Pop Goes the Blog?

This is a hilarious video that you must watch and try to understand for your business.

If you're looking for the reason that the technology bubble might pop (again), watch this video and think about how people are talking about blogs, social media, whatever the latest thing is, as your ONLY part of your platform. Use your blog as part of the platform, along with great content, in person events, books, videos, and more.

Do I think the blog/social media bubble is going to pop and stop being useful as your business strategy?

Absolutely...if it's the ONLY part of your strategy. If it's part of your strategy, and you want to build community, and develop great content, test ideas, make friends, and become a better writer/speaker/editor/designer, then absolutely not.

Thanks to Karl Long, throough Greg Verdino for finding and sharing this Pop Goes Web 2.0 video!

Comments

[Rosa Say]

Thank you for sharing this Phil. It's a fun video, and you've said it well in the commentary you've added. Your blog can be a number of different things, community base, portal to a more complete business model, online invitation to offline connections... the key I think, is to decide which you really want and then get focused and ignore a lot of the other noise that can distract you. Leo Babauta gives good advice when he talks about having just three or four "essentials" that drive your blogging so you can be deliberate and productive. And for some, it may be that business or passive income doesn't factor into it at all, though clearly, I agree that the opportunity is there! If there is another bubble, it just gets continually replaced versus being burst and leaving rubble everywhere.

[Erika Andersen]

Phil -

This is one of the things I was just thinking this morning, post pow-wow: even though I found out so much new and useful stuff about blogworld from you, Jose, David, Ben, etc...I keep coming back to the thing in Good to Great about technology: that great companies use technology as an accelerator.

Meaning (to me, anyway) always remember that it's a means to an end. And the "end" is to improve someone's life and/or the planet by offering important ideas, skills, practices, services and products. This is just the latest way to let people know about and get interested in your offer.

Erika

[Albert]

Argh...I was hoping to become a problogger ala Steve Pavlina. Sob sob.

I hate you Phil! (Just joking, thanks for the post, heh!)

Cheers,
Albert | UrbanMonk.Net
Modern personal development, entwined with ancient spirituality.

[Stephen Hopson-Adversity University]

Phil:

Oh gosh, what a funny video. It helped that I was able to read the captions!

Albert was funny with his comment, wasn't he? If you haven't already seen it, check out my interview of him at my blog. It went really well and was well received like your interview was with me here. I'm passing it forward, just like you passed it forward to me.

I'm excited about whatever bubble comes next. Rosa made a good point about not letting a lot of the "noise" in the blogosphere distract me with the task at hand.

For instance, I've virtually ignored all the major social media sites and have only focused on StumbleUpon until I understand how it works. Then I'll tackle the next social media platform and learn that one. Which social media site would you recommend I tackle next?

Thanks for a great post Phil. I really enjoyed the video - it was indeed funny but powerful.

[Phil Gerbyshak]

Rosa - Focus is important, no doubt about it. Interesting word picture, of bubble and rubble. I like it! thanks for sharing it.

Erika - You are absolutely right. It's a means to an end, not an end in itself. Great reminder.

Albert - you're funny. Glad you liked the video!

Stephen - Yeah, I'm curious what will come next too. Good for you for having some focus. What to tackle next? Not sure. Facebook seems very overblown and more crud than good. MySpace is not for business. I like what Chris Brogan did with his grasshopper ning group, though that's only as good as the folks in your network. I'm working to create a community, not just one hit wonders, so we'll see what grabs me next. I'll keep you (and the rest of the readers) posted.

I'm also curious if others are looking at what's next? If so, share your thoughts below.

[Brandon]

Thanks for the video Phil. I agree that Blogging and Social Media will remain as a means to advertise, channel traffic, market yourself at a low cost, etc., however, as in the video, those who look to create the next Face Book, My Space or other site have better luck playing the lottery. Great advice on how to stay strong online - thanks for the reflections you helped me make. :)

[Phil Gerbyshak]

You're welcome Brandon. I appreciate you stopping by and reflecting with us.

[Becky Carroll]

I don't think the emphasis should be on what comes next but on how do your customers want to communicate with you? If it is via blogs, then great! If it is in person, via phone, at events, through forums, then fabulous!

You echoed what I have been saying, Phil: blogs and "social media" are just one part of an overall communication strategy with customers. Their preferences are what really count.

[Phil Gerbyshak]

Becky - you make a great point. What do our customers want, and HOW do they want it. It's up to them, not me.

Thanks for the important reminder.