Ian@work

David R. Murray Shouts From His Silo

Ragan-ite David Murray protests that bloggers just aren't that enlightening when it comes to showing him and his readers the importance of social media. He heaps scorn on communication consultant Allan Jenkins ("a nobody in the communication business") and pleads:

"I’ve been reading [Jenkins's blog] for a year. And still, I don’t seem to have my mind around social media. How long is this supposed to take for a person of average intelligence?”

Later, he pops up at Jenkins's place to remind us that he is part of the conversation.

Okay, I know I spouted off on how "getting it" isn't enough. But I've got to ask, does Murray?

Is he part of the discussion if his work is behind a pay wall? If he doesn't bother to link to blogs he criticizes? If the only way to offer feedback is by sending him email?

Never mind the gatekeeper mentally that separates the masses into nobodies and somebodies.

Sounds like the way media worked in the 1990s, but what do I know? I'm a nobody, too. But I agree with fellow nobody Eric Eggerston that Murray has a sincere interest in seeing hard evidence of social media's impact. I just think Murray stands a better chance of someone taking him seriously if he first demonstrates an understanding of the basics of social media.

Technorati Tags: davidmurray, ragan, allanjenkins

Stealing the Revolution

Take a moment to read this brief, to-the-point synopsis of the real significance of "Web 2.0."


Technorati Tags: web2.0, software, opensource, modware

RSS Starter Kit

If someone who isn't a techie asks you "What's RSS?" I suggest you send them here.


Technorati Tags: rss, syndication

Is Blogging Just About Getting It ?

If brands won't blog, does that simply mean they don't get it? That seems to be Scoble's and Israel's position. Israel is particularly bothered by a disagreement with Amazon CTO Werner Vogels, who challenged the Naked Conversations authors to "abandon their fuzzy group hug approach" and offer up a hard argument in favor of institutionalizing blogging at Amazon.

Vogels' point of view is refreshing, and it does the practice of blogging a favor by moving the discussion past the simplistic argument that blogging = "getting it."

Amazon clearly has a well-defined strategy for engaging their customers but it doesn't go far enough to satisfy Scoble, who wants to get into their employees' heads in order to understand what makes them tick:

I guess that's why I'm different than a "consumer." I wanna know what's on the minds of the people creating products and services, and, I'd love to have conversations with them about their products and learn some stories so that I can better evangelize their work.

He wants relationships and he wants to to evangelize. But is that what most customers - even those who like Scoble reject the "consumer" label - want?

• Do customers want relationships with every company that gets their business, or for those companies to give them a great experience?
• Do customers want to evangelize or simply share those great experiences without becoming brand champions? And yes, I'd say there's a distinct difference, particularly after reading one too many examples of the Cingular 2125 meme. Or maybe it's just me.
• When customers have problems do they want dialog or do they want to the problem fixed and their distress acknowledged?

This isn't to say that plenty of companies couldn't stand to take a ride on the cluetrain and couldn't benefit from blogging, but I've talked to enough marketers in companies large and small to understand that they're not buying the "blogging is getting it" argument. Particularly since it doesn't arm them with what they need to sell it to others in their organizations.

The maturation of blogging as a medium doesn't mean diluting it, taming it, or subjugating it in a thousand other ways. It simply means it's time - past time - to stop evangelizing it and start making a solid case that doesn't revolve around nebulous notions of whether or not someone "gets it."

Technorati Tags: cluetrain, scoble, nakedconversations, Amazon

A very bad business idea

Wondering what to do with the information on those business cards you've collected from customers, prospects, friends, family, vendors, and who knows who else? That's right - sell it. Don't think of it as turning cold calling salemen, spammers, and other complete strangers loose on those who have relationships with you. Instead, think of it as helping others while - first and foremost - helping yourself.

On the surface, Jigsaw is bad enough. But look at the privacy policy, which reassures members that their information, unlike that of the poor innocents who are stuck in Jigsaw's business database, is plenty safe. It's almost to the point of self-parody.


Technorati Tags: jigsaw, privacy

Not So Fast There, Speedy

Blogs are simple. You can go from nothing to blogging in minutes. Yada yada yada.

That's not the case for complex organizations that want to blog. As this Marketing Sherpa story demonstrates.

In the not too distant past I found myself consulting with a global tech company that wanted to blog. They "got" blogging, but they had plenty of valid reasons to take baby steps. We had to consider, among other things:

• Security of the technical infrastructure, including the vulnerability of the blogging app that would sit on their server
  
• Corporate policies for posting and disclosure of information
• Recruiting bloggers from within he organization
• Blog marketing
  

Clearly, jumping and Blogger and letting rip wasn't the solution. Sometimes friction in the process is a good thing. By going against the grain of the "do it now, do it fast" CW, we had time to create and implement a thoughtful approach that meshed with the company's culture.

Parlez Vous Web 2.0?

You've watched Web 2.0 explode and you're itching to climb on the gravy train. But do you know the language? Do you understand what it takes to be a high flyer in the booming world of Web services? Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Any conversation about your company must include references to SOAP or Ajax. Extra credit if you describe any Web services site as "Ajax-y."
2. Investment? Not now, thanks. You prefer immediate cash flow generation through ad revenue.
3. You don't have a marketing department. You've got a blog. Oh, and RSS.
4. Google's going to call just any minute. You know it.

The New Investment Equation, Part 2

An alternative view of investing in Web services startups.

Previously.

Ralph's Complaint

While the debate over the meaning of "Web 2.0" lingers, Ralph puts his foot down and strongly suggests that Microsoft get with the program. To paraphrase, conversations are okay but delivery is what counts.

There's an important point to his complaint: Newcomers like 37Signals and giants like Google are rolling out a stream of excellent productivity and collaboration tools. Meanwhile, Microsoft is offering promises. This shift in Web applications hasn't yet left Microsoft behind, but unless they start shipping something tangible and groundbreaking, they'll soon be flirting with irrelevance.

RSS On the Cusp of Going Mainstream?

Between work on several ongoing projects, a couple of small pro bono jobs, and meetings to discuss new business my presence here this week has been minimal. As I scan my RSS feeds a point emerges that's worth noting: RSS is poised to go mainstream.

A minority of 'net users are clued in to RSS, but that's because it's not particularly user friendly. But show someone a practical application - how to easily tap into a flow of information that helps them and render that flow manageable - and they're hooked. And as more intuitive integrations of RSS pop up, mainstream use won't be far behind.