Six Pixels of Separation - Marketing and Communications Insights Blog and Podcast - By Mitch Joel at Twist Image

Most Magazine And Newspaper Sites Are Tricking You (And Their Advertisers)

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 09:43:52 -0500

Why do Websites for magazines and newspapers always make you click through multiple pages to read one article online?

Do you know one person who likes having to click the "next" button multiple times to read one article online?

Isn't it terrible usability for the reader?

Why does the publishing industry do this?

It's simply about pumping more banner ads and offers into your face. Nothing more, nothing less.

In traditional print, your reading is constantly interfered with pages of advertising ("this story continued on page 259"). It's how the publishers make money and it's based on the mass media culture we've all become accustomed to. We see the same format across all traditional media channels - TV, radio and print. It has been called the "interruption advertising model" - you can't enjoy your content without some form of advertising interrupting the experience. Advertisers believe this be one of the more effective methods of getting their message across to the general public. Marketers will even interrupt your every day routine with messages (billboards on highways, ads in the subway, TV screens over the toilet and in elevators, etc...).

There's nowhere Marketers won't go to get your attention.

While consumers claim to hate this intrusion and interruption, rest assured there would not be much of a Marketing industry if those actions did not yield some kind of significant return. In the past few years the Digital Marketing industry has been looking at many formidable ways to build a better marketing mousetrap. The results are not in and - for the most part - we're still in the discovery phases of this transition. What we do know is that bringing in the old and traditional ways of advertising into the new digital channels is not yielding the best results. Click-throughs on banner advertising continues to be abysmal (the party line is that online display advertising is now a great branding tool) and open rates on generic email marketing campaigns continues to drop (it's all about building, customizing and personalization for success in that channel). Pay-per-click advertising on Search Engines is definitely spearheading this new "pull versus push" move towards better advertising.

So, why do magazine and newspaper Websites continue this terrible user experience of having to click through multiple web pages to read a 750 word article?

Is it possible that those two extra clicks of the mouse generate enough page impressions and banner ads served that it's worth the frustration to their readers? The answer must be yes.

Is an advertiser really "winning" when they know that their ad is only being served because the publisher is forcing the consumer to click that mouse and be frustrated with their online experience? I think the results of those ad campaigns probably tell the tale better than any of us could ever guess. But don't kid yourself into thinking that this type of advertising is anything more than a trick by the publishers to generate more pageviews and ad impressions.

Here's what I do: I click on the "print friendly" version. No ads, no multiple pages to click through. It's the full article, nice and clean. The same way you would have seen it in print (but without the ads).

Tags: ad impressions advertising advertising model banner ads digital marketing email marketing functionality magazine marketer marketing mass media newspaper online content pageviews pay per click print print friendly publishing radio search engine search engine marketing traditional media traditional print tv usability

6 Writing Rules To Master

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 23:37:48 -0500

If you want to write like a best-selling author, you might as well listen to what one of them thinks about writing.

George Orwell may be best known for the books Animal Farm and 1984, but there is a lesser-known essay he put together titled, Politics and the English Language, that featured his six rules for better writing:

1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

Here's what he wrote about his rules:

"These rules sound elementary, and so they are, but they demand a deep change of attitude in anyone who has grown used to writing in the style now fashionable. One could keep all of them and still write bad English... I have not here been considering the literary use of language, but merely language as an instrument for expressing and not for concealing or preventing thought... If you simplify your English, you are freed from the worst follies of orthodoxy. You cannot speak any of the necessary dialects, and when you make a stupid remark its stupidity will be obvious, even to yourself."

He wrote this essay in 1946.

Words matter. With publishing tools like Blogs and Twitter, maybe they matter even more.

Great rules are timeless, no matter how much technology changes the platform by which they are delivered.

(hat tip to Hugh McGuire from LibriVox)

Tags: 1984 animal farm best selling author blogging blogs george orwell hugh mcguire language librivox literature policitcs and the english language twitter writing

Start Your Own

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:23:19 -0500

There's never been a better time to start your own Blog.

