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May 31, 2006

Nylon, MySpace join forces in cyber social networks

Nylon magazine, a youth-infused fashion publication, and MySpace recently joined forces to create a unique online partnership for its annual music issue. Already, the magazine has close to 10,000 “friends” and its profile has been viewed more than 73,000 times.

"Our collaboration has blurred the boundaries between print and new media," stated Marvin Scott Jarrett, Nylon’s editor-in-chief and co-founder, in a statement released by Business Wire. "We have created something very special and new. You can literally listen to the issue online."

Nylon’s June print issue is labeled as “listen to this magazine on MySpace,” matching bands with their online profiles for readers to preview. Audio interviews and free MP3s are also included on MySpace, with the profile pictures representing past print covers of the magazine. Throughout the magazine, links are given to artists’ MySpace pages and web sites, reinforcing the partnership between the two different media entities.

The magazine’s blog features a behind-the-scenes look at how the magazine is put together. A recent entry featured extra photos from a spring cover shoot with Mischa Barton, star of the popular TV show, “The O.C.”

By far the most interesting aspect of the partnership is Nylon's decision to make all of the magazine articles available on its MySpace profile before the print copy is available at the newsstand. By downloading the magazine, the reader gets the exact same product she would if it had been mailed to her house. The table of contents is live, so the reader can click on an article title and be taken directly to that page. At any time a reader can skip ahead to the next page or a specific page number.

All ads are included in the digital publication, but I wonder if readers will look at the table of contents for the stories they want to read and skip right to them, missing the ads all together.

Also interesting is the push for traditional print subscriptions on the MySpace page. I was surprised to see the large banner ad for the printed magazine after going through an entire web page dedicated to this "new media" concept. Online “friends” can sign on for a reduced subscription of $9.95, while on the magazine’s web site the regular rate is $19.97.

For the double issue, the magazine will include:

• MySpace music directories including featured artists, fan clubs and groups
  
• Q&A with popular bands such as Gnarls Barkley and Panic! At the Disco
  
• Lyrics and MySpace URLs to listen to songs created especially for the partnership
  
• Portrait stories of bands, casting agents, models and fashion designers
  
• Map of MySpace sponsored summer events
  
• DIY guide to creating a vivid MySpace profile

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 04:09 PM
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May 30, 2006

Bloggers and the First Amendment

The California 6th District Court of Appeals ruled unanimously on May 26 that bloggers and web masters are protected by a state law shielding journalists from being forced to reveal their sources. The decision comes at a crucial time for bloggers and “citizen” journalists as they fight to receive the same protection and privileges as traditional journalists, all while trying to gain respect.

Two years ago Apple challenged bloggers who leaked information to the forces behind PowerPage and AppleInsider about Asteroid, a new digital music product in the works. Apple argued that knowing the identities of the bloggers in question was to key to safekeeping company information.

The company claimed the case is about theft and not protection under the First Amendment for journalists. But the court held that electronic “communicators” no different than print reporters.

In his blog covering law issues, Eugene Volokh stated simply, “It seems to me that the court got this absolutely right.”

Kurt Opsahl, a staff attorney for the Electric Frontier Foundation, said on the group’s web site, “Today's decision is a victory for the rights of journalists, whether online or offline, and for the public at large. The court has upheld the strong protections for the free flow of information to the press, and from the press to the public.”

The headline on AXcess News’ web site seemed to sum up the feeling of the blogosphere: “Internet Journalists Everywhere Win Victory in Apple Case.”

Bloggers have faced challenges seeking acceptance and credibility from mainstream media outlets. With the recent Apple ruling, the tables have turned for journalists of all outlets. As the judges themselves wrote, “We can think of no workable test or principle that would distinguish 'legitimate' from 'illegitimate' news. Any attempt by courts to draw such a distinction would imperil a fundamental purpose of the First Amendment, which is to identify the best, most important, and most valuable ideas not by any sociological or economic formula, rule of law, or process of government, but through the rough and tumble competition of the memetic marketplace."

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 05:17 PM
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May 25, 2006

Fans show concern for Barbaro though online outreach

Kentucky Derby champion Barbaro’s life-threatening injury last weekend sent race fans and horse lovers online for breaking news. News sites went into great detail about the injury, the treatment and Barbaro’s prospects for recovery:

• Penn Veterinary Medicine’s page includes high-resolution photos showing Barbaro in therapy sessions and even his X-rays. The site features a message board for fans across the globe to sign and send encouraging thoughts.
• The United States Equestrian Federation set up an e-mail address for Barbaro’s trainer Michael Matz after receiving more than 4,000 messages in the first few days after the injury, during the Preakness race.
• In its coverage of the Triple Crown race, the Associated Press’s blog has been documenting the latest on Barbaro.
• The Derby’s web site lists top headlines about Barbaro and wishes him a successful recovery.

