particularly if you have something intriguing said but if there aren't comments, that's ok too because maybe what you posted is more a "service" oriented post than a commentary where there is to be a response.. If you are minus comments, it doesn't mean that the post hasn't generated interest.. actually if there's a link to somewhere else or it's action driven, that's an indication that someone actually DID something if they didn't post a comment #3 & 4 I love press releases-- because they keep me up to date but I don't want the same one all the time and if you can't figure out different presentations/hooks about your client, perhaps you haven't tried hard enough or you are in the wrong business. I need a variety of different ideas-- and I can easily morph them into something else. Social media release? uhh- give me the entire package all at once and let me decide how to put it together-- unless we strategize together. #5 & 6 & 8 Actually the writer controls the relationship about what they write-- because the medium is the message and the message is the medium and yes it is also about audience and conversations and creating a dialogue but it's not SOLELY one thing #7 Authenticity and Transparency. That's like asking someone are they just about ONE thing- I am pretty transparent but I am also very complex and while my blog is pretty authentic and transparent, you will note a variety of voices-- both mine and some from bloggers that I have found with interesting content. That's like expecting a person you have never met before to be entirely transparent to you from the introduction (puhlease).. and the authenticity ultimately must be there-- but it's all about the message-- not the messenger First off, bravo at least for attempting this!
Comments by item nunmber
#1 RSS feeds are useful but not essential but when there are videos, podcasts, they are downright essential. There are some who solely rely on the RSS for the up to date news not realizing that’s like relying on only one newspaper or one tv station to give you the full story. (so limited and narrow)
#2 & 9 comments are nice – particularly if you have something intriguing said but if there aren’t comments, that’s ok too because maybe what you posted is more a “service” oriented post than a commentary where there is to be a response.. If you are minus comments, it doesn’t mean that the post hasn’t generated interest.. actually if there’s a link to somewhere else or it’s action driven, that’s an indication that someone actually DID something if they didn’t post a comment
#3 & 4 I love press releases– because they keep me up to date but I don’t want the same one all the time and if you can’t figure out different presentations/hooks about your client, perhaps you haven’t tried hard enough or you are in the wrong business. I need a variety of different ideas– and I can easily morph them into something else. Social media release? uhh- give me the entire package all at once and let me decide how to put it together– unless we strategize together.
#5 & 6 & 8
Actually the writer controls the relationship about what they write– because the medium is the message and the message is the medium and yes it is also about audience and conversations and creating a dialogue but it’s not SOLELY one thing
#7 Authenticity and Transparency. That’s like asking someone are they just about ONE thing- I am pretty transparent but I am also very complex and while my blog is pretty authentic and transparent, you will note a variety of voices– both mine and some from bloggers that I have found with interesting content.
That’s like expecting a person you have never met before to be entirely transparent to you from the introduction (puhlease).. and the authenticity ultimately must be there– but it’s all about the message– not the messenger

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