We don’t have to look far to see that we are living in a digital world. On my desk sits half a dozen connected devices, wifi enabled, flashing, beeping, spewing updates from sites, friends and acquaintances thousands of miles away. But for me, this is a world that I have chosen to participate. For many in the Gen X and Baby Boomer demographics, adoption of technology has been a conscious choice. We grapple with this changing world for work or for pleasure – sometimes for both … but always with the knowledge that the off button is only a short distance away.
But for succeeding generations – the always connected Gen Y and Gen Z groups, there has never been a time of “non-connection”. A battery or wifi failure is not just a technical issue. It’s an existential crisis.
In May 2012, when young Chinese student, Xiao Zheng, sold his kidney in order to buy an iPad2, the headlines around the world amplified the outrage. From the outside it’s easy to point a finger and call out the insatiable materialistic desires of a morally bankrupt generation. But surely there is something deeper going on.
Graham Brown’s new book The Mobile Youth digs below the surface to reveal a compelling story of dis-ease. Peppered with statistics, insight – and most importantly – an anthropologist-cum-storytellers eye for observation, Graham reveals a hard truth that we all share in:
The rise of technology isn’t undermining the social fabric of society. Technology’s rise is a response to our loss of a meaningful social world.
As a reader of a lot of business communication (books, blogs, papers, presentations), I am often disappointed that the power of the writing doesn’t match the power of the ideas. This book is the opposite. It’s a business book written in the style of a page-turning blockbuster. For anyone interested in the changes taking place in our society and the collision of generations, culture and communication, it makes for compelling reading.
But most importantly, it provides an insight into the seemingly disconnected nature of our ever-more connected lives. Download your copy of The Mobile Youth and let me know what you think. I found it fascinating.
Facebook’s recent decision to shut down The Cool Hunter’s Facebook page should have sent shivers down the spine of every marketer. For years the vast scale of Facebook has attracted brands like a moth to the social media flame. Promising TVC-like reach with the added benefits of interactivity, community building and interest-graph targeting, it seemed that Facebook was the answer to the prayers of digital marketers the world over.
But a Facebook only strategy is doomed to fail:
Facebook is well-known for changing their terms and conditions without consultation. If you are not on top of those changes you can find yourself in breach and at risk of being shut down
Many brands run competitions on their Facebook pages without understanding the restrictive rules for doing so – see particularly Item E (iv) about the use of the Facebook “Like” button as a competition entry mechanism. Again, transgression could see your page shut down
Facebook is a walled garden designed to keep interaction and activity firmly on the inside. If you are going to the trouble of engaging your connected consumers, building your community and deepening the brand relationship, you run the risk of being “Cool Hunted” and losing that entire investment if you are shut down
Facebook, while large in scale, is only one social network. Digital marketers should be aiming for quality of engagement and deep next gen customer experience over “reach”
Three steps to reclaim your digital strategy
Facebook can still be a useful (and powerful) platform – but it should be part of your strategy to drive marketing and business outcomes. For example, it should not BE your strategy. There are three steps you can take to reclaim your digital strategy:
Use a continuous digital strategy. In a digital world, strategy is not “set and forget”. Following a proven approach to set, refine and extend your digital strategy provides deep resilience in the planning and execution of your strategy
Strategy drives decisions. You must have a clearly articulated and documented strategy. It should provide a guiding principle. “Share the Message, Own the Destination” will not only drive the content and conversational approach, but will also inform your technology choices
Use technology to scale. While social media offers one-to-one communications, this cannot scale in a business context. There are a range of technologies that can assist you to scale the execution of your strategy. This topic is the focus of my future research, be sure to subscribe for updates.
If marketing technology vendors had doubted Australian marketers’ hunger for innovation, then the recent turnout to the Marketo Rockstar Tour laid those doubts to rest.
Stretching out of the main bar at Sydney’s Establishment Hotel and down George Street, a queue of 300 or so patiently made their way to the upstairs ballroom to learn about Marketo’s software as a service based marketing automation platform. Punctuated with case studies, driving rock music, audience questions and a keynote from founder Phil Fernandez, it was a glitzy launch with plenty of substance. Follow along with the tweetstream below.
Fifty four percent of the world’s population lives in Asia. That’s 3.7 billion people. And according to We Are Social, Singapore’s recent report, Asia is home to over 1 billion internet users – 80% of whom use social media (see full report below).
The numbers are impressive. And yet, they tell only part of the story.
The most compelling aspect is the trajectory of digital consumption across Asia:
New internet users every month: 11,350,000
Videos watched (in June 2012): 45,000,000,000
New Facebook users each month: 10,000,000
Mobile internet users now outnumber PC-based internet users in China: 388 million vs 380 million
Consumer Adoption is Disrupting Patterns of Media Consumption and Impacting the Buyer’s Journey
The shift to digital in Asia is characterised by the widespread use of mobile and smartphones. Almost half of the people in Asia are willing to make transactions on their mobile phones (43%). And 60% of internet users in Asia use social media to inform purchase decisions. This combination is impacting not just the top end of the marketing funnel but various points across the buyer’s journey.
