There’s a line between repeating a message to get through noise vs. spamming.
Marketers must master that distinction, I think.
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In an attempt to lower a potential barrier to communication, I’ve done away with the Contact form on my Contact page.
If you ever want to get in touch with me by E-Mail, just drop me a line at contact@broadcasting-brain.com.
As well, I frequently check out my Twitter account.
It’s the 21st century, why not make it a bit easier to get in touch?
Does something’s value really increase because of a recommendation from a trusted source or association with someone else or with some organization?
I’ve been thinking about the idea of how someone’s recommendation, sponsorship, or support can make you seem better than you might actually be. Conversely, name recognition is a form of social proof. I’ve been reading Seth Godin’s Small Is The New Big which includes one of his blog posts, Placebo Affect, The. The post contains the following phrases which triggered some more thinking:
“Why do some ideas have more currency than others? Because we believe they should.”
We’re going to talk about the power of context, reputation, and sponsorship in this blog post because if you don’t believe that they have a meaningful effect on bolstering your social media profile, or your profile in any field of interest, you need to think again.
In today’s post I’m going to play out a situation that happened almost 20 years ago and I’d like you to tell me if you think it was an early example of social media.
In 1988 and 1989, DC Comics (the publisher of popular comic books about Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, the Teen Titans, Green Lantern, and many other characters) ran a multi-part story in their Batman comic book called A Death In The Family. This story occurred several years after the original Robin, Dick Grayson, had adopted a new superhero identity while a boy named Jason Todd took over the Robin identity. This story, a mystery in which Jason attempted to find his birth mother, featured a number of classic Batman characters, including his nemesis the Joker.
DC Comics did something quite extraordinary for the times with this story. DC Comics editorial was aware that a number of comic book readers did not like the Jason Todd character, so they decided to put some decision making power in the hands of the readers. The penultimate chapter of the story was left as a cliffhanger, where Jason was placed in a situation where he could die. DC then set up two phone numbers that fans could call: one to spare Jason’s life, a second to lead to the character’s death.
As the story goes, after the votes were tallied, a slim majority of callers voted to kill off Jason Todd.
Jason Todd was killed in the final issue of the Batman story.
This was a clear example of getting reader input and reacting to it. The technology wasn’t Web enabled or housed on the Internet, but it had some similar characteristics.
My question to you: was the use of these phone numbers to kill off a character an example of social media in action? I’d really like to know what YOU think, including your arguments FOR or AGAINST the idea.
Just a quick post to talk about literacy.
It’s very simple: those who can’t read miss out on a lot of great opportunities and joys.
I haven’t done a lot of online research about literacy, but Jason Falls did show me the following website devoted to literacy: NCFL Literacy Now.
Let’s all take a moment and reflect on the fact that we are very, very fortunate to know how to read. The ability to read and write blogs is just the tiniest fraction of the benefits we all enjoy through literacy.
Does anyone else have any links to literacy websites?s Better yet, any examples of how they are trying to use social media to help (which might be very tricky, given the clientele)?
Modern society is beset by an insidious drug that is overpowering our population, consuming productive time, and turning relationships into dust. ChatterCrack, the overwhelming need to communicate frequently online, is continuing to attack our society in waves.
Here are the carriers:
and now…
They’re all agents that provide the ChatterCrack high. And, much like eating a bag of potato chips, once you start, there’s no going back.
It doesn’t matter that all of your friends are doing it! Resist, stay strong… just say “no” to ChatterCrack!
# # #
Some of you are probably crying “bullshit” at this point, and rightly so. Read the rest of this entry »
If you’re also a blogger or a content creator of some kind, I’m sure you can appreciate knowing that there are people out there who read or experience your content. I do!
Even if you’re not a creator, you probably find it rewarding to connect with other people.
As an alternate means of keeping in touch, I’d like to invite you to join a new mailing list that I’m creating.
The purpose of this mailing list is to develop an additional means to keep in contact with Broadcasting Brain readers. I have some other creative ideas that I’d like to explore during the rest of 2008 and beyond.
I like the idea of having another possible way to get in touch with you. I know that there’s a number of readers who subscribe to the blog, and the list is growing significantly larger of late, but very few of you are E-Mail subscribers, so it’s a little harder to reach out at an individual level.
I don’t want to make this more work for you than it should be, but in order to ensure that this is voluntary, I would ask you to contact me by E-Mail (just click on the link.)
Your E-Mail will not be given out to any third-parties without your express consent. Nor do I plan to ask you for that permission - it’s a privileged sharing of information between the two of us.
If you’d like to get some advance news about the creative things that I’ll be doing this year, and possibly some exclusive content, please consider signing up.
You’ll make me very happy if you do!
Some possible ideas:
I’m at the very early stages of thinking this through. However, I’d really like to gauge your interest in taking the next step in developing more Broadcasting Brain offerings.
I’d also like to use this as an opportunity to allow you to ask for your feedback on various things, especially if you are a regular reader.
Again, please E-Mail me if you’d be interested in signing up for this mailing list.
