Interesting discussion overnight between my friends Robert Scoble and MIke Arrington over whether Robert's personal brand diminished because of his love for Friendfeed. How refreshing and retro that this conversation is actually taking place via blogs instead of just on Twitter and Friendfeed, where I am sure it is also happening.
So Robert has spent 2,555 hours spent reading tens out thousands of mostly inane Twitter and Friendfeed messages, and has written a few thousand messages of his own. Meanwhile, we as a community lost the regularly entertaining and thoughtful posts of a great writer. Like I said, it’s time for an intervention.
I want Scobleizer back.
I have to agree with Mike here. I don't follow Scoble as much as I used to. And I am someone who has been reading Robert over five years now. In fact, one of my very first posts was about him. The reason I stopped tracking Santa Scoble was simple - I don't spend a lot of time on Twitter and Friendfeed. RSS is my addiction and I dip into these other streams and then dip out as I have time. I never miss a post in my reader.
In 2009 I think we're going to see a lot of the old guard return to their roots - their blogs. The reason is home field advantage. Why build build Twitter or Friendfeed's equity, when you can invest in the turf you spent so much time on? That said, there are tremendous advantages to doing all of the above.
Louis Gray, Chris Brogan and Jeremiah Owyang all seem to have the right model. They do it all. How, I don't know but they do. I have been blogging more lately too. I missed writing long form. My roof has a leak and I am fixing it. Scoble should do the same and I bet he will.
I wrote a post on this earlier this year: Should You Rent or Buy Social Real Estate. The answer - both. But ask first which helps pay the bills. In my case it's my blog. Twitter and Friendfeed are steroids.
As personal branding becomes a weapon in a down economy, look for blogging to make a return run.
