The funny truth about PR embargoes
06.03.2010 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie Daily Top 3, English Content
Embargoes have become very popular in the PR industry with the rise of personal blog publishing. This video made me laugh as it shows the funny side-effects of embargoes…
Monetizing Social Media: Social Medians have to set a trend…
10.06.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie English Content, Featured Stories, Web Marketing
Having worked twelve years monetizing media platforms (offline and online) I follow with great interest the latest talk and buzz on monetizing the social media economy. The time has come to make a point after some famous blogs in Germany (medienlese.com and rivva.com) were about to be closed down. Being a blogger and a social median, I thought about this in a guest post on Digital-Conversation and received some interesting feedback. So, I would like to share my thoughts also with the international social media community.
In my post, I stated that it must be possible to monetize personal social media activities. Not in any kind of classical way of web monetization but in an unconventional way – as unconventional as web 2.0 has revolutionized the world of communication. The reason and necessity for this thought is that, in my personal view, social media activity needs to monetize for the individual as a good (online) reputation is not going to feed ‘hungry holes’. No, all this work costs a lot of time and effort. Does really nobody want to hear this?
So, we do need a new concept, in every kind of respect – as a combined concept of monetizing social medians in particular – not social media in general. And in my eyes, we won’t be successful in marketing millions of individual blogs, micro-blogs or social networking profiles. No, the complete picture of an individual counts… here needs to be the access for future ideas and concepts. The individual personal branding is key…
A vision – mental acrobatics
Let’s imagine a new web world and turn the present concepts upside down. Just as a kind of mental acrobatics, or vision, how we could be marketing the individual social median.
Let’s call it the ’3 at one blow’ idea – and don’t tear this concept into pieces – it only counts as one full picture…
Blogs…
Just allow brands you prefer to be a partner of your blog
If bloggers don’t want to follow the footsteps of the classical web 1.0 publishing branch, then blogs need to find an accepted standard ad format – a similar one web 1.0 started with (the full-size banner it was those days). Maybe the 125×125 Button could be the one which seems to have established itself at the leading blogs not only in America? Bloggers don’t want and need 20 ad spaces. No, blogs need a maximum of four ad spaces in my eyes, as we don’t want to have the right hand frame like a blinking advertising column for ‘everybody’s brand’. No, ideally, bloggers want to decide themselves which brands gets space, and which doesn’t. Bloggers should just give their self-preferred brands the option to be visible on the individual blogs. Bloggers should not write branded or sponsored posts (the Trigami modell) which pay out their business, blog or the areas of companies interest. Bloggers are doing enough for the world, they don’t need more work to do…
Micro-Blogs…
Just offer brands you ‘adore’ to sponsor your profile or background picture
Some micro-blogging platforms offer the option to create the profile and the back-ground picture in a way the social median likes it to be seen. Why do only some social medians use this as ad space? Is this working against your glory as a social median? Against the online reputation (and editorial integrity as we called it in the publishing industry some years ago)? Or will there be problems coming up with my employer when I suddenly integrate a logo into my profile picture, or my background picture? Again: If there was some kind of uniform standard, the problems could be solved quickly. Cut out a piece and make us serve our favorite brand!
Social Networks…
And finally, just offer one or two brands you prefer to sponsor your profile picture
The best and only valid ad space on social networking profiles in my eyes is… the profile picture. For, what is the first and most powerful asset you sell with? Yes, you, yourself. And what is the first thing we look at when watching social media profiles? Right, the face. So, why don’t we see profile pictures, in which ‘social medians’ stand for their preferred brands? The way, we have seen this at Twitter lately, where some people promote the events they will be attending in the near future. OK, I can imagine that the employers could be asking, why there is a logo on the profile picture. But if it was standard, and going hand in hand with the blog and the micro-blog, it would not be a problem anymore.
Let’s summarize this idea…
What if…
- you could monetize your pesonal branding by being sponsored from your favorite brands?
- you could define three to four brands you prefer to sponsor you as a social median?
- you could escape the discussion on media reach with the ’3 in one blow’ power monetization idea?
Somehow the social media scene seems to be stranded given shrinking or not existing budgets for online media. Isn’t this the right time for a change to find a new monetization model for social media? But in my eyes, either the social medians don’t want, or they cannot face this issue. Thus, although companies want to be present on social median’s activities.
In general, the social median has to ask himself/herself three questions in the future…
- Do I want to make money with my personal branding?
- Do I want to continue post my knowledge for free for a better personal branding?
- Or ‘live’ with a small online reputation and just have a microblog profile as of a lack of time?
