Monday, June 27, 2011

The Top ten cliches in Social Media Presentations

This post is dedicated to George Parker, because it's full of piss and vinegar, like him!


10. Any mentions of the long tail, differences between traditional and new media, one-to-one v one-to-many
That Chris Anderson Long Tail article was written in 2004, 7 years ago!! And it came from something Clay Shirky wrote in 2003 (source). If you haven't worked out by now how to apply coherent new media thinking to a business, talking about differences in traditional and new media, or dabbling in that idea that there are so many conversation exchanges going on, these topic points aren't going to help you get there any quicker!


9. Earned v Paid v Owned media
This is a valid statement, there are benefits to understanding how the different types of media get different rewards. I'm just getting tired of hearing it. Especially when it creates this idea that they live in isolation. Bottom line - you need to invest paid media to help you drive to the owned.

8. Using that image of all the social media platforms.
You know the one I'm talking about. Half of them have disappeared. Don't use it.


I can't remember where I got this image from. If you know, let me know

7. Traditional media is losing the dominance it once had.
No shit sherlock.


6. Digital lives forever
It might, but with more proliferation (see point 5) the increasing volume and Google ranking algorithms will make it hard to find these content items buried deep in the content abyss. The value from everlasting content is minimal, so don't hang your hat on it.


5. What was then. What is now. The clutter, all that clutter.
Yep, proliferation. Lots of it. Web 1.0 v web 2.0 (even I'm guilty of that chestnut). The increasing volumes of content- you know YouTube has doubled since last year? Flickr is 13 times bigger than the Library of Congress (source). H.O.L.Y.C.R.A.P. All this stat info doesn't help me make a strategy or sell my product.


4. We no longer have control
I actually heavily contest this. If you get into the new media space, you must be prepared and anticipate potential risk points. Be prepared with what could happen in a positive and even more so, a negative sense, and know how to turn it back into a positive. It's not about losing control, it's about opening conversation in a managed fashion which brings benefit to a brand.


3. "Social media guru?! Don't call me that. I have no idea what I'm talking about"
Seriously?! Trying to sell yourself and you actually sell yourself short. New media isn't that new any more. You're either inexperienced, or you're covering your ass for an impending failure.


2. If you talked to people the way advertising talked to people, they'd punch you in the face.
Thanks Hugh MacLeod and that vast gaping void. If I see your little cartoon one more time, the next time I see you, I might punch you in the face.


1. If you build it they will come
When Web 2.0 reconnected with the Kevin Costner's Field of Dreams classic, cliche extroadinaire was born. With 62,700,000 results on Goolge for "if you build it they will come social media" we have a clear winner for the worst, bucket worthy cliche in social media.
But, if you build it, they won't come. There's lots of hard work required to get people to know you exist amongst the clutter of content (see point 5).


Feel free to add your own to the list!

6 comments:

Studio Maven said...

Good to see you back in the game. I like you so much I will pass on the greatest stock tip of the last decade, Thumb Replacement Surgeries. All those mindless idiots hammering away with their thumbs, butchering the English language and not even looking at each other. Nuance and art passed over for immediacy. Gigantic people with arms that look like Smithfield Hams carrying five gallon pails of mayonnaise at the local price club. Live a Three Dimensional Life™. Talk to someone, write intelligently - weighing every word (thank you Curvin), simmer don't microwave. Over, but not fucking out.

Kevin Horne said...

11. Have a strategy.

12. Listen.

13. Be passionate.

14. Be relevant.

15. Get people to "like" your brand.

16. Drop coupons like they were going out of style (OK, so that one isn't really a written rule...)

Anonymous said...

THE ONLY MEDIUM that comes close to everlasting is outdoor, the form of which was especially popular near "el" stations, but not necessarily exclusive to those locations. Just the other day, I noted two messages for FLETCHER'S CASTORIA and one for CARTER'S LITTLE LIVER PILLS. The paint was fading, but we are talking here of advertising speaking to us from the "Roaring Twenties."

Andrew J.S. Willis said...

God bless George Parker then, and all his piss and vinegar!

New Business Hawk said...

Outstanding as I ROTFLMAO, oh... wait. Is that now a cliche?

And one more I'm tired of seeing - Death of Advertising!

Must be Leap Year: Demise of the Ad Industry Being Reported


Great post and thank you George for pointing me here!

Bob Sanders
Blog: http://sandersconsulting.com/newbusinesshawk/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/newbusinesshawk

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