Comments on: The best business opportunity in social media marketing

By: Manager Newz » Blog Archive » Can You Make Money Managing Social Media?

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:50:03 +0000

[...] a blog post almost two years ago about the best business idea for social media marketing, I made a prediction that I think stands up. I said that there would be increasing demand for [...]

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By: Brian O'Kane

Brian O'Kane — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:09:35 +0000

Content is not just about creation – it’s also about editing. Diamonds in the rough are less valuable than polished in a ring setting. And publishers provide the ‘quality mark’ that guides readers in advance whether to read or not to read the specific content piece. Yes, the Internet allows everyone to publish – which is why publishers are increasingly valuable in filtering what’s becoming an overwhelming wave of content. This is why I follow only a small number of people on Twitter (Mark’s one of them), who add value to my day by directing me to (usually) useful content. Writing, editing and pubishing – creating, editing and qualifying – are integrated parts of a whole system. And, yes, authenticity lies at its core. So, Mark’s right, there is an opportunity – but, to follow his analogy, it’s not for whores, only for lovers!

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By: Anne Giles Clelland

Anne Giles Clelland — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:53:24 +0000

Mark, I appreciate our email correspondence about this post and I acknowledge your points that I may be taking the word out of context and that my response may be exaggerated. Still, for me, the term “content whore” devalues the person, the transaction, and the act of content creation.

I respect commenter Jim Schweitzer’s important point that the “best thing a company can do is express themselves directly. If the company has no message, they have bigger problems to worry about than who is blogging for them.” Sometimes, though, it’s not the message that’s lacking, but the skill to express it. As the founder of a company that creates content with and for clients, we won’t create content for just anyone about just anything for money. We work with clients for whom we have genuine regard so we can create content for them that conveys as authentically as possible who they are and what they do. That can’t be churned.

To quote Jim Schweitzer again, “Authenticity will always be significant.” About my company and its products and services – and this is the path I’ve chosen for my company and it’s not the best, right, or only path – I would want content created by someone who values what he or she does and has the capacity to authentically value what my company does. From my view, those created words, images, videos and other media add value not only to my company, but to the quality and caliber of online content. As did this post, which I sense was written by you authentically, that content can then provoke important discourse, even insight, even enlightenment. That contributes to the greater good which, I believe thoughtfully, authentically, even artistically created content can do.

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By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:40:53 +0000

@Jayme Comment of the year!

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By: Jayme Soulati

Jayme Soulati — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:40:37 +0000

Let me cut to the chase; I’m a content whore. Hire me. @Soulati

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By: Jeff Hurt

Jeff Hurt — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:37:11 +0000

Mark:

I always enjoy your frank words and snarkiness. It’s a breath of fresh air and cuts through the noise. Plus, your humor helps ease the bloody toes as you sometimes step all over my feet. Geeze, does that make me into S&M you know social media sadomasochism? I digress.

I agree with you that we will continue to see a lot of content developed. Yes, it will be up to the readers to filter. And the good stuff will naturally rise to the top by WOM.

IMO, there are two types of content: soda pop and fine wine. Which type a company creates is up to them.

Cola is low quality communication: thin information, low-bred substance, and just plain disinformation. Wine is high-quality communication: analysis, debate, and knowledge.

Many content developers create content that is pedestrian, prosaic, humdrum and uninspired. Some will just rehash others sacchariny sweet recipe adding an extra dollop of sugar or caffeine, and put it in a pretty package instead of providing higher-quality, thought-provoking, multi-layered fine wines. Those with great content will develop fine wine with multiple textures, a variety of notes, degrees of intensity and an assortment of tactile sensations from tannin to prickle.

So, it will ultimately fall in the hands of the readers. Yet, I suspect, if a company or consultant like you and the others that have commented here, share great provocative thoughts, you’ll continue to attract new customers. If you have common-cola-thoughts that you’ve copied from the competitor, the reader will know. It will taste flat and unrefined.

So go ahead and be a fine wine, the uncola or be the common inexpensive cola or boxed wine found at your Walmart. Choice is yours.

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By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:13:44 +0000

@Jim Excellent point. There would have to be some cross-over at some point, wouldn’t there? But then again, if it is mission-critical, it probably wouldn’t be out-sourced in the first place. Good thinking. Thanks for participating.

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By: Jim Schweitzer

Jim Schweitzer — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:05:57 +0000

Mark, what’s to keep that from degrading to another form of syndication? I think that any content sweatshop would need to be able to sell the content to multiple sources. Pretty soon people would see through the veil, and all authenticity would be lost.

Authenticity will always be significant. The best thing a company can do is express themselves directly. If the company has no message, they have bigger problems to worry about than who is blogging for them.

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By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:46:04 +0000

@Lisa I think you’re opening up a whole new topic (which is fine by the way!) but I think there is a difference between developing and executing a content plan versus day-to-day customer intimacy. I agree with the Zappos model of making people accountable for customer satisfaction, rewarding it and making part of the company culture. That should permeate the content too, no matter who authors it.

Love the tagline. Just wish I had thought of it first!

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By: Lisa Foote

Lisa Foote — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:58:19 +0000

Autom and Joseph – Valuable comments following a refreshingly frank post from Mark.

Here’s another 2-cents perspective: In our paradoxically more-connected/less-connected digital society, we’re looking for what I’ll call the “clerk who knows my name.” Wawa C-Stores understand this. They drill intimacy into their staff, understanding that commoditized coffee + intimacy = heavy repeat business.

Mark, what I think you’re pointing out is that most companies, and certainly small consultancies like ours, don’t have the time to be the “clerk-who-knows-your-name.” So outsource it.

While I get the tongue-somewhat-in-cheek tone, I think the premium level will still be the voice of a person who is in-house, truly living and working in the company. Zappos is a good example of saturating the company with this ethos. It’s expensive, but done well, it works.

(By the way, perhaps the tagline for Content Whore Warehouse could be: “You’ll sound good in my words — I guarantee it.”)

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