“Free things always hurt” is the saying of the salesmen. Isn’t it better to show the value proposition of your content, combined with your personal branding, and market this according to your preferences?
The classical ways of monetization (Bannering, Affiliate and Google Adsense) cannot be the future of social media monetization. The problem is obvious: a small reach (compared to huge media platforms or ad networks) offers no chance for a payback or break-even point. The big online platforms have experienced for years that an increased cost-recovery is not to be achieved with these monetization models. Do social medians really want to continue playing along the odd old game?
And what I really cannot understand… Why do bloggers and their ad networks still try to make money with the old cpx models (cpm, cpa or cpo), following IAB standards. Don’t we all know that this cannot be the future of web monetization? At least not, if the quality of the platforms is not meant to suffer…?!
Social medians have to set a good example and find a new moentization strategy which is not depending on sophisticated IAB social media metrics. This way is too complex and I would not even find the time, or even see the necessity, to do the reporting based on this definition. Selling, optimizing and reporting cpx models already was difficult enough. So, why not make processes easier and give companies what they want…
Identifying and positioning next to social medians – but the social median is to decided on the partners.
Spot On!
Let’s imagine we could commit a maximum of four brands for one, two or three years to become partner with us. We would be so called ‘sponsored social median VIP’s’ (obviously not everyone in the world could reach such a status). Only those companies will get our valuable ad spaces that have been defined by us as our ‘favorite brands’ for a certain time-period. Isn’t this a worthwhile aim of monetizing a social median? Social medians are trendsetters. They are facing the signs for a change – and know about their powerful personal branding.
Looking forward to hearing your views on this monetization model ‘Only my favorite brands can partner with me’ (without writing sponsored posts!).
PS: Performance is nice for companies, but not at all costs for social medians. Or does the world really want to see the freedom of opinion with high-quality content dying before it has even started big way? Just because it cannot be monetized? The social median does not want to become rich, but she/he should make his value proposition clear to the world, right?
News Update – Best of the Day
12.05.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie Daily Top 3
Outlook: Forrester projects good numbers for the interactive industry: 11% growth this year and by 2014 the spending will be more than doubled compared to 2009 (2009: $25.6 billion – 2014: $55.0 billion). We love to believe that…
Outline: Youtube introduces new premium ad format called ‘mosaic’. First case study and booking the new format: Volkswagen.
Output: John Battelle, founder of Wired magazine, The Industry Standard and Federated Media Publishing, in an interview with HubSpot CEO Brian Halligan about the future of search and if Twitter and Facebook are a threat for Google.
Will paid content be the future of the web?
11.05.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie English Content, Featured Stories, Web Strategy
Talking about the future of the web, everybody becomes an expert these days. And all of a sudden they are all media experts. One thing is for sure. Without content there is no future of the web. The interesting fact is: People cannot see the future of the web without evaluating the value of content, not even the experts.
This becomes clear when watching interviews. Although Jeremiah Owyang, the web strategist at Forrester Research, is referring to their great outlook on the future of the social web, he also touches the point sharing content in the future.
So, we all know that content drives the web. But isn’t it bizarr that nobody wants to pay for it while still paying for outdated content on print…?
After a deade, the question is raised again this week, if paid content is the only viable way to generate reasonable revenue streams. For publishing companies it is the desperate need of not being dependable on banners, text ads, affiliate marketing and small e-commerce dollars that keeps a web business running – or even growing.
The paid content topic seems to develop faster as a real need for interactive discussion amongst all relevant media experts than any other topic on the web future in the economy these days – and not only online as I could see at different events this week.
The need for continuity, for steady income streams, is the reason why paid content is the big thing that comes up quite frequently these days.
This interview between Tom Glocer of Reuters and CNN’s Richard Quest from this week stresses the importance of extracting non-advertising revenue from websites. Charging for content, charging the consumer, is the hope of the web platform providers for the future… and not only for the profesional users.
The reason why paid content might become future of the web is no secret. Somebody has got to pay the bill… for head counts, electric costs, the quality of journalism and so on – as traditional digital advertising revenues cannot cover the operation costs of any web business efforts.
When I wrote about The Social Globe (a subscription model for social network use) some weeks ago, people send me emails saying I should not push the idea of a paid social networks world. You were probably right, in saying I was too bringing this perspective too early. Not because nobody did see the option as I could read in mais, but more as there is so much work to do before paid social media models might become reality.
First, there will be the newspaper and publishing companies that have to address this issue with a serious intention. This is what people see as more obvious as thy realize the ‘blood, sweat and tears’ behind the product for ages.