If you're keeping score in the social media landscape, you're probably noticing many people bail on their Blogs and Podcasts for the conversations on Twitter or FriendFeed. I've Blogged about it before (others have as well). Still, when I look at the comment section of this Blog, I'm seeing many people with many bright ideas and yet they don't have a space of their own.

The whole beauty of these social channels is that the cost of entry is next to nil, and beyond the personal commitment you have to make to keep it fresh, vital and personal (let's be realistic - this is a serious commitment), Blogging enables you to get your voice "out there" and start the foundation for a solid digital footprint.

Start your own Blog today.

You don't have to promote it (yet). Your thoughts matter. They matter to you. They matter to this community, and who knows who might traipse across them in the future and what business opportunities may arise from them.

Don't be fooled by the few that are looking at the next shiny object. People still read. People are still looking for relevant content, and even if Technorati is tracking upwards of one hundred and twenty million Blogs, there are only a handful that each individual can wrap their head (and hearts) around. It's not too late.

Blogging is still fresh and it's still new.

How many people do you know who don't read Blogs? There's still a majority of people out there who don't know what they are, how to subscribe to one or what a RSS reader is.

Don't get me wrong, Blogging is big, but still has a ways to go.

Starting your own "anything" is one of the smartest moves a Marketer can make.

Here are some Blog ideas that you can run with:

- Get your company to Blog about the industry they serve.
- Start a Blog to discuss how marketing in your industry is working and where you think it's going.
- Start a group Blog to comment on your industries latest news.
- Create a Blog that acts as an op-ed on pressing matters in your space.
- Start a Blog to post your thoughts about the future of your industry and use the comments section to brainstorm with your peers.
- Use a Blog as an online journal - documenting where you're at (and where you're going) as you grow your business and affect change in your industry.

Find an angle. Find your niche... and dig down deep.

So, what are you waiting for?

Tags: blog blogger blogging digital footprint friendfeed marketer marketing podcast rss rss reader shiny object syndrome social media technorati twitter

Focus On Digital Marketing

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:34:54 -0500

Here's an old sales question for you:

Is it easier to sell one person one item for one million dollars, or to sell one million people something that costs one dollar?

It's not a trick question and the logic goes that it's much easier to sell one person something for one million dollars.

When it comes to the online world, I'd argue that it's equal. Heck, it might even be easier to sell one million people something that costs one dollar.

That's why eBay works, and that's why Chris Anderson wrote the best-selling book, The Long Tail.

Business models simply don't look the same to any of us anymore (and that goes for the music industry to the marketing industry and every other industry in between), because all markets look smaller in comparison to how businesses worked and were built before.

The truth is that they're not smaller. Products seem much more targeted.

Here's the challenge: don't get sucked into the mass media mind-set when it comes to online.

If you know that you can reach your entire market of 100,000 potential customers, why would you worry about buying media on a CPM (Cost Per Thousand) basis?

Focus.

Focus on your target market. Focus on delivering them relevant content. And, most importantly, focus on advertising and communicating to them where they are, instead of where everyone (in the whole world) is.

The Digital Marketing channel offers you the ability and the channel to focus.

Harness it.

Tags: advertising business chris anderson cpm digital channel digital marketing ebay marketing mass media music industry the long tail

6 Ways To Get More Involved In The Marketing Community

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:20:39 -0500

The only way you're really going to grow your business, get your next big promotion or land that perfect marketing job is by taking an active role in growing your marketing community.

"It's not about who you know.... it's about who knows you." - Jeffrey Gitomer (author of The Sales Bible and the awesome Little Book Of... collection).

Here are:

Six Ways To Get More Involved In Your Marketing Community:

1. Volunteer your time. There is no time like the present to call either your local or national marketing association and ask them how you can get involved or volunteer your time. Beyond that, you can call any association or charitable group that you are passionate about and ask them if you can get involved in helping them to get smarter about Marketing. If they don't have a marketing committee, offer to start one (see point #6).

2. Become a paid member. Don't be skeptical about paying industry association dues. Many marketing professionals look at the sliding scale and think it would be better to lie about how many employees they have or how much income they make to get a better rate, but that's not the point. As you grow (or as you're just getting started), it's important to support your local, national and international marketing industry associations by paying your dues and becoming a full-fledged member (and then following point #1). It's a honour to be able to pay dues (they sometimes have not-for-profit and/or student reduced dues too), and the only way you're going to grow your business is if you have a strong, unified marketing industry behind it.