Be well, everyone, and thanks for reading.
Today’s post is inspired by Seth Godin’s March 31, 2008 post Where Do We Begin?
I’ll summarize his point less elegantly than he wrote it: your knowledge about an author has an impact on how you interpret his or her words. At the same time, a writer often makes assumptions about how much background knowledge the reader has about the writer. Seth makes the following statements:
I think this dichotomy of experience raises the level of responsibility for the reader. Without knowing who you’re reading, it’s hard to judge the tone of voice of what you’re hearing. More important, it changes the posture of the writer.
I think Seth’s argument is somewhat flawed and may potentially alienate new readers.
In the case of a blogger, there’s usually a lot of context lying behind what’s being written in each post. This underlying context is sometimes obvious, sometimes hidden - often unintentionally.
In the past, a newspaper or magazine columnist could often write their column while making the assumption that their reader would remember previous columns. I sometimes make that assumption in my own little column in my local newspaper. I do this unconsciously because I know the newspaper has a loyal readership and chances are good that if someone is reading my column today, they’ve likely read a previous column.
It’s a lot different on the Web. There are five main sources of traffic that can hit a website:
Items 3, 4, and 5 were somewhat possible, through different media and different vehicles, prior to Web 2.0, but they happen much more frequently now because of the searchable, read/write web. They also seem to become a increasingly greater source of traffic as a blog matures.
One could argue, then, that as your blog becomes more popular you’re going to get more strangers stopping by. Considering that most of us probably only know a few hundred people, it makes sense that you’re going to have a lot of strangers, or first-timers, visit your blog as it becomes more popular.
Having said all of this, while Seth has a good point in that the reader is well advised to acquire some background knowledge and understanding about the author of the work that they’re reading, the counter-argument is that writers should be making it as easy as possible for new visitors to get up to speed, especially when an increasingly large number of visitors are new to the blog or document in question.
FAQs, quick start guides, and even good old instruction manuals are there for a reason. They are there to orient the new user and to provide valuable information when needed.
Therefore, the trend I see in articles which talk about having a good About Me page makes sense to me.
Skellie has written about the value of an About page. It provides context to help understand the author’s beliefs, background, and their personality. The About page also makes it easy for the reader to get that information, without having to wade through dozens, hundreds, or possibly thousands of posts.
Other bloggers are making pages with their most popular posts and other important information. Jonathan Fields has a very good new visitor’s guide.
For my part, I’ve been gradually adding to and improving my static pages over time. I’d like to think that it’s not that difficult for a new reader to jump in to my blog and orient themselves fairly quickly, but I’m sure I can do a better job of that. Another project to add to the list.
And so I must disagree with Seth Godin on this point. It certainly helps a reader to have adequate background knowledge about the author before they start reading, but I’d argue that an author, blogger or otherwise, is better advised to:
Especially if the author isn’t a well known and respected expert AND they are trying to build an audience.
Many of the best products simple and relatively easy to use - should that include writing?
What do you think? Why not share your thoughts in the comments section below?
If you’re in a Christian part of the world or if you’re a believer anywhere in the world, today is the start of a three day cycle celebrating death and rebirth (or ascension, maybe that is a better word). Many people treat this as a time of reflection and celebration.
Why not try something a little bit different this year?
Don’t focus completely on the literal, or the myth, around this time of year.
Try looking at this example, the death and rebirth of Jesus, as a way to ascend or to improve. Maybe you feel like you are at a plateau and, in your own way, you are suffering there. Maybe you have critics that are dragging you down. Maybe you are your own worst critic.
Try to figure out a way to rise above the critics, stay true to yourself, and inspire others to make a positive contribution to the world.
Maybe that’s a hidden lesson of the Easter story.
This isn’t a political blog, but I thought I’d comment on Barack Obama’s March 18 press conference concerning comments made by his church pastor and his relationship with the pastor because it has a couple of interesting points about communication in the mass media.
Note: I have not actually seen the press conference video, nor have I read the transcript of his speech, so I am basing this post on press coverage that I’ve heard.
Two particular points of interest:
1. Obama apparently disagreed with his pastor’s views on race in America (I believe the pastor has made numerous statements which seem to accuse white people of doing wrongs against black people in America, but I’ve never read any of it), while at the same time continuing to embrace the pastor as an individual. He also referenced his (white) grandmother’s attitudes and behavior, which could be considered racist at times, while simultaneously maintaining a loving relationship with her grandson.
Obama clearly seemed to be trying to embrace multiple constituencies during a difficult campaign incident - do you he succeeded?
2. The news commentators mentioned that the podium set up (including multiple US flags) and the location (across from Independence Hall in Philadelphia?) seemed to be set up in such a way to make it look like Obama was giving a presidential address, or at least a reasonable simulation of one.
Did he look presidential to you?
Again, two questions related to mass media communication. I’d love to know what you thought about this, regardless of your ethnicity, political affiliation, or nationality, for that matter.
Even though social media is growing in prominence, traditional mass media still seems to rule in government and politics.