Now, the question is if media tycoon Rupert Murdoch might kick this paid content topic off, so that the future will be nearer than we all think. With his paid TV business, he has got the proof that it can work – although it might take some time…
“We are now in the midst of an epochal debate over the value of content and it is clear to many newspapers that the current model is malfunctioning” Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and CEO of News Corp. said yesterday.
Yes, we are… but does not the newspaper and publishing industry have to share their views, their interest and their goals? Isn’t this the access to the future of paid content? Why? My view is …
Spot On!
Reuters, Forrester and News Corp. face the reality of content on the web. Content is key. Some weeks ago, Chris Poley told users they need to prepare to pay for content. And there will be more experts focusing on paid content, like Rupert Murdoch, who also said…
“I don’t think you can afford to put a lock and chain on the front page. It is a matter of figuring out which products you can charge money for.”
Sorry, I don’t agree with you, Mr. Murdoch. Yes, I do agree Mr. Glocer. The doors need to be locked. In my eyes it depends on how the paid content ‘system’ or ‘platform’ charges the user – not which content is ‘wanted’. This will be self-regulating. The newsstand tradition has proven this truth in the past, and TV premium-subscription models, too.
Will the following idea be a valid solution…?
“ONE-stop shopping with ONE single sign-on solution, being able to open up hundreds of doors with ONE account by ticking which subscriptions I want to read and then getting ONE invoice per month.”
This is the idea I described with myThe Social Globe vision. No doubt. The web will not be unpaid business in the future. Content is king! The only question is if the publishing industry goes the next step together or not… Right?
PS: We have had this solution years ago when we kicked of silicon.de. I could bite my *** that we have not started to charge from the beginning…
Dead or alive? Some philosophy on the future of blogging…
27.04.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie English Content, Featured Stories, Social Media
Last week, there was a lot of talk on the future of blogging, online – and offline at ‘online-minded’ events. The coincidence crossed my way that last week some of my closest friends (no bloggers by the way) were sitting together, discussing heavily on why blogging is the future of media – and obviously micro-blogging as well. The conclusion we came up with can be found in the ‘Spot On!’ at the end of this post.
Let’s give the word to the blogging experts and their thoughts first…
A kind of an ‘inner circle’ had dinner at TheNextWeb09 and was brainstorming in a relaxed atmosphere on the topic if blogs are dead. Now, Andrew Keen shares this controversial conversation with us and quotes on his blog Hermione Way, founder of Newspepper: “Blogging as we know it is dead”. The co-founder of WordPress, Matt Mullenweg, sees more of a different new approach for blogs and the way people will handle blogging in the future…
“Blogs will become aggregation points” (…) “They will become our personal hub. Places where we store all our personal media content such as our flickr photos and Twitter posts.”
Especially when we think of micro-blogging, this seems to be the state of mind for a lot of the Twitterati – and some also do it vice versa in a (sometimes self-referential) cross-promotional way.
But, are Mullenweg’s thoughts not interfering with the business model of bookmarking sites, websites such as Mister Wong, Digg, StumbleUpon, Technorati or others, someone may ask? So, is the future of micro-blogging a mixture of bookmarking with the positive effect that you share personal or follower content with friends and followers?
And finally, let’s listen to the words of David Tokheim, Six Apart Media, top manager of an American blogging service provider…
“The lines are becoming blurred between a standalone blog that might be created on TypePad or Blogger or WordPress and blog content that’s created by The New York Times.”
And eMarketer defines blogging today this way…
“…today’s (blogs) are about two-way conversations that take place on many fronts: independent, standalone blogs; social networks; e-commerce and mainstream media sites; and micro-blogging platforms such as Twitter.”
Obviously, times for blogs are changing. The former definition of blogging as a personal expression using an easy self-publishing tool has gone lost on most of the blogs. It seems that blogs are becoming mainstream as a modern format of publishing in the meaning of creative thought sharing … So, we may be asking ‘Why?’.
Spot On!
Now, reading all these opinions, my answer and view on blogging is more a conclusion that goes in the direction of Richard Jalichandra, CEO of Technorati: “You’re also seeing mainstream media coming in the other direction by adding blog content”.
Being an online publisher for more than 10 years now, there are coming different memories to my mind that bring my vision on the future of blogging to you. Memories from past days where the following “unwritten editorial manifest” counted, using the good old editorial questions (and old silicon brand slogan) …
… who cannot write professional is meant to leave the pen in the bag, better stop expressing opinions open wide and keep their mouth shut. – Now, most of the blogosphere has forgotten pens exist, publish excessive, express great visions and are not even physically meant to keep the mouth shut.