Digital Adoption Will Drive Marketer’s Thirst for Mobile Solutions
Given that more than half of Asia’s population is under 30, marketers seeking to engage these high spending, younger audiences will need to develop new digital approaches.
However, with 82% mobile penetration across Asia – and a growing population of mobile internet users – digital approaches should increasingly follow a Mobile First with a Social Heart strategy.
Marketers Will Turn to Marketing Automation to Scale Execution
While digital and social media marketing promises one-to-one conversations with customers, the rapid growth in the population of “Connected Consumers” challenges marketers’ capacity to scale. As a result, marketers will begin turning to marketing automation vendors to provide personality rich brand communications at scale.
The Shift to Digital Requires a Re-casting of the Marketing Funnel
While the information in the We Are Social report focuses on Asia, we are seeing similar shifts in markets the world over. Marketers can no longer rely on past practices as a relevant method for predicting future outcomes. Forward thinking marketers will need to begin rethink their understanding of their consumers from the outside-in. This will require a re-casting of the marketing funnel.
Look for my upcoming report CMOs: Re-casting the Marketing Funnel for Consumer Engagement, available for free later this month to all Constellation Research clients. Want to know more? Email me.
It was a welcome return and a good, vocal crowd at the Shelbourne Hotel, for the topic of Blog Monetisation at Sydney’s Social Media Club event. A panel comprising bloggers, agency folks, digital publishers, journalists, PR and digital strategists kept the conversation going and got the crowd tweeting.
There were a large number of fashion bloggers on hand to learn the secrets. ALSO be sure to check out this wrap up by Francis McCarthy.
Blog Monetisation – Social Media Club, Sydney
In a welcome return, Social Media Club, Sydney takes on the challenging topic of "monetization". The panel for the evening, hosted by Rocketman Media's @HannaDeMilta featured fashion bloggers @pattyhuntington and @karlacourteney, PR guru and man about town @matthewgain and publisher @danielkjellson
Storified by Gavin Heaton · Mon, Oct 08 2012 20:38:44
Hanging out at #smcsyd – looking forward to the discussion.Aylin Ahmet
@byrongreens: #SMCSyd oldest woman in the room – have been wkg in online since 1995 – where's my gold watch.Christine
Blog monetisation event about to kick off at #SMCSYD. Speakers: @pattyhuntington @danielkjellsson @karlacourtney and @matthewgainTara Sena-Becker
#smcsyd Social Media Club Sydney gets underway. It's been a while… http://pic.twitter.com/qoh709wSTim Burrowes
How long have you been blogging? In 5 years we've seen a lot of change @HannahDeMilta #smcsydGavin Heaton
Even selling straight ads isn't that useful says @karlacourtney #smcsydGavin Heaton
Loving Karla at the #smcsyd funny and insightful @karlacourtney http://pic.twitter.com/WUCGfLa5Alexandra Mayhew
"The challenge is finding a way to monetise in a way that has ethics." @karlacourtney #SMCSydSmarterBusinessIdeas
Missing #smcsyd to try and finish writing an essay. #lastminute hope it’s a good night!Dave Phillips
Look to advertising as well as network syndication and paywalling says @pattyhuntington when it comes to monetization #smcsydGavin Heaton
The most fashionable #smcsyd crowd,ever.cenkbaban
#SMCSYD @pattyhuntington talking about her 2 income streams for frockwriterSocialMediaClubSYD
Advertisers only interested in blog uvpm – not return visits #SMCSYD @pattyhuntingtonCameron Stead
At #smcsyd hoping that a successfully monetized blog = a successful blog. Whether you want money or not, we all want an audience, right?angela stengel
Bloggers can be more influential than a magazine says @danielkjellsson #smcsydGavin Heaton
Plenty of discussion about "cash for comment" or "cash for coverage" through the night.