3. Go to events. What better way is there to learn and meet similar people? One of the coolest things I've discovered is that I tend to meet the most interesting people at events that I would never have looked at in the first place. The good news is that there are also tons of free Marketing-related events you can attend (look no further than PodCamp, BarCamp, CaseCamp, etc...). Don't forget your business cards and don't be shy - you need to go up to people and introduce yourself. Remember, you're both there for the exacts same reasons.

4. Plug into the community. Use your Google News Alerts to see what's going on in your neck of the woods. Invite a business colleague, a client, or someone who you know is looking for a job in Marketing. Connect them to others. Follow the Blogs, Podcasts and industry trade publications (not sure where to start? look on the left-hand side at the Marketing Blogs and Podcasts I check out). In a couple of weeks you'll become a serious "person in the know." Plugging yourself into the marketing community tends to open up many new business opportunities. Ones you would have never seen otherwise. While your competitors have their noses down in their day-to-day operations, be out in the community building the present and future of your business.

5. Create content for a group. Remember content isn't just writing. It could be images, audio, video and, yes, words. Some of the most well-known and respected marketing business leaders built their reputations by writing columns for local newspapers or guest editorials for the industry trade publications. Now, with the availability of publishing platforms like Blogs, Podcasts (audio and video), photo sharing sites, etc... there's simply no excuse. It's easy for me to Blog here, but there is a strategic and community-driven reason why I also contribute to places like the Canadian Marketing Blog, One Degree, Marketing Magazine, Strategy Magazine, the Montreal Gazette, the Vancouver Sun and more. Yes, you'll drop off of some (I know I have), but you'll add some others as you build, share and grow. Creating content not only builds your visibility but brings what you do to a whole new audience. All media (including mass and even Blogs/Podcasts) are looking for fresh content. No reason why you should not be their salvation.

6. Become a leader. It sounds like a tall order, but it's not. All communities are looking for the "next generation" of industry leaders. If you're going to attend an event, why not call up the organizers and see if you can volunteer/lead a certain sub-committee or important function? If that fails, why not start your own? A bunch of cool Montreal Social Media types decided they wanted to bring a PodCamp to Montreal. They did not wait around for permission. They self-organized and are now leading an event that will have several hundred people attending. All eyes will be on this small group of people who took the time and effort to make this event happen (full disclosure: I am helping to organize PodCamp Montreal). What do you think it says about them to a potential employer, potential/existing clients or their boss? Leadership is one of the hardest skills to foster in marketing. Demonstrating it not only adds value to your resume, but it takes you several notches above your peers.

Social Media and Web 2.0 have made getting involved in your marketing community one of the easiest things you can do. There really is no excuse.

If your excuse if "I just don't have the time." Think about it: you always have time for the things that are important to you.

How has your involvement in the marketing community changed your career? What can you add to this list?

Tags: barcamp blog canadian marketing blog casecamp google news alerts industry association jeffrey gitomer marketing marketing association marketing blog marketing committee marketing community marketing job marketing magazine marketing podcast mass media montreal gazette one degree podcamp podcamp montreal podcast sales bible six pixels of separation podcast six points of separation social media strategy magazine vancouver sun volunteer web 20

What You Need To Know About Web Analytics Right Now (Yes, This Second)

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:54:30 -0500

Do you know what you need to measure online?

Do you know why you need to measure it?

Do you really know what your customers want to do?

Are you really letting them accomplish their goals?

Are you listening for their feedback?

Are you taking action?

I've got a million more questions about what you're measuring online, but it's Labour Day, so let's not read.

Instead, let's watch.

Here's a 50-minute presentation that will blow your mind from Avinash Kaushik. Avinash is the Analytics Evangelist for Google. He has what is widely regarded as the best web analytics Blog, Occam's Razor, and is the author of one the best online marketing books out there, Web Analytics - An Hour A Day. I know what you're thinking, "how is a presentation on Web Analytics going to be exciting?" Trust me, Avinash also happens to be one of the best presenters out there.