… what intelligent brains cannot control in their minds or ‘scribble’ in books was not worth to be mentioned as it lacked the only format of intellectual value proposition: print. – Now, the web is crowded with blogs (and will be even more in the next decade) offering more intelligent content output in not more than 500-750 words but hundred times more trendsetting, enlightening and progressive than some theses.
… when choosing the ‘right’ content management system (cms) was key for the success of online publishing. – Now, there are content management systems, called blogging tools, comparable to former publishing cms systems, leveraging an individual’s mind to the status of a well-rated publishers level.
… where long, grey-haired editors with black, stand-up collar long-sleeves or flashily-dressed outfits were the only valid authority of the written word. – Now, we have casual-dress code at Tweetups, meet calling cards of the blogosphere in jeans giving advice on stage to white-collar professionals and suits. University education turned upside down…
… and why the individual, the economy and the industry is not publishing? Media experts were doing it much better, more professional, well experienced and with heart and soul. – Now, the world is overwhelmed how complex, creative and informative individuals, employees and companies find ways to be heard by the world, their target group and their customers – just by (micro-)blogging.
The glory of blogs has just been brought to life. Blogging is alive – different from its beginning, sure. But the future of blogging has not even started being perceived as the leading new format for digital portals, magazines, newspapers, custom-publishing, or even digital TV broadcasts. And there will be companies and individuals becoming new famous publishers with their blogs that we don’t even know yet.
This is my take on the future of blogging and I love to hear other views…
Join our webinar on ‘Social Networking for Business’
09.04.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie English Content, Social Media
On 22nd of April, at 4:00 PM (GMT+0100), Michael Leander-Nielsen, well-known marketing expert, is hosting the webinar on ‘Social Networking for Business‘.
The webinar will present the results of his latest study conducted in Q1 2009 amongst 500 business decision makers in Europe. It will be focusing the social networking potential and attitudes from individuals as well as brands.
Michael gave me the honor to be the special guest on this webinar and talk about the future of social networking. And he was so kind to have me pre-publishing three exclusive results from this survey…
1. Nearly 11% of business decision makers spend more than 9 hours on social networks a week.
Imagine what this means to productivity if these decision makers would be focusing more on their real business – the business of the companies they are working for…
2. For now, 37% cannot say yet if social networking is benefitial to their business.
Combined with the first finding an even bigger productivity issue for companies, don’t you agree?
3. The acceptance of advertising on social media profiles is increasing as long as people don’t have to pay membership fees anymore.
The option of advertising on social networking profiles is there but what does this mean to employers/companies in terms of employee contracts?
Furthermore, the webinar will provide insight and discussion opportunity on the following aspects…
- How do business decision makers use marketing through social networking platforms?
- How do business decision makers set your personal objectives for profiting the most from social networking platforms?
- Which key drivers, key trends, and key motiviations can be identified for engaging in social networks?
Register now and see who will be taking part in the webinar with you. Michael and I are looking forward to ‘seeing’ you discussing with us on the 22nd of April.
Tips for better blogging by Erin Blaskie
06.04.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie English Content, Featured Stories, Web Strategy
As we all know the ‘blood, sweet and tears’ for a good website is content. And there is one manifested argument for it: content is key! Content pushes your search engine power without any ‘artificial’ efforts. And this is even more important for blogs, for blogs are becoming the competitor for the ‘old-school’ publishing industry.
Now, how do you find the ‘right’ content, meaning content that people want to read? There is probably a lot of content like collaborative knowledge and company information in your company that you would love to talk about. But does this really interest your readers or potential buyers?
There are probably days, when your ‘blogging team’ can produce and create quality output. And then there might be days, when nobody and nothing seems to be in the world -apart from having no time to blog as of different reason: loads of administrative work, time is short, business keeping blogging team busy and the news scenery is in some way odd and boring.
Erin Blaskie, internet marketing strategist & owner of Business Services ETC (BSETC), gives us four tips in a short and well-spoken two minutes video – watch it and learn from it.
Let us resume the four bullet points Erin proposes…
1. Ask your audience!
Find their problems, answer those, become a solution provider for them or do some research on how you can help or assist.
2. Collect interesting information!
Find things, information, news and pieces of relevance for your audience (or clients) and blog about it.
3. Listen & answer question!
Open up your ears and eyes – in fast moving times there are a lof of people around you that don’t know what the latest buzz and trend is. Your blog should become a valuable resource for your audience.
4. Blog about news!
Write about the latest trends and ideas that are ‘in the talk of the street and screens’. People love to be interesting and being the first to know. Isn’t it all about vanity?
Spot On!