Should bloggers be paid? #smcsydKaty Daniells
Should bloggers be paid for time and effort? @matthewgain talks about smaller audiences and content #smcsydGavin Heaton
conglomerate has come up twice tonight. the label paradigm for bloggers #smcsyderietta
#smcsyd idea that individual blogs scale to revenue making models somewhat naieve – possible for minority not majority – blog is part of mixChristine
"Display ads aren't working for big media as well as bloggers. It's more about paying a blogger for expertise or engagement" #SMCSydSmarterBusinessIdeas
Need to think beyond simple monetization says @matthewgain – need to understand niche expertise available #smcsydGavin Heaton
#smcsyd please note hundreds of journalists made redundant b/c content companies don't think they are worth paying forChristine
"Bloggers are sometimes the most expert people in their field". But just as often not… #smcsydTara Sena-Becker
If your blog starts just for you and you later can make money from it, isn't that a win-win rather than being dishonest? #SMCSYDAdam Welch
It's about transparency, says @karlacourtney. Does your blog audience know you're being paid to post? #SMCSYDCameron Stead
RT @HarrisSmyth: RT @HarrisSmyth: #smcsyd please note hundreds of journalists made redundant b/c content companies don't think they are worth paying forDae Levine
Marketers care more about readership than engagement, but do readers engage less because blogs are monetised? #viciouscircle #smcsydNaomi Brooker
#smcsyd monetization derived from connection to audience and/or scarce or exceptional expertise – blog or silo for subject across platformsChristine
Should bloggers be paid? Some differing opinions on the panel. If its authentic & valuable for readers, why not? #smcsydSarah Peacock
There needs to be an exchange of value #smcsydnextforsale.com.au
The conversation shifted to encompass journalism, journalists and agencies. Perhaps there is even a role for consulting companies in this brave new world. The underlying theme remained not just blogging as a business, but on fair value.
@servantofchaos media planning agencies will need some serious rehaul of their sources and sales model #smcsydFrederic Chanut
Is self-publishing the future of journalism? #smcsydTracey Yong
Question: are bloggers overlooked by big brands when it comes to media placement? #smcsydGavin Heaton
A blog is an excellent platform to establish expertise for consulting firms, which in turn can lead to new business. #smcsydFrancis McCarthy
Traditional media agencies overheads are too high! #smcsydKaty Daniells
That just happened: "Self-publishers are the future journalists." @danielkjellsson #SMCSYDAdam Welch
Chanel should go with @FELLTau over @vogueoz – self publishing is the future … you said a mouthful there @danielljellson #smcsydTania Debono
“@TraceyYong: Is self-publishing the future of journalism? #smcsyd” only if you are an old school VANITY PUBLISHER or exceptional expertChristine
@blurboz @blurbbooks @bronwen you'll love this: @danielkjellsson said 'self-publishing us the future of journalism' #smcsydJosephine Sabin
It was a little hard to hear some of the panelists due to a "dodgy microphone". Sometimes it was easier just to hear comments when shouted out. Or sent via Twitter 😉
Quick poll: Who else is in favour of ditching that dodgy mic? #smcsydFrancis McCarthy
Can I suggest we turn the volume up to 11 at #smcsyd can’t hear at the backScott Rhodie
@ScottRhodie I'd support that but crank it to 13 even #smcsyd hearing ftwAdam Sparke
Audience is quiet because it's hard to hear #smcsydGavin Heaton
Patty Huntington spoke about the experiment of using a paywall on her site. This elicited a lot of conversation amongst the audience but didn't get a lot of coverage in the cut and thrust of the panel. Patty responded later – indicating that traffic dipped initially but has now stabilised again.
#smcsyd @pattyhuntington you mentioned viewers getting around the pay wall, but how did it affect your site numbers?Annabel Jenkins
A blogger making millions is a while off yet – a reasonable steady income is the first step #SMCSYDTheRemarkablesGroup
Again we returned to the topic of expertise, payment and payment in-kind.
You don't pay bloggers for their reach, you pay them for their engagement and expertise #SMCSYDElise Phillips
Bloggers can be journalists. Journalists can be bloggers. However more often than not there is a big difference #smcsydScott Rhodie
Some bloggers can take the monetisation and 'perk' aspects to the extreme… How do you keep it authentic? #smcsydAdam Sparke
RT @TaraJSB: RT @TaraJSB: "Bloggers are sometimes the most expert people in their field". But just as often not… #smcsydCarly Findlay
What constitutes full time professional bloggers? #smcsydKaty Daniells
There aren't a lot of full-time bloggers. I don't think that's the goal for most bloggers. A blog is a hub for content marketing. #smcsydFrancis McCarthy
#SMCSYD can think of a number of Australian "bloggers" who've carved out careers in their field of passion; their blog as their launch pad..N
athalie Swainston
There are full time bloggers making a living like @problogger @mumbrella etc – but they have a sophisticated approach #smcsydGavin Heaton
Some of the FELLT bloggers earn a full time income from blogging. Figures not disclosed #smcsydVivian M. Yang
"Bloggers are just small business people, like freelance journalists" Thus need to be request that same respect @pattyhuntington #SMCSydSmarterBusinessIdeas
@neesha_a we need 2 b apart of this RT @mumbrella: #smcsyd Social Media Club Sydney gets underway. It's been a while… http://pic.twitter.com/jKTLGlMTNina Le
Patty asks the million $ q's – who actually makes a full time living from blogging? #smcsydTania Debono
I think if you can combine topics you are passionate about into blog(s) and make money from it… Do it! #smcsyd Gotta love what u do…Adam Sparke
Blogging can lead to other forms of paid work: speaking, consulting, design work. #smcsydFrancis McCarthy
RT @natface #SMCSYD can think of a number of Oz "bloggers" who've carved out careers in field of passion; their blog as their launch pad..Nicole Blaess-Smith
Surely as soon as bloggers turn to non genuine recommendations the point is lost? #smcsydKaty Daniells
Much of the discussion and questioning focused on elements like blogger outreach (agency side) and the merits or otherwise of sponsorship, ads and ad placement. Folks like @ProBlogger and @Mumbrella have much more sophisticated business models in place and have been able to successfully grow and develop audiences and shift across niches to varying degrees. Some good lessons from the US market as well as the local market to be investigated.