For some reason, Google Video does not allow you to embed video (or, I can't seem to find the code), so you'll have to click on the link below.

The presentation is from a Google B2B Summit in July 2008, and his presentation is called, Measuring Micro And Macro Reactions.

Go watch it right here: Avinash Kaushik - Measuring Micro And Macro Reactions - Reaction 2008.

If you're not completely enthralled, let me know below how I can make the time back to you.

So, now, what should you be measuring and why?

Tags: analytics evangelist avinash kaushik b2b business to business customer information customer satisfaction google google b2b summit google video labour day occams razor online measurement online research presentation reaction 2008 web analytics web analytics an hour a day web analytics blog web research

Blog Day 2008 - Pick Five

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 13:40:24 -0500

What Five Blogs Do You Read That Move The Needle?

Did you know that today is Blog Day?

According to the website:

"BlogDay was created with the belief that bloggers should have one day dedicated to getting to know other bloggers from other countries and areas of interest. On that day Bloggers will recommend other blogs to their blog visitors. With the goal in mind, on this day every blogger will post a recommendation of 5 new blogs. This way, all blog readers will find themselves leaping around and discovering new, previously unknown blogs."

This is, exactly, what I love about the Blog space: instead of hoarding and trying to build your own traffic, we create initiatives like this to drive traffic all over the place. In the spirit of the day, I thought it would be best to direct you to five Blogs that deserve way more traffic than they have (in no particular order):

1. hughmcguire.net by Hugh McGuire. Hugh is the founder of Librivox, earideas, datalibre and more. He's one smart dude and has become a very good friend over the course of the past few years. He's a fellow Montrealer who I meet-up with on a regular basis. I enjoy everything Hugh puts together and just wish that he would Blog even more frequently. His content is a mixture of personal musings, tech stuff, Internet culture, political thoughts, ideas about the future of publishing and more.

2. Pow! Right Between The Eyes by Andy Nulman. Andy is the guy who created the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival and after that he launched the very-successful, Airborne Mobile (where I worked for a short while back in the day). Andy's Blog is one part marketing, one part comedy, and all the power of surprise in business. Maybe it's the fact that he's a former journalist or that he just happens to have a knack for Blogging, but I don't ever miss a single post. I think he's got one of the sharpest and most under-rated Blogs out there. In fact, this one post - Hot Wet Crotch - I think is one of the better Blog postings I have ever read.

3. One Mann's Opinion by Kneale Mann. Kneale and I both hung out during my music industry days. He was a very high profile radio guy and I was a lowly music journalist type. While we had not seen or heard much from each other in the past fifteen years, we wound up connecting at a Geek Dinner in Ottawa this past year, and after that Kneale started Blogging. He's got some deep thoughts that are well constructed and I enjoy his sense of humour. One Mann's Opinion is, by far, my favourite of the newer Blogs on the block (note: I just noticed that Kneale listed me as one his top five for BlogDay 2008 - thanks for the nod Kneale. As you can see it's a mutual admiration society).

4. The Praized Blog by Sebastien Provencher. Seb is one of the smartest thinkers I have ever met when it comes to the Internet. It's only been a short while that we've been connected in person, but in that time, I've seen him go from being an executive at Yellow Pages Group to a Blogging, entrepreneur with his start-up, Praized. Seb has had some amazing posts over the past while, but what I love most about The Praized Blog is how he used it to create the entire platform and validation for his business model long before anyone knew what, exactly, Praized would be. If you're looking for Blog content on Internet culture, new media, hyper-local, marketing and the publishing space, The Praized Blog is a must-read.

5. Awaken Your Superhero by Christopher S. Penn. Chris (I call him "Ninja") is one of the founders of PodCamp, he has a great Podcast called, Marketing Over Coffee, that is co-hosted with John Wall from The M Show and he also has a show for his current work gig, The Financial Aid Podcast. I put Chris' Blog on this list because I think it gets overshadowed by his other works and it should not. He writes in a clear and passionate tone and I always have a fistful of smart marketing takeaways from each and every post. His Blog deserves your readership, so I hope you will stop in and give him a try.

