Comments on: The End Of The Age Of Content

By: Tim

Tim — Sat, 01 May 2010 03:29:57 +0000

I'm a curmudgeon who dotes on the retweet. It's important to share, listen, think, rethink, and feed back into the loop. And the RT (via-feed-source or whatever favorite annotation you like) is the best way to do it on Twitter. Of course, there's considerable challenge in keeping it relevant.Like you, I don't care much for the pseudo-Confucian quips, cliche Churchill-isms, and other mindless, retweet up that passes for social interaction. It's not any kind of conversation that I would let go on in my yard. I'm also not one to sell my soul for followers. You'll either like me for my words and think OR you won't. I keep it real. Because I do it for me. I have my own terms by which I engage the world beyond my big hand. That's not going to get me to 20k followers anytime soon. But don't think even the least sophisticated can't see the apparent contradiction of how I do things and their own ambitions. People do tend to be clear in the head about what they want.I also happen to live almost off the grid. I kill trees to keep me and my family warm. I kill animals with my own hands to feed my family. Not because I think it's cool. It's cheaper that way. The pig in the picture: I cut its throat with a kitchen knife while holding it with my other hand.In other words, I'm peculiar in my manly way. But this doesn't solve your problem. Your problem is how to give all those happy, enthusiastic customers (customers who suckle at the bosom of one-dimensional convenience and culture) that sure way to get famous (let's say 100k followers), monetize that fame, and live happily ever after. Who can make it happen for anyone in 12 months?And that's what we really expect from a social media expert. That kind of know how. Those kind of results. The truth is that, ain't no one like that out there.There is no business model in social media. It's just a people model. Always keep that in mind and you'll have fun.@hannibal666

By: Paul McSweeney

Paul McSweeney — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:35:26 +0000

Thanks Scott.All the best,Paul

By: Scott Gould

Scott Gould — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:25:56 +0000

Hey PaulThanks for stopping by and being open and honest!I love that you're making originality your new mantra. There is so much repetition out there, that an original and targeted blog will create far more value.Don't go for the numbers at first – go for the value. Add the numbers later.S

By: Paul McSweeney

Paul McSweeney — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:58:58 +0000

Scott,This is a great post. I vow to make a stand henceforth! I am indeed guilty of retweeting, borrowing other people's “10 greatest mistakes/ initiatives” or whatever is out there on a particular day vis-a-vis social media. Originality is my new mantra, and I hope I can be of use in the participation process going forward. I think information overload has ALREADY become a big issue..where would you start in this social media minefield, when coming at as a complete novice. “Much of a muchness” is the expression that springs to mind. The sum of the whole is always greater than the sum of the parts.

By: Scott Gould

Scott Gould — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:08:30 +0000

Hey AlIt's a good point. There are many people who have done this. They have curated the best stuff and interpreted it through their lens, and passed it onto the crowd with their stamp. And yes, this has been happening for a long time.My two responses:1. Jeffrey has taken than content and expanded it – translated it. This in my mind is a large part of the curation process. Sure, he hasn't accredited others like today we do online, but he is from the broadcast age where everything was about YOU. This leads me to point two:2. With the plethora of content being produced everyday ATM, we have a different scenario for those rising up the ranks today.So let's take your blog. Given you are focussing on entrepreneurial subjects, when you write a post you could link to those who have inspired you and their content, as well as particular posts that have helped you the most. Then, you provide your interpretation – this is curation for me – because I wouldn't have known about Jeffrey, for example, unless you had said about him last year.Or take this post itself. You have written and engaging comment based on what was a very real life post of mine, yet I have clearer curated here and linked to Jeff's video. This post is no less compelling because of the link – on the contrary, it is more so – which I know because you haven't commented here in a while so it *must* have been compelling!We are coming to the stage of content overload, and these methods are what we will bring the strong through. By curating I am also building up other people by linking out, which means I am 1] building a network, and 2] showing I am not insecure. I always direct people to certain blogs for certain content today – the most common being Robin Dickinson's RADSmarts.com for leadership and business development.So, what say you to that?S

By: Alastair Banks

Alastair Banks — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 12:06:03 +0000

Scott, I love the fact that you're not afraid to say what you think and potentially risk having it shot down – it's what makes you unique and it's what will make you go on to even bigger things – just remember us lot when you get there I've been musing about this post for a few hours now – should I comment back/shouldn't I…I believe that the concept of the post 'in an ideal world' is absolutely spot on. There would be a much smaller number of original thought leaders out there occupying their space (those guys are far too clever for me so I'll never be one of them). The content creators (people like me) would link out to them where possible rather than re-invent the wheel and life would be a less messy place with less risk of the 'dumb audience'.However….I've been interestingly watching a different industry recently – that of self development and in particular within the sales and service environment. I've been to see Jeffrey Gitomer twice in the last year and was so impressed I took my two sales guys to see him (I literally 'sneeze' his message on). While he referenced books in his presentation from yesteryear on the subject matter, it wasn't until I bought these books and started to read them that I realised the content of his presentations has been around for hundreds of years – Earl Nightingale, Zig Ziglar, Dale Carnegie….the list goes on. So my point is this….Jeffrey has enthused me – through his live presentations, his blog, his facebook page etc..but the content is old and he has put his stamp on it. He has changed it to suit his style but he has bought it to hundreds of thousands of people across the world that would never have seen or heard of some of the older material. Surely that is amazing and worthy?In my own blog I'm certain I'm not creating anything that isn't out there already if you look for it but I'm putting my own spin on things and trying to get it into a format that is easy to digest for people who start their business at an early age (much like you and I did). I like to think that those people buy into ME because I've been there and done it and can give them inspiration to do it themselves. If I simply linked to other content and videos is there not a risk it would be less compelling for the reader and less 'real-life'? Interested to hear your thoughts as always, A

By: Scott Gould

Scott Gould — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:13:04 +0000

Hey Scott.The idea of factories is one that I've been thinking through for for a while (summary here: http://scottgould.me/free-from-the-factory/)There certainly is the processed, mechanised system that we so easily fall into, and I agree we should have practical experience rather than 3 years of theory.The ironic thing is companies want the paper and they want the experience.

By: Colin Winstanley

Colin Winstanley — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:04:05 +0000

Agreed. Use what is good and create the rest.

By: Scott Stafström

Scott Stafström — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:25:50 +0000

I would add these quotes from the Jeff Jarvis video:”Do what you do best and link the rest” – the 'curator' idea focused in a sentence.”move the customer up the design chain” – very interesting to me as an artist… is there a way to move my customer into my studio as I design?”at university you should be asked to create and opera, a program, a business and then at the end instead of a diploma you have a portfolio which shows your abilities and your desires.”"University changes from a factory to an incubator.” – both of these quotes interest me as a father with children soon reaching college age… I felt that my real education did not occur at my university but many years after I received my diploma. How will my children feel about that time spent memorizing and regurgitating and why do so many companies still value that paper?Thanks again for the video and summary.

By: Scott Gould

Scott Gould — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:45:58 +0000

I LOVE that. Excellent input Adrian – thank you!