@brookemorrison @matthewgain plenty of ways to showcase expertise, shift audiences etc. Good digital strategy helps here #smcsydGavin Heaton
But is it appropriate to compare the US blogger landscape to ours? #smcsydTanya Chadha Phull
A blog needs to be niche is order to be successful in advertising, says @karlacourtney #SMCSYDCameron Stead
Audiences can be global 😉 RT @tanyaphull: But is it appropriate to compare the US blogger landscape to ours? #smcsydGavin Heaton
loving #smcsyd tweets … interesting debateSoph
The topic of "what is a blog" seemed to invigorate the audience and the panel. Sites like Mumbrella.com.au have become powerful media properties in their own right – but what can be learned from this? Is it a blog? What is the approach and how is it different from the approaches of the bloggers in the room?
#SMCSYD how do you define a blog? Is @mumbrella a blog?SocialMediaClubSYD
In the US blogs are required to be transparent by law #smcsydKaty Daniells
How do you define a blog? The lines are almost too blurry to tell #smcsydNaomi Brooker
Considering most publishers are struggling with monetization we should be careful about following a failing model #smcsydGavin Heaton
Building a publishing platform involves a digital strategy. Too many bloggers jump in then think they can monetize. Not that simple #smcsydScott Rhodie
. @mumbrella a blog because you're big? Thoughts? #smcsydAlexandra Mayhew
Who needs to be *at* #smcsyd when your feed is filled with the hashtag?! Thanks @ScottRhodie @servantofchaos @katydaniellsNehad Kenanie
blogs are now taking a more professional standard these days then yrs ago, & can be compared to traditional media @matthewgain #smcsydTania Debono
Your company's blog content is probably comparable to traditional media. The power of traditional media but in your hands. #SMCSydSmarterBusinessIdeas
#smcsyd did I just hear Daniel invoices 20k a month for a blog with 300k visitors month? #pleaseconfirm cc @danielkjellssonerietta
@A_Mayhew we happen to use a blog based platform, WordPress, but our commercial strategy is old skool publishing built on a brand #smcsydTim Burrowes
POV: Blogging is more to do with attitude. Do you aim for engagement or broadcast? #smcsydGavin Heaton
Blurred lines between blogs and traditional media; how do we define a blog when traditional media is using same techniques? #smcsydn2n Communications
Is it a blog when you just takes everyone else's pictures eg collage bloggers or one that has original content??? #smcsydTania Debono
You know what most blogs lack. Professional photography and good subbing #smcsydScott Rhodie
@Whereisannabel @natface @StylingYou and @HairRomance are examples #smcsydTheRemarkablesGroup
#smcsyd yes unique content is driver IF it is exceptional – in the 90s we called content curation AGGREGATION – weave the threads – be greatChristine
#SMCSYD blogging as the source versus Tumblr where you reblog other people's content via @karlacourtneySocialMediaClubSYD
Bloggers answer to their audience. If you fail your audience you're on your own #smcsydGavin Heaton
RT @servantofchaos: RT @servantofchaos: Bloggers answer to their audience. If you fail your audience you're on your own #smcsydAdam Sparke
@the_cakeface #smcsyd NO, blogging is original content otherwise just use Pinterest or tumblr.Kimberly Nissen
@servantofchaos Responsibilty lies with the blogger and the brand to keep a balance for readers #smcsydTheRemarkablesGroup
Is having a @tumblr blog really a blog? Sure is! #SMCSYDrach currie
Definitely! RT @rachcurrie: Is having a @tumblr blog really a blog? Sure is! #SMCSYDTanya Chadha Phull
And then that age old debate surfaced … journalists vs bloggers …
Journos v bloggers: 'journalism is fact checking & fact checking and getting right of reply' says @pattyhuntington #smcsydJosephine Sabin
If you are a good enough writer, can create unique content and deliver insightful information your blog still may not succeed 🙁 #smcsydScott Rhodie
Where does the line now begin/end when blogging becomes citizen journalism becomes news source? #smcsydAdam Welch
Only in some cases 😉 MT @roneo: Journos v bloggers: 'journalism is fact checking & fact checking and getting right of reply' #smcsydGavin Heaton
Because no matter what people need to be able to find you content. Tight SEO strategy is important #smcsydScott Rhodie
Want to make money out of your blog? Look to traditional publishing – sell something physical/concrete. New media, old tricks. #SMCSydCitizens of theWorld
Good example in the photog vertical: @52suburbs did a great job monetizing her photo blog (published a book, toured an exhibition). #smcsydJosephine Sabin
@rachcurrie yep! Love @tumblr – share what I find interesting from others as well as my own thoughts. Chaotic nature of it is fun #SMCSYD :)Roslyn McGinty
Let's face it – the age of the "Paid Post" is over. #SMCSydCitizens of theWorld
Advertising on blogs doesn't work- working with brands & gaining recognition to a wider audience is the key #smcsydTania Debono
#smcsyd journalism is also OpEd where we are talking about big $$$ rather than journeyman – own the field, have an insightful perspectiveChristine
Exactly. Personal branding. RT: @FrancisMcCarthy: Blogging can lead to other forms of paid work: speaking, consulting, design work. #smcsydJosephine Sabin
@ScottRhodie @rachcurrie @tumblr Visual storytelling at its best 🙂 #smcsydTanya Chadha Phull
And as the lines blurred, we returned again the personal nature of blogging. Do people start a blog to be successful or do they start from the passion and work from there.