What are some of your must-read Blogs that do not get a ton of traffic and that deserve some attention?

Today is the day for you to either share below or write your own Blog post to honour those who inspire you.

Tags: airborne mobile andy nulman awaken your superhero blog blog day blogday blogday2008 blogger blogging christopher s penn comedy festival datalibre earideas financial aid podcast geek dinner hugh mcguire hyper-local internet culture john wall just for laughs kneale mann librivox m show marketing over coffee montreal one manns opinion ottawa podcamp pow right between the eyes praized praized blog sebastien provencher surprise marketing yellow pages group

SPOS #119 - Six Pixels Of Separation - The Twist Image Podcast - +1 (206) 666-6056 - Marketing Matches With LittleMisMatched

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:33:46 -0500

Welcome to episode #119 of Six Pixels Of Separation - The Twist Image Podcast. This wonderful conversation with Arielle Eckstut - one of the founders of the amazing LittleMisMatched - was supposed to happen in person in New York City, but our schedules never matched up. I managed to grab her by phone this past Friday and this conversation will change the way you think about brands, product development and using every channel available to make your products, brands and services stand out and be remarkable. Enjoy the conversation...

Here it is: Six Pixels Of Separation - The Twist Image Podcast - Episode #119 - Host: Mitch Joel.

Running time: 35:17.
Audio comment line - please send in a comment and add your voice to the audio community: +1 206-666-6056.
Please send in questions, comments, suggestions - mitch@twistimage.com.
Hello from Beautiful Montreal.
Subscribe over at iTunes.
Please visit and leave comments on the Blog - Six Pixels of Separation.
Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.
or you can connect on LinkedIn.
...or on twitter.
Facebook Group - Six Pixels of Separation Podcast Society.
In a perfect world, I'd love for you to connect with me, directly, through my Facebook profile instead of joining the group - but, that's your call.
Check out my other Podcast, Foreword Thinking - The Business And Motivational Book Review Podcast - sponsored by HarperCollins Canada.
Foreword Thinking - Episode #11 featuring Michael Gerber - E-Myth Revisited and Awakening The Entrepreneur Within.
PodCamp Montreal - September 20th and 21st - Pavillon de De Design at UQAM.
Organized by: Sylvain Grand’Maison, Julien Smith, Bob Goyetche, Jean-François Blais, Laurent LaSalle, Laurent Maisonnave, Hugh McGuire, Casey McKinnon, Harold Boeck and Michelle Sullivan.
Twist Image is a sponsor.
I will be co-presenting two sessions:
The New New Music - Fans, Community And What Business Can Learn From An Industry In Peril with David Usher – musician and cloudid.
Podcasting From The Heart - The Value Of Recording A Show With No Editing And No Second Takes – C.C. Chapman – Managing The Gray – Accident Hash – The Advance Guard.
The Best Practices In Social Media Marketing Writing Project.
Prizes too:
Apple iPod Shuffle – 1gb.
Always Be Testing – Bryan Eisenberg.
Word of Mouth Marketing – Andy Sernovitz – 4 copies.
Twist Image Montreal office moves this week.
Six Points of Separation will also be a regular Blog posting feature.
In Conversation with Arielle Eckstut – LittleMisMatched.
David Usher – ‘Kill The Lights’.

Please join the conversation by sending in questions, feedback and ways to improve Six Pixels Of Separation. Please let me know what you think or leave an audio comment at: +1 206-666-6056.

Download the Podcast here: Six Pixels Of Separation - The Twist Image Podcast - Episode #119 - Host: Mitch Joel.

Tags: accident hash advance guard advertising always be testing andy sernovitz apple arielle eckstut awakening the entrepreneur within best practices in social media marketing blog blogging bob goyetche bryan eisenberg business casey mckinnon cc chapman cloudid david usher digital marketing emyth revisited facebook facebook group foreword thinking google harold boeck harpercollins canada hugh mcguire ipod shuffle itunes jean francois blais julien smith laurent lasalle laurent maisonnave littlemismatched managing the gray marketing mass media michael gerber michelle sullivan motivational books online social network podcamp podcamp montreal podcast podcasting six pixels of separation social media marketing sylvain grandmaison twist image unconference web 20 word of mouth marketing

Be Amazed

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:57:04 -0500

Every time you try an application or even get online be amazed that it works at all.

