chrisbrogan.com - Latest Comments in Make Useful Media

Re: Make Useful Media

yuregininsesi — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 09:48:20 -0000

I think location based media will become a popular concept in 2009 as more and more people are exposed to the broad array of free web tools that are out there. Hopefully Obama's social networking efforts will inspire millions of people world wide to organize location based content.

Re: Make Useful Media

evden eve nakliyat — Tue, 25 May 2010 11:58:08 -0000

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Re: Make Useful Media

Shaine Mata — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:58:08 -0000

It is so easy to become a bit self-absorbed and not put out anything of value when writing a blog. But you're right. The one blog that generates the most revenue is the one I neglect because it requires me to provide something interesting. It IS a blog focused on local news and activities, which could do better.

Thanks for the reminder; I'll get back on track.

Re: Make Useful Media

Chris — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 14:01:51 -0000

I don't mean to nitpick, but I'd like to comment on this statement:

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And please, not for your company’s dumb products. Think “useful.” Think “helpful.”
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A company's products can be "useful" and "helpful"...After all, an individual never purchases something with the expectation that he/she will be worse off. The belief is that the product can be "useful" or "helpful".

Sure there can be spam, and I would have a problem with that...but there are also legitimate ways to market your products via social media.

In fact, the ability to locate and service the demands of the marketplace are more efficient when using todays digital tools.

Trade and Exchange are a critical part of our lives...We can't survive without them. So I think it's an error to say that social media should not be used to help others become aware of your products, whether they're "dumb" or not.

Re: Make Useful Media

Steve Nimmons — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 05:50:18 -0000

I'm in favor as long as long as it doesn't all become a storm of 'public access TV' media, with low quality and poor editorial control. As media is power, I don't think we should be naive about the controls the current media barons will exert.

Re: Make Useful Media

Kirsten Branch — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:45:43 -0000

In addition to making the media more useful, there also is a huge challenge to make it more accessible. Now that such a huge number of people have the increasingly powerful hand held devices, so much more than mere "phones," there is more opportunity here to engineer ways to meet this medium without sacraficing good content.

Re: Make Useful Media

Calisha — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:19:50 -0000

I subscribe to your blog and have been reading your posts by email for a few weeks now. Got this post today and it inspired me to submit a proposal to Change Makers' Re-Imagine Media competition! My proposal is grounded in making useful media and making media useful to the every day. I had been thinking about submitting something but had this big grand project thought up and I desperately wanted to scale it down to something feasible and manageable that could be useful to anyone. It's not a blog but I'd love your feedback: http://www.changemakers.net...

Re: Make Useful Media

Gary Wiram — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:37:49 -0000

Great advice Chris. As a Baby Boomer who manages three blogs, is involved with Social Media like Twitter, etc., I'm a bit of an anachronism. So, I like what you have to say not just for my own direction but for the encouragement it gives others of my generation to dive in.

Re: Make Useful Media

Peter Renton — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:57:05 -0000

Hey Chris, I often wonder when the old media is going to evolve. I still like reading magazines - they are a very efficient technology very portable, easy to carry and read during a long flight. But why is it that every issue TIME magazine and Sports Illustrated is identical for all subscribers.

I would like to see these magazines redefine themselves with the option of having a custom magazine made. Give me a menu of say 50 topics and allow me to choose my favorite 10-15. Then I can get a magazine that is tailored to my interests. If old media doesn't start making these changes in the next year or two they really have no future. I will just move all reading to my RSS reader. If they adapt I will happily read magazines for many more years.

Re: Make Useful Media

Quired — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:24:17 -0000

I agree with Chris on many fronts but remain hesitant of social media commentary always turning it's back on the product or the service.

Yes, compelling stories are great and interesting articles are good but if we want to get the average small business owner excited about social media, we need to get them excited about how they are going to be able to utilize these tools to engage prospects with their products, services or events.

When the word "dumb products" is used, I pause. Why can't we wrap an interesting back story around the product. Why did the owner sacrifice to so much to release their product? Why is the product so special? How can the benefits of their product answer their target audience's needs.

Why is social media so insistent on turning it's back on the products and services when this is makes the world turn.

It's not that people have a problem with advertisements. It's that they are burnt out on receiving advertisements they are not interested in. If I see a story on how a runner was able to experience the benefits of a new shoe and I have just finished a tough run, I am thrilled to learn more about the shoe.