Heather Green of Business Week’s Blogspotting makes the case that Barbaro should have his own blog to “communicate with fans.” While you can imagine Barbaro pounding the keyboard, he probably doesn’t need to put any extra weight on that back right leg just now.

“But using blogs for emergency situations always seemed like a smart idea to me. And now here's one, where people are hungry for information about the colt,” Green said in her post. “And this is going to be an ongoing thing, since it will take months before they know if he is healing well.”

In this crisis, and in others I can imagine, a blog could fill the need for up-to-the-minute public information and would be a useful tool for answering questions and calming fears. For example, realizing the ease and convenience of today’s available technology, Hill and Knowlton used their company’s blogs to relay important information during the London bombings last year.

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 05:23 PM
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May 24, 2006

AP embraces bloggers

Technorati and the Associated Press announced a partnership today to bring bloggers to more than 440 member newspapers nationwide though a new service aimed at giving "citizen journalists" a greater voice in the mainstream media.

The move reflects the AP's recognition of the blogosphere's commentary on news and events and how that translates into global conversation. Newspapers that participate in AP's Hosted Custom News product will be able to access the blogger content.

"The new service will bring blogger commentary about AP news stories to communities large and small throughout the USA, giving bloggers a voice in trusted local papers throughout the nation," said Peter Hirshberg in Technorati's blog. "For many news readers, this will be their first exposure to the blogosphere with national, international, business and sports news presented along side links to blogger commentary and perspective."

Papers participating in the service, such as the Sun Journal in Lewiston, Maine, will feature the "top five most blogged about" stories on their web sites, provided by Technorati. In similar fashion, when a reader finds an AP article, they can click on the "who's blogging about" link and find out what others have to say.

The partnership comes shortly after BlogBurst announced its own blog-to-newspaper service.

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 04:05 PM
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May 23, 2006

Satellite radio, bloggers join forces

When it comes to keeping up on the latest in indie music, subscribers to SIRIUS satellite radio will now benefit from some of the web’s most popular music bloggers.

SIRIUS recently announced the launch of blog radio, a daily program featured on the Left of Center channel. The program will debut Monday, May 29, on the station that “plays the best in college, indie and alternative rock music.”

Scheduled to host the show are the forces behind Gorilla vs Bear, Brooklyn Vegan and Product Shop NYC. According to Gregg Steele, senior director of music programming for SIRIUS, the idea for the program was a result of conversations between programmers.

"I give credit to Left Of Center Programmer Rich McLaughlin for taking the concept and bringing it to our attention, and for our Senior VP of Music Programming Steve Blatter to encourage Rich to develop the concept," Steele said. "Rich knew some influential bloggers from his own circles of new musical discovery and brought to them this idea."

Chris Cantalini, of Gorilla vs Bear, was approached by McLaughlin about doing a show after he had been following the blog and became a fan.

“He came up with the idea of creating a radio show that is more or less an extension of the personality and musical tastes of individual bloggers,” Cantalini told me in a recent interview.

While the promise of new visitors to the blog is a definite plus, Cantalini is looking forward to introducing new readers to new music they might not have heard in traditional mainstream media outlets.

“They've essentially given me complete creative control over programming, so I can play whatever I want,” Cantalini said. “It'll be an amazing opportunity to introduce listeners to artists I love that otherwise may never get any radio play.”

Cantalini’s first show is currently in the works and will feature bands from his home state of Texas.

Dave of Brooklyn Vegan is also excited about introducing new music to the masses.

"New blog readers would be nice, but more importantly I think it's about bringing the music I like to a new audience (the radio audience)," Dave told me. " More than anything it seems like it'll be a fun experience."

Dave's show will feature indie and alternative music, since that is the focus of Left of Center's primary programming.

"I have 100 percent control over what I play (within the law of course), and I'll try to keep it topical to what I wrote about on the blog that week," he said.

I asked Steele what he thought the biggest gain for the bloggers would be.

"We feel the bloggers will benefit by associating with a company like SIRIUS who is as committed to finding and developing artists as they are," Steele said. "