Here’s some friendly advice: Don’t. And if you’ve already got one, pull the plug.
This is the Headline-grabber at a Wired blog post about how blogs are “so 2004″, and how services like Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr even are here to replace them.
Writer Paul Boutin says:
“Thinking about launching your own blog? Here’s some friendly advice: Don’t. And if you’ve already got one, pull the plug.
Writing a weblog today isn’t the bright idea it was four years ago. The blogosphere, once a freshwater oasis of folksy self-expression and clever thought, has been flooded by a tsunami of paid bilge. Cut-rate journalists and underground marketing campaigns now drown out the authentic voices of amateur wordsmiths. It’s almost impossible to get noticed, except by hecklers. And why bother? The time it takes to craft sharp, witty blog prose is better spent expressing yourself on Flickr, Facebook, or Twitter.”
Some commenting on the Wired post itself say things like:
“Nice headline grabber, but this analysis is so wide of the mark it’s laughable.
I won’t deal with every point – but for example:
“Today, a search for, say, Barack Obama’s latest speech will deliver a Wikipedia page, a Fox News article, and a few entries from professionally run sites like Politico.com. The odds of your clever entry appearing high on the list? Basically zero.”
I’m afraid the above has been written by someone who clearly has no technical understanding at all. Ever heard of the long tail? Clearly not….. Check it out – it might give you a more balanced copy next time…..”
and
“I do agree with one thing in the article: “it’s almost impossible to get noticed”
My personal view – Bullshit.
Online Marketing is evolving every day, with new platforms, new behavior, however far more important…. much much more users.
I dont see the new tools as Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, etc, replacing the “old” ones, but complementing.
They cant be seeing as independent tools, screaming for users to drop their old habits into new ones.
They help each other, they solidificate and leverage users from one to another.
My blog is here, however thanks for Twitter I had some top guns guys coming on it – Chris Brogan, Darren Rowse are some of the guys who came to MarketingEasy.net because of dialogs started on Twitter.
Another example,
Last Friday I started a business relationship with a player in America. We talked on linkedin, after some talks he landed on my online marketing blog. After reading it he got convinced my company, The Online Circle was able to perform as his partner in Australia.
How can blogging be dead when it helps me to generate conversation, influential thinkiness and business?
How big bullshit Mr Paul Boutin.
By the way, next time you decide to write the end of Blogs, please don’t do it using a Blog Post.
What is your opinion?
Cheers
Lucio Dias Ribeiro
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Definitely one of the stupidest posts I’ve ever seen. Is he seriously saying you can build a reputation as a writer through Twitter… 140 characters and all.
Scoble and others use Twitter because they have established audiences. How many people become reputable industry sources via Twitter alone…? No-one. And they never will because you don’t earn authority through txt speak.
This guy needs to check out Darren’s article on outposts to actually understand that tools such as Twitter, Facebook etc support a blog. They don’t replace it. Urgh…. moron!
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/10/06/social-media-home-bases-and-outposts/
haha
Thats good James.
I had forgotten about Darren post.
Thats would be a perfect response to him.
Seriously what I think is this guys is looking for some attention, with a big shitty post.
Lucio
Wired has a monetary motive against blogs gaining momentum. As the line blurs between blogs and traditional media websites such as wired they stand to lose readers and traffic.
They are unlikely to however lose the same number of readers to facebook, twitter and flickr.
So in other words what they are saying is everybody who has something interesting to say please don’t say it in a fashion that could take Wireds readers away from their site.
PS I do like Wired, and also like MarketingEasy
Good Point Brad
BTW good to have you here!
They might think its a good strategy but the time will tell them wrong.
I know you like Marketing Easy but din’t know you like Wired :-)
Lucio
Unfortunately Paul Boutin didn’t recognise that blogs, depending on how they are marketed and who they are targeted at, can be incredible tools… which kind of makes him an incredible tool.
Hey Mark,
good to have you here.
You know, sometimes you need to be polemic in order to get some attention.
Thats exactly where he comes.
I mean, I cant say Blogs play the first division on choices of media, but it still a media and if you believe on the power of referrals and word of mouth consequently you need to believe seriously in Blogs.
Cheers
Lucio