Think back to how the Internet actually started and you might laugh at the fact that you accessed it from the phone line in your home or office. When you order a book from Amazon and it shows up on your doorstep, take a moment to respect the fact that you bought something physical through a pure digital channel. And while technology evolves and gets better, don't ever kid your self into thinking that it's not a miracle each and every time something actually works online.

This is why I don't get mad when Twitter is down or when Technorati does something wonky.

Joe Thornley (from Thornley Fallis and the Pro PR Blog) had a recent Blog post titled, Technorati And Me. As you can guess from the title, he's giving up on Technorati. Too many glitches, jumps in ratings, funky search results (or none at all), etc... He does a much better job of distilling the challenges we've all encountered with Technorati than I ever could. Joe tagged me (amoung others) at the end of his Blog post by asking:

"Are there social media tools and apps for which you once had high hopes that you now find yourself using and visiting less often?"

There are some I've been using less of (Second Life comes to mind) and some I don't use enough of (like FriendFeed). With all of the hooplah over Technorati, the "fail whale" that is Twitter, and the recent Gmail outage, I've come to realize two things:

1. I can't put any serious reliance on any free tool of Web-based application. I'd love to wax poetic about how I "live in the cloud", but right now, it's just not possible. I always sigh when people get frustrated by free Web-based applications that they are using (and relying on) for business purposes. So, while I use them and enjoy them (or hate them with every fibre of my being when they are not working), I don't rely on any of them. I love Google Reader more than the next person, but if it crashed and burned right now, I'd be the first to move on and find something else, because my expectations are very, very low.

2. Application are like fashion - they change with the seasons. Nothing is here to stay and you can double the resonance of that statement when it comes to anything coming out of the Internet culture. For all the Facebook, Twitter and FriendFeeds of the world, there were the ICQ, Friendster and Prodigy's of the past. I'm not saying that anything and everything that we see online changes, but who would have suspected that Google could overtake Yahoo! they way it did? Someone, somewhere right now is watching all of these conversations and working on a better mousetrap (there's also somebody watching that person for mousetrap 3.0).

I don't expect any of these tools to ever be available or work the way they should. This way, when they do, I'm amazed, thrilled and have that "I can't believe this is free" feeling that I love so much.

Are you someone who gets amazed or disappointed?

Tags: amazon applications cloud computing connectivity dial-up internet digital channel facebook fail whale friendfeed gmail google google reader icq internet joe thornley pro pr prodigy second life social media technology technorati thornley fallis tools twitter web based applications yahoo

Changing Business Through The Unconference

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 06:02:36 -0500

Attending a business conference is one of the best ways to both grow your business and network, learn and connect with your peers.

But in a post 9/11 world, travel has become complicated, expensive and time consuming. Also, with the advent of the Internet and new communications technology, finding out about the latest and greatest in your industry no longer waits for that once-a-year junket to Las Vegas to walk the conference floor and soak in the glory of your competitor's brochures, knick-knacks and breath mints.

As someone who attends conferences regularly and helps organize them as a volunteer, I can personally attest to the trials and tribulations of constantly having to uncover and provide the best of the best when it comes to speakers. It's a struggle to create an event where everyone from the organizers to the participants feels that the money is well spent.

Enter the unconference.

An unconference is a self-organizing event where a handful of interested people decide to hold a meet-up.

One of the first kinds of unconferences was called BarCamp where people in Silicon Valley decided to come together to discuss technology. This handful of people set-up a wiki (a wiki is a webpage that anyone can edit - check out Wikipedia if you've never seen a wiki in action). Without much else, the community (that would be you and me) takes over. Everything is a blank page as we self-organize.

If you want to attend, you add your name to the wiki. If you want to make a presentation, you add the topic, time and your name. If you want to help out by sponsoring to cover costs... well, you get the idea.

