Read the Freakin' Blogosphere

Change or die. We hear the phrase all the time. In fact we hear the expression so often that it's become a drumbeat cliche. Still the change or die mantra is the anthem of the Internet age, like it or not.

Did you know there are 200,000 Google results for the phrase “change or die?” I thought it would be higher. Well, make that 200,001 now that this post is out there. Understand I have no idea if adding my voice to the chorus will make any difference. Nevertheless I am here to say to every single client-side and agency-side marketer that unless you change and help your organizations change, your career is in trouble.

Now, many of you might say “Steve, our ads are working. We're the talk of the press and our sales are up. Go jump in a lake. What do you know, Mr. Loosah 2.0. Go back to your blog ashram.” Fair enough. But I am telling you, old marketing is dying and fast thanks to social computing.

Change starts with preparation - what Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan calls “adult homework.” Tonight I did just that. I engaged in a deep read of Forrester's outstanding Social Computing report. Although it's $295, this report is worth it if you work in an agency or a big company. Maybe if you work in a group you can chip in and buy it. Your career will thank you.

I already blogged about it here, but there's one graphic that really jumped out at me that I felt I should show you. Take a look at this chart ...

Now, if this doesn't make your stomach queazy I don't know what will. As you can see, the marketing disciplines we know and love - the very ones that carried our careers forward - are dying. Why? Because there's too much information. So if media is a commodity, what does that mean for advertising and PR? Exactly.

Although some call me a guru, I fear becoming obsolete. When I look at the above chart it gives me the hebes. Why? Well, I don't know a lot about IPTV so I see that I better read and study.

Mark Cuban is one of my heroes. I am getting a once-in-a-lifetime chance to spend some time with him this weekend when he comes to town with the Mavs. This is an incredible thrill for me. When you read Mark's accounts of how he became successful it's no secret. He read the freakin' manual again and again. First it was the computer manual, later it was the Internet manual and today it's the HDTV and social media manual. He always keeps up with the changing world and recognizes the trends early.

Today the “manual” is living. It's the blogosphere. Read it and stay curious. Don't be complacent. Be like Mark.

Technorati Tags: Advertising, Careers, Mark Cuban

Comments

[Todd Zeigler]

On Mark Cuban, I posted an entry that was partially about Ice Rocket on my company blog. I was basically talking about how Ice Rocket style buzz meters are a bit misleading. Within two hours he'd seen my entry and posted a response clarifying how I could better use his tool. Not defensive - just a clarification. Great example of "getting it" on a level exponentially beyond most people at his level.

[Sherrilynne Starkie]

I sure would love to get a look at that Forrester report but can't afford the ticket. Is there a synopsis published anywhere? Thanks for a look at the diagram.

[scott]

Forget talking with Mark...see if he'll let you meet Dirk ;)

[BobG]

Steve and readers - This is the first blog I put in my rss reader 3 months ago...after I figured out what the heck RSS meant. Posts like this are the reason why! Micro Persuasion manages to present a steady flow of information that is timely, thought provoking, and challenging. So prolific - it is tough to keep up. But nobody said it would be easy and I'll admit to missing a great deal! Being in the newspaper business for 20 years, the chart in this post is no surprise. New to marketing - in name alone - it gives me more to learn and study. Thanks!

[The Nobleizer]

Being entrenched in the communications market means I lay awake and worry about this kind of thing.

Nowadays, there are so many intertwining media, and so many ways of creating discussion in each, that people in the communications business could never control them all.

In the end I have come to this conclusion: It's no longer possible to track every message. In the age of social publishing, all you can do is your best.

[Ne0h]

I can't understand how you blogging guys have such blinders on. Do you really think that the housewives reading Redbook even know what an RSS feed is? You run around screaming that it's the end of the world if organizations don't adapt to the new formats of engagement..but the market that buys JUST ISN"T THERE! It's still only in email. Read my lips, the only guys hanging around in your circles are guys just like you. The general population, that has money (the AOL crowd), AIN'T THERE!

[Paul fabretti]

Ne0h, you make a good point, but ultimately, the innovation has to be started by someone and this particular vehicle is one which is already being used by by many tech-savvy people, probably creating the impression that it is just for geeks.
BUT, take a look at the visual difference between something bland and techy-looking like del.icio.us and the same thing like ma.gnolia.com and see how it is just question of de-geeking the technology.
I believe we are in the early stages of social marketing, look at how many start-ups there are now, each trying to find their feet.
It will come, and very soon, just as long as we continue to find ways of making the ideas of value to the consumer.

[Ne0h]

Paul thanks for responding.

Here's why I'm so upset.

What's going on in blogs is easily duplicated in other formats that does reach the AOL crowd. In fact, anyone can reach the first pages of all the search engines within a week and not have to do it with all the restrictions blogs impose. Blogging is great if you really need to feed your ego on a daily basis. But if you're after marketing for your clients there are some significantly better ways of doing it. In fact the future doesn't lie with blogs. It lies with human/corporate editors that control the first pages of the search engines with comprehensively researched documents. These editors and their products are free from the restrictions imposed by search engines, and they remove all the failings of coded algorithms and click fraud by returning human control to the mix. Think Wikipedia if you need an example. Believe me, there are hundreds more out there. This is by definition what "Web 2.0" is. The subjugating of the search engines through powerful community based websites.

[Elliot]

200,000 is actually not very many pages. Think about it. Two hundred thousand unique pages. I think the marketing folks have desensitized you. Even Google admits their result counts are thousands and thousands of pages off; the search shows 192,000 pages for me. Additionally, many are duplicates, and others are quoted. There are not that many unique writers creating new web pages that have a specific phrase like that. Likewise, there aren't too many searching. Still, it's a frightfully big number. Just keep in mind that it's not as small as you may think.