"I've never met a successful blogger that actually set out to be a successful blogger" @FELLTau founder @Danielkjellson #smcsydTania Debono
I never met a successful blogger that set up to be a successful blogger. #smcs
ydVivian M. Yang
I have! RT @VivianMYang: I never met a successful blogger that set up to be a successful blogger. #smcsydGavin Heaton
There is huge potential for bloggers to make an income for off-blog activity – eg in ad campaigns & brand ambassadors #smcsydTheRemarkablesGroup
#SMCSYD most successful bloggers don't set out to be successful bloggersSocialMediaClubSYD
"Not every blogger wants to monetize their blog" #smcsyd @HannahDeMiltaVivian M. Yang
Digital Buzz Blog was never created to be monitised – the passion for the subject needs to exist first #smcsydKaty Daniells
And then the $64,000 question came from the audience!
How much money are we talking about? Great question from the audience #smcsydGavin Heaton
#smcsyd most of the time blogs start out of passion and during the journey the blogger realises she can make money out of the contentcenkbaban
#smcsyd audience Q&A: "how much money are we talking about?" #bestquestionevererietta
Of course, no one wanted to own up to that answer!
RT @katydaniells: RT @katydaniells: Woah….she asked the question that you're not supposed to ask….$$s #smcsydJames Coyne
And in a cloud tinged with embarrassment the conversation shifted to the concept of burnout. How do you keep it fresh? How do you keep going (almost full circle to the questions at the beginning around length of time blogging).
How many bloggers experienced blogger burnout in the last year? #smcsydTanya Chadha Phull
#smcsyd blogger burnout… I know that feeling!Alexandra Mayhew
Yep, definitely a victim of "blogger burnout". More like 3 weeks than 3 years though… #SMCSYDTara Sena-Becker
Thinking of starting a blog? RT @rocketmanmedia: the challenge is finding the niche and filling it with content @karlacourtney #smcsydMark Woodrow
If you don't get blogger burnout you're just not doing it right #SMCSydCitizens of theWorld
@pattyhuntington likens the blog to art. One blogs because of the passion for subject, the desire to create. #SMCSYDAlexx
Teacher burn out is WAY worse TRUST me #smcsyd #blogging #tbexCaz Makepeace
Blog burnout, defiantly can relate to that one! #smcsydJarryd
So … it seems that this monetisation issue is rather complicated. What is the value to the blogger? What is the value to the brand? What about those media planners who sit in the middle?
Oh man, you can get free cardigans? #smcsydGavin Heaton
Love how the Internet disrupts existing power structures. journos v bloggers, blogs v trad online media. old becomes new again #smcsydJosephine Sabin
News journalist have the hardest job in media which is why there isn’t a lot of news bloggers compared to the ‘other’ areas #smcsydScott Rhodie
Bloggers vs journos – many mainstream media are threatened by online blogging leaders – check your stats who is reading your work #smcsydTania Debono
POV: often blogging is an investment in your own brand that you'd otherwise have to pay for #smcsydGavin Heaton
Monetising your blog doesn't have to have anything to do with traditional paid media. #smcsydMsCritique
YES –> @danielkjellsson: "Monetizing a blog doesn't have to have anything to do with advertising" (and rarely does!) #smcsydNathalie Swainston
Advertising comes from brands looking to push their product. The growth of non-news media stems a lot from ad growth #smcsydScott Rhodie
It's called "new media" for a reason #smcsydHair Romance
During Q+A the topic of disclosure came up.