Blogging is like becoming a journalist (if you have not started yet, you might start here). No wonder ‘real’ journalists fear the new publishing trend as it effects their ‘unique selling point’ – publishing quality content that matters. How much the future of journalism is effected by blogs and micro-blogging can be read in this article on ‘The future of “quality” journalism: lots of questions, few answers’.
I personally think, professional journalists should focus on the background stories much more than delivering the news that everybody can read in hundreds of articles and posts in blogs – see also some recommended reading.
News Update – Best of the Day
20.03.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie Daily Top 3
If you have enough time to educate yourself on social media topics, take this route and get an update. Containing some good read…
Social Networks can monetize. You want a case… OK see how virtual goods do on Chinese Tencent network, click here.
Like a road-map on ‘trends in publishing’? No problem, it’s all there for everyone on the web… (via Miguel Barbosa and via Old School Value).
News Update – Best of the Day
11.03.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie Daily Top 3
Retweet becomes more powerful to many people who want to support and show their honor to, in most of the cases user-generated, tweets and posts. Jon Samsel wrote on the power of ‘Retweet: Harnessing the Word of Mouth Marketing Power of Twitter’. A must read…
In an AdAge interview the selfless guru of wisdom-of-the-crowd publishing Jimmy Wales talks about ‘How marketers get things wrong’. It becomes obvious again that the loss of control is the critical point in the discussion around enterprise 2.0 and social media. This loss of control through social media cannot free brands for an open dialogue with customers.
Nokia goes Web 2.0 with TV spot. No, not sponsored by Nokia in my favor, but carrying a good message.
Print and Online: thoughts on modern publishing
20.02.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie English Content, Featured Stories, Offlinewelt 1.0
This week, there was some interesting buzz around modern publishing. How the future might look can only be found between the lines of the news. Let’s face some of these indicators of the modern publishing industry…
Print
In Germany, we have had the breaking news that Vanity Fair will be closed down – the magazine survived only two years. Is this a sign for the publishing industry that print is dead? Or just an proof that the publishers have not found the right approach for a target group? OK, America loves VIPs, so does the UK, and even Austria the famous opera ball (yesterday) indicates some addiction to vanity sanction. In these countries people love luxury goods, focus on lifestyle and want to be up to date in the VIP scenario. Pure news business, great for ‘word-of-mouth’ conversation in the bars.
Some thoughts… In Germany, can we doubt that people don’t even appreciate socializing in bars in the night? Is jealousy a ‘critical’ mentality topic in the German society? Is there a nightlife that the other mentioned countries can offer? In the end, how about the editorial approach when all these questions remain with an at least ’50% Yes’ in the room, and when there is no word-of-mouth VIP-society?
Online
The TIME magazine just awarded the 25 best blogs in 2009 – but also ‘downsized’ the ‘ratings’ of some famous blogs. Let’s have a look at the top and flop 3…
Top 1: Talkingpointsmemo.com
Top 2: The Huffington Post
Top 3: Lifehacker
Flop 1: TechCrunch
Flop 2: Gawker
Flop 3: The Street
Are we surprised that the Huffington Post is amongst these top three blogs? They raised 25 Mio. US Dollars investment this week. But wait a minute? How are they monetizing their platform? Classical advertising models like banners, text-ads, paid links and Google AdSense, right? Is this the future of monetizing an online publishing platform – monetizing based on reach? Is this pioneering?
If you doubt this, then how do we have to face modern publishing reality? What is responsible for the Huffington Post success? Editorial credibility (3,5 Mio uniques, 60 mio. page impressions), the political new way of opinion-forming, the modern blog publishing format or just the name of the founder Arianna Huffington? Or was it just the Obama hype that made this blog famous? A mixture of everything maybe…?
Techcrunch is one of the most quoted websites in the world today. Nevertheless, it finished in the flop 3. Did the quality go down because Michael Arrington wants to sell the blog? Or are there other reasons for their downsized rating than those of the TIME magazine?
Spot On!
According to the cluetrain manifesto: markets are conversations. Bearing this in mind, publishers of all kind need to have a close look to the talks of the target group they intend to address, which market mentality they wish to access and above all, if there is a ‘word-of-mouth’ power for the publication in the entered country. The publisher editorial teams need to find the right investigative approach to modern journalism that makes people want to think and generate content for them, not answering peoples’ thoughts – in order not to face a publishing crisis. Having a monetizing model in place is the justification for a business model and an investment round. But it does not have to be innovative, it seems…
PS: Can we summarize… First, there were print magazines, then there online magazines and now we have blog magazines? A lot of questions… open to your word-of-mouth.