No one ever just "attends" an unconference. The spirit of it is that we are all equal, able to share our knowledge or help in any which way we feel will best serve the community.

You might be shaking your head at this point thinking this is all a little too much "kumbaya" for your liking, but trust me: unconferences will change the way you think about business.

On Sept. 8, 2006, I did something I had never done before. I got in my car and drove from Montreal to Boston to attend the first-ever PodCamp. This was an unconference geared towards people interested in Blogs and Podcasting.

I wasn't an unconference virgin - I had already attended a couple of the more tech-oriented ones in both Montreal and Toronto. But this was a real leap of faith.

According to the wiki, over three hundred people were supposed to be converging at Bunker Hill Community College (the same school where they filmed the movie, Good Will Hunting). But what if nobody showed? I didn't buy a ticket; and there was nobody to call if there was a problem. It was self-organized!

Sure enough, almost everybody who registered showed up and the sessions were incredible. They had titles like Inside a Pre-Launch Startup New Media Company, Hollywood 3.0 - The Challenge of Video-Podcasting, The Advertising/Marketing World And Video Social Media: What We've Learned So Far and so on.

It was three rooms, two days and more information overload than I've experienced at big conferences that I've paid thousands of dollars to attend. They even had free t-shirts for attendees. Lifetime friendships and business opportunities were forged.

Unconferences work because everyone attending wants the same outcome: to learn more and share with their peers.

It's an amazing experience and since PodCamp Boston, similar events have been held all over the world including Germany, South Africa and Ireland.

Two PodCamps have taken place in Toronto and now - for the first-time ever - PodCamp is coming to Montreal.

If you're interested in the new world of the Web, PodCamp Montreal is happening on Sept. 20th - 21 at the Pavillon de De Design at UQAM. In the interest of full disclosure, I am helping to organize this event, and will also be co-presenting two sessions. One with musician David Usher (the former lead singer of Moist and a multi-million CD selling solo artist) called, The New New Music - Fans, Community And What Business Can Learn From An Industry In Peril, and one with podcaster C.C. Chapman called, Podcasting From The Heart - The Value Of Recording A Show With No Editing And No Second Takes.

PodCamp Montreal is free to attend (but you do have to register by going to podcampmontreal.org) and if you're also interested in presenting or helping out, just hop over to the website for more information.

Vancouver is getting two major unconferences in the coming weeks. BarCampBank is coming to town on Sept. 20-21 at BCIT's downtown campus. According to the wiki, BarCampBank is a place to "foster innovations and the creation of new business models in the world of banking and finance." So far, there are 65 registered people attending (there is a $35 fee to cover the facility and food costs), and you can find out more information here: www.barcamp.org/BarCampBankBC.

BarCamp Vancouver 2008 is taking place Sept. 26-27 (the venue is still to be determined). BarCamp will have a technology focus, and you can find out more information here: www.barcamp.org/BarCampVancouver2008.

Even if you're not fully interested in technology or banking, I highly recommend you check out these events to get a feel for the unconference movement, and a better appreciation of how the business of conferences is changing.

The above posting is my twice-monthly column for the Montreal Gazette and Vancouver Sun newspapers called, New Business - Six Pixels of Separation. I cross-post it here with all the links and tags for your reading pleasure, but you can check out the original versions here:

- Montreal Gazette - You Should Attend An Unconference.
- Vancouver Sun - Changing Business Through The Unconference.

Tags: barcamp barcamp bank barcamp vancouver boston bunker hill community college business business section cc chapman conference david usher good will hunting internet mass media moist montreal montreal gazette music industry newspaper podcamp podcamp boston podcamp montreal publishing self-organizing silicon valley speakers speaking technology unconference vancouver sun wiki wikipedia

The Best Practices In Social Media Marketing Writing Project

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:49:22 -0500

Are there best practices in Social Media Marketing?

Marketers struggle to come up with answers because Social Media is still a very new and exciting channel that we're all discovering. Some might even debate if you can have best practices in Social Media at this point in time? The debate rages on whether the actual practice is one for the marketing professionals or for the public relations industry.

What are your best practices for Social Media Marketing?