#smcsyd basic legal advice on disclosure bloggers? CashForComment – audience wont trust you & mediawatch will ridicule you as they shouldChristine
POV: If you sell out you'll become less interesting and lose you're readership #smcsydKaty Daniells
You'll get burned either way says @karlacourtney on product disclosure. Sounds like good advice. #smcsydangela stengel
Disclosure: the cash for comment debate-disclose or be burned. if you sell out you will become uninteresting & lose readership #smcsydTania Debono
Isn't there an element of audience education on how blogs operate, and bloggers are funded, same with marketing or PR? #smcsydAdam Welch
In my opinion, disclosure should be mandatory. #smcsydTanya Chadha Phull
With great integrity comes great *potential* dollars, followers, engagement. #SMCSydSmarterBusinessIdeas
Comparing blogs to magazines in relation to disclosure is bullshit. Just because mags don't doesn't mean we shouldn't #SMCSYDElise Phillips
The UK and US have disclosure nailed #smcsydKaty Daniells
You don't need disclosure here – you will be found out and taken to #alanjonestown #smcsydGavin Heaton
Disclosure laws in Australia needs to be implemented but how does do you police this ? Says @matthewgain #smcsydTania Debono
AGREED! If you want to be seen as credible and professional, this —> RT @tanyaphull In my opinion, disclosure should be mandatory. #smcsydNathalie Swainston
Does Australia need disclosure laws for sponsored blog posts like the US/UK? #smcsydn2n Communications
Photo: #smcsyd the panel talking about the broad (and at time divisive) topic: The Age of Monetisation… http://tmblr.co/ZSCvZyUtyYZ8Josephine Sabin
#smcsyd why ask non lawyers legal questions – the intl approach is industry self regulation not legislation – refer ACMAChristine
Disclosure or no disclosure, I just ASSUME a lot of blogs are influenced (to say the least) by PR and freebies. A little jaded… ##smcsydTara Sena-Becker
Journos must disclose junkets, why not bloggers? #smcsydAdam Welch
There should be more honesty and openness in declaring who supplies holidays/gifts/products to both bloggers and journos #smcsydScott Rhodie
To be fair, there are some agencies + orgs who *are* ethical + demand disclosure from "their bloggers" regardless of post sentiment #smcsydNathalie Swainston
@danielkjellsson says never did he receive freebies as he did in traditional media. If bloggers must disclose, why not trad. media? #SMCSYDAlexx
Agreed… "@AdamDWelch: Journos must disclose junkets, why not bloggers? #smcsyd"Adam Sparke
If blogs need to disclose their sponsors, what about print magazines? Advertisers? PRs? 'Story sponsored by'? #smcsydTara Sena-Becker
Sometimes the lines blur – if you are given a new phone do you disclose every tweet? #smcsydGavin Heaton
Photo: Tonight’s panel… #smcsyd (Taken with Instagram at Shelbourne Hotel) http://tmblr.co/ZSCvZyUtz18pJosephine Sabin
When do bloggers need to disclose not only their freebies but also their income from ads on brand influenced videos or content? #smcsydAdam Sparke
RT @StufThatIBought: RT @StufThatIBought: Very few people make straight cash from their blog, but it's like an online portfolio to make money elsewhere #SMCSYDAdeline Er
thinking of starting a blog?… Don't give up your day job! #SMCSYDDene Gambotto
“@AdamDWelch: Journos must disclose junkets, why not bloggers? #smcsyd” non-disclosed gifts limit $10 at Fairfax – less than a good lippyChristine
If in doubt, disclose – @matthewgain #SMCSYD #bloggingCameron Stead
Fashion and news never sleep – @pattyhuntington. Amen sister #SMCSYD #fashionCameron Stead
@karlacourtney you can tweet and present? Awesome 😉 #smcsydGavin Heaton
In my years in PR I have found some bloggers feel ‘entitled’ to freebies and more… #theotherside #smcsydScott Rhodie
Same… "@ScottRhodie: In my years in PR I have found some bloggers feel ‘entitled’ to freebies and more… #theotherside #smcs
yd"Adam Sparke
You can call me entitled all you want but there is no reason to put brand content on my blog without payment #smcsyd #personalbloggerZoey Martin
#smcsyd much of this discussion reminds me of FREE press – timeout London is now FREE to keep advtg revenue per distribution – also bad payChristine
@HarrisSmyth you'd be lucky to get a beer for that #smcsydAdam Welch
A tale as old as time… RT @ThangNgo The bloggers vs journos argument comes up again… #smcsydMi Casa-Su Casa
@matthewgain If in doubt, disclose #smcsydTheRemarkablesGroup
Proof if proof be needs be… @sullmcintyre #smcsyd 😉 @ Shelbourne Hotel http://instagr.am/p/QhAMHOMN14/Nathalie Swainston
Someone has chips! #smcsydGavin Heaton
No one mentioned the elephant in the room. Darren Rowse (@ProBlogger) is Australia's leading blogger – and has been able to grow a global audience and a massive online following across social media channels. And then Cenk had to bring it up! 😉
#smcsyd interesting not to hear @ProBlogger mentioned in a topic about blog monetisationcenkbaban
RT @cenkbaban: RT @cenkbaban: #smcsyd interesting not to hear @ProBlogger mentioned in a topic about blog monetisationThang Ngo
was thinking same thing "@cenkbaban: #smcsyd interesting not to hear @ProBlogger mentioned in a topic about blog monetisation"Adam Sparke
Yes @problogger casts a silent shadow over this entire topic 😉 #smcsydGavin Heaton
@servantofchaos is there any other kind of shadow? 🙂 #Silent #smcsydDarren Rowse
#smcsyd @matthewgain good on you for mentioning Darren from @problogger he's a success storyThang Ngo