Even the word Social Media scares many small business owners. "Social" is too indirect and too casual. Business owners have their family's well being at stake. In this economic downturn, they are looking for ways to sell products and services. End of story.

Let's work together to make a clear case for social media.

Re: Make Useful Media

Chaf — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:08:00 -0000

Great post Chris!

Re: Make Useful Media

Brad Flora — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:26:38 -0000

And by two questions, I meant 3 questions.

Re: Make Useful Media

Brad Flora — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:26:17 -0000

Hi Chris,

I publish a collection of local sites about Chicago called The Windy Citizen over at http://www.windycitizen.com We publish original metro reporting through some content partnerships and a growing number of blogs written by local people in the know, like Anna who commented just above me. We've scooped the Tribune a few times and are seeing pretty steady audience growth.

2 questions for you and your readers, things I genuinely would like to understand better.

1. What, if any should the line be between reader-contributed news stories and stuff written or aggregated by an editor?

2. What's the right scale for something like this in a city? We've started out at the "metro" level, but it's become more clear to me that that doesn't really mean much and might not be meeting people where their needs are. Neighborhood sites or topic specific sites might be more the way to go.

3. Also, in a city, why would someone use a site like this and not Yelp? What does Yelp not have that you think could still stand to be created or attacked? I realize you're not really talking so much about city stuff, but still.

Re: Make Useful Media

Kristiana — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:49:21 -0000

Hi Chris - I'm a big fan of the "self-improvement" and "interest-based" blogs because you don't always need news sometimes just information and new perspectives. I use them to "self-improve" what I'm doing at work to stay competitive. Now is the time to create and strengthen one's community of knowledge through these smaller channels. I know that my trusted sources of information are more and more based through the channels that are not managed by national media giants.

Re: Make Useful Media

Anna Tarkov — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:12:12 -0000

If anyone is interested in seeing how this is being done in Chicago, please visit http://www.windycitizen.com and http://www.gapersblock.com

Re: Make Useful Media

Anna Tarkov — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:57:28 -0000

Huzzah!!! This is exactly what I've been up to in the last 2 months. Local, local, local. I can't say this enough. People like local news. Just look what happens when you write good local stuff.

You get comments like this: http://dailydaley.windyciti...

Please read the comment from "Linda" and my response.

Re: Make Useful Media

Blog Expert — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:50:06 -0000

Nice inspiring thoughts. Always nice to come to your blog and read great content you would not find other places.

Re: Make Useful Media

Cynthia — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:36:58 -0000

Are we talking about Gothamist type blogs or something that is more news-news related?

Re: Make Useful Media

Mark Evans — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:56:12 -0000

In terms of Internet-based media, I would suggest that sites such as NowPublic are filling the need to report "small news".

Re: Make Useful Media

Betsy — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:52:39 -0000

We have a great example of location based media in Buffalo, NY that launched a couple years ago that's become a great go to source to share info about events and also serves to galvanize those who are trying to revive the City -- www.buffalorising.com

Re: Make Useful Media

Lylah — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:46:50 -0000

Some big publications are trying to go hyper-local, but can't really get beyond the big-media mentality of recording only the "important" things for posterity....

Great post. Much to think about!

Re: Make Useful Media

Donna — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:40:37 -0000

Location based media! I am convinced It's the best way to go. There is this one local web site that I just love because it's so interactive. Folks in the community contribute and now it's become one of the places to look before you leave your house to go out on a friday night.

http://www.worcesterite.com

Re: Make Useful Media

Kneale Mann — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:30:32 -0000

Hey Chris,

As usual, you have your finger on the pulse. Anyone unwilling to pay attention and be nimble will be left wondering what ever happened to "the good old days?"

Re: Make Useful Media

Joe Mescher — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:17:52 -0000

I enjoyed this post very much!

Did you happen to read the story yesterday in the New York Times 'YouTube Videos Pull in Real Money'?

Your article gets a little deeper with respect to sharing with readers ideas for content creation.

If anyone out there is ready to get started, check out the NY Times article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008...

Re: Make Useful Media

Mary — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 06:45:37 -0000

For a great example of location-based media: www.ibrattleboro.com