This is the start of a new group writing project to create the most-up-to-date guide to Social Media Marketing Best Practices.

It's really simple to take part:

1. Write a Blog post on your Social Media Marketing Best Practice. I'll challenge you to choose just one (granted, you're free to do whatever you want).

2. Include links to other people who have written similar posts for this Social Media Marketing Best Practices writing project that have caught your attention, or include their insights in your own post (just make sure to give them proper attribution).

3. Link back to this Six Pixels of Separation - The Twist Image Blog. This will help me organize all of the content, it will help spread the word, and if you link back to this Blog and email me, I'll make sure to include - at least - two links back to you. (note: you don't have to do this, but I am trying to keep this as organized as possible).

4. If you use Technorati Tags (or anything like it), please tag your post "social media marketing best practices project".

5. Feel free to tag other people in your post to get their opinion and help spread the project.

The idea would be that each tagged person will then write their own Blog post. I'm sure people will flood each other's comment sections, but the "big win" will be if we get all of us writing our own unique posts. I'll centralize and link to them here.

There is no deadline to write but I have high hopes that this project will go on for some time, develop, morph, adapt and become an organic resource for Marketers today and tomorrow. I'll post aggregated updates and links here on this Blog every so often.

You can also win a prize!

I have a brand new Apple iPod Shuffle (1GB) that I am offering up for the "best" best practice, with a runner-up book prize of, Always Be Testing - The Complete Guide to Google Website Optimizer, by Bryan Eisenberg, John Quarto-vonTivadar and Lisa T. Davis (see below for the updated prize). I will - personally - choose the winners at the end of November 2008.

Here's my Best Practice in Social Media Marketing:

Consistency. Be consistent. In everything that you do. Have a consistent username that you use in all of your channels (mine is mitchjoel). Use the same photo, so that you are recognizable in all of these channels. Use the same name in all of your postings (even when I comment on other Blogs, I use: Mitch Joel - Twist Image). Don't blast out five pieces of content or join three online social networks and fade away. Choose one, stick with it and keep at it. Be more like the tortoise instead of the hare. Slow and steady wins the race. Advertising is the hare and Social Media is the tortoise. If you release a weekly Podcast, don't change your production to every month of so. If you start with a monthly show, you can always step it up to twice-weekly (or weekly) as it grows in audience and popularity. Be consistent.

I'll also kick things off by tagging: Chris Brogan, Bryan Eisenberg, Shel Holtz, Jeremiah Owyang, Steve Rubel, Andy Sernovitz and Kate Trgovac.

Now, it's your turn. What's your best practice?

(hat tip to Ben Yoskovitz from Instigator Blog and Julien Smith from In Over Your Head for the inspiration).

UPDATE: Bryan Eisenberg has offered to supply an authographed copy of his latest book, Always Be Testing. Thanks Bryan!

UPDATE II: Andy Sernovitz has graciously offered up four copies of his book, Word of Mouth Marketing, as well for prizes. Thanks Andy!

Tags: advertising always be testing andy sernovitz apple best practice blog blog posting bryan eisenberg chris brogan consistency content contest ipod shuffle jeremiah owyang john quarto-vontivador kate trgovac lisa t davis marketer marketing meme online social network podcast public relations resource shel holtz social media social media marketing social media marketing best practices project steve rubel tagging technorati technorati tags

YouTube Is Culture

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 06:05:22 -0500

I'm a huge fan of Michael Wesch and what he (and his students) are doing with the Digital Ethnography program at Kansas State University. If you haven't already seen his most brilliant videos Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing and A Vision of Students Today you really do owe it to yourself to check them out.

Wesch gave a great presentation at the Library of Congress on June 23rd, 2008. Wesch is way more than a Cultural Anthropologist and teacher. He understands what these new digital media channels are better than most Marketers and - more importantly - he presents these new shifts in media in a clear, fun and interesting way.

Here's his fifty-five minute presentation - An Anthropological Introduction To YouTube. Take the time to check it out...

Tags: anthropology cultural anthropologist culture digital digital ethnography digital media education ethnography kansas state university library of congress marketing michael wesch online video presentation students web 20 youtube