No love lost between @pattyhuntington and @danielkjellsson #smcsydKaty Daniells
Really great panel tonight. Thanks #smcsydTracey Yong
Not just own brand co's 2 RT@servantofchaos POV often blogging is investment in your own brand that you'd otherwise have to pay 4 #smcsydChris Paine
Great folks here (even though I'm present too)! #smcsyd http://pic.twitter.com/7xQMpYBIDaniel Kjellsson
@TheRemarksGroup reading the chatter from #SMCSYD thanks for making me feel confident I can eventually make money from this blogging caper!Angela East
Food for thought. #SMCsyd. In the interests of full disclosure, this tweet was brought to you by American Apparel.kayleigh
@servantofchaos 'Someone has chips' is the funniest tweet I've seen tonite but it doesn't exist unless u take a pic of it @SMCSYD #SMCSYDSimonLeong
@matthewgain Loved your contribution at #smcsyd esp abt how the lines btwn traditional media & blogs r blurring. Wished you spoke more!Vivian M. Yang
My takeaway from #SMCSYD tonight – Making money on your blog via ads is a pipedream. Instead, use your blog to build your profile.Ryan Tracey
RT @mumbrella: RT @mumbrella: #smcsyd Social Media Club Sydney gets underway. It's been a while… http://pic.twitter.com/qoh709wSJohn Carver
Talking to few bloggers today at #smcsyd I came to the realisation that in order to love my job I had to be a little nuts. Try to tell bea…Frederic Chanut
There is a lot of talk about brands becoming publishers – as if it was a simple transformation achieved by the stroke of a budget making biro. But what does it really take?
In Australia, Medicins Sans Frontieres or “doctors without borders” aim to put this to the test.
Médecins Sans Frontières is the world’s leading independent organisation for medical humanitarian aid, providing relief after natural disasters, helping victims of conflict and running emergency feeding programs. Working in war zones much of their work happens far from the eyes of the world.
And while MSF are known as a “below the radar” organisation – this poses real challenges for sharing stories, building awareness and engaging with potential sponsors, donors and the interested public.
For the month of October, MSF TV aims to address this challenge head on, creating a digital newsroom to bring stories directly to the public. There are:
Seven channels of video content aimed to stimulate conversation
Conversations amplified through the #msftv hashtag on Twitter
YouTube channel with an archive of episodes and issues from the MSF TV site
The rise of digital opens new opportunities for brands to go peer-to-peer
Marketers generally think in terms of business-to-business or business-to-consumer communications. But the rise of digital has changed the landscape. It’s not one-to-many but one-FOR-many communications. The old B2B and B2C distinctions are crumbling under the weight of social media – with communicators now working in a peer-to-peer conversation.
Very few organisations have followed this path thus far. It’s complicated, challenging and exciting. MSF and their partner agency, Republic of Everyone, are trailblazing. They truly are going where others don’t. But we can only expect more to follow.
In the UK, Google is set to launch a new financial services division with a new credit business the first product to market. As Adam Clark Estes reports, the initial offering will provide businesses with a small line of credit linked specifically to Google’s AdWords program.
A number of items within the announcement are worthy of attention:
It’s a new product within a new division of Google
The plan is to expand to countries beyond the UK in the “next few weeks”
Credit cards will be issued with very competitive rates
Why This Is Important
Financial services is a fresh field ready for disruption: Disruption in the financial services sector has been a long time coming. The sweeping tide of digital has washed through most sectors but has been held back from regulated sectors like financial services, healthcare and pharmaceuticals. Innovators are seeking a way into these lucrative markets
Google understands speed to market: Many industries rollout new offerings over extended time frames. It can take years for innovations in one national market to reach another. Google’s intention clearly intends to move very quickly to cement a foothold
The loan book is the thin edge of the wedge: As I suggested at a recent personal lending conference, disruptive competition is likely to come from outside the financial services industry. Cash Converters in the UK last year saw 154% growth in their personal loan book; in Australia they experienced a not insubstantial 28% growth. This is not about bit players – it’s about trends – and there is a wave of change coming. Google plan to be surfing this wave
The Bottom Line: Connected Consumers Shift to Where their Sense of Trust Takes Them
Despite advertising and branding blitzes over the previous 24 months, most financial services companies are viewed with suspicion by many of their customers. Long term lock-in has allowed FS companies to claw back GFC losses and to grow. This move by Google (and the accompanying announcement by Amazon) will capture the imagination of Connected Consumers – the tech savvy early adopters of a disaffected consumer world. Google has been building trust with Connected Consumers for years, turning every search result, every click and every app login into a brand experience. This may be the first step in what could truly be a transformative monetization strategy.
Your POV
Would you take a loan from Google for AdWords? What about cash? Where do you see this leading? Add your comments or send us an email.
Please let us know if you need help with your digital strategy efforts. Here’s how we can assist:
Assessing social business/digital marketing readiness
Considering new digital community strategy
Developing your social business/digital marketing strategy
Designing a data to decisions strategy
Create a new vision of the future of work
Deliver a new customer experience and engagement strategy
How many times have you heard those lines? It is often the first reaction to a new technology. It is the cold fish, slap-in-the-face of the overwhelmed. The desperate cry of the overworked.
Many times we let technology get in the way. It can confuse us or stop us from trying something new. Its first appearance looks like more work, more effort, more stress. More of everything that is bad.
But when we look back at improvements in productivity, technology is, without a doubt, the driving force. It has made our lives better – reducing boring, repetitive tasks, improving the speed of our decision making and delivering lightning fast, global communications to our desktops, fingertips and pockets. And yet, for many of us, new technology stops us in our tracks. After all, we are not all “early adopters” eager to try, use and show something new.
Often when we say “I don’t have time for that”, really we are saying, “I’m tired of this relentless change. I’m comfortable with the way I work. I’m good at it and I am busy doing what I am already doing.” In the end it appears to be change for technology’s sake.
But if the world of social media has taught us anything, it is that technology can also be transformative – it can change the way we do things. And it can change the way we think about things. It can change our attitudes.
But where do you start? This great 20 tip playbook from Salesforce Radian6 brings a decisively human element to the technology conversation (and I am not just saying this because I am mentioned in it). And while the focus is social media – this same approach can be equally applied to any communication challenge that you face. After all, it’s not about the technology – it’s about the people. Start by saying hello.
Are you old enough to remember the people who ran the corner shop? Do you even remember a time when there WAS a corner shop?
What about a milk man? Or a baker who home delivered?
These were people who knew your name. They knew where you lived. Their kids went to school with your kids. It was a time when communities weren’t something you engaged with online – it was something you lived in.
And yet for all the change that the shift to digital has landed on our shoulders – social media feels nostalgically utopian. It’s optimistic – often in the face of trolling behaviour and barely concealed bigotry. But it is also FAMILIAR.
In real world communities we long ago learned how to deal with unacceptable behaviour – and yet we seem to forget this in the digital domain. But if social media teaches us anything it is that we are accountable for our words and our deeds – for with every click, like comment and update, we leave a trail of digital breadcrumbs that lead us (and others) home.
In the corporate world, our employees traverse the web like modern day, digital Hansels. There are breadcrumb trails emblazoned across the webservers of the world. Your brands, products and services trail along in the wake of the words and deeds of your employees.
Once upon a time, the shopkeepers knew where their customers lived. These days it is the other way around. Social media has turned the outside world-in and the inside world-out. And yet many organisations are hopelessly unprepared for the digital world that is already upon them. As this infographic from Mindflash shows, 76% of companies do not have a clearly defined social media policy.
The solution is simple. Get help from the outside and build capacity inside. It’s not a fairy tale and there’s no silver bullet. It’s just common sense in the service of the common good.
Almost every day we hear more about the growth of Twitter. We hear a lot about its growth and its promise – but also, it’s dark side. Back in 2008, I felt that social media was mainstreaming – becoming accepted by what we’d call the early and late majorities.
But as this trend continues, we see a huge gap appearing in the skills, capability and experience of marketers in their use of social media. This is compounded by low barriers to entry – the sheer fact that anyone can setup a Twitter account in seconds democratises the power that once was held tightly by publishers.
But once you are connected, what do you do? As a marketer, you’re likely to make your fair share of mistakes – social is omni-directional. It’s not broadcast. It’s not even one-to-many – but what I call one-FOR-many. And as we have trained our minds towards broadcast, we can easily find ourselves out of our depth in the sea of social chaos.
But luckily for us, Mandi Bateson has developed a Twitter guide for marketers. Her Twitter 101 is a must read. It covers the Twitter essentials, how to make an impact and introduces the Twitter media packages for when you have some budget to spend on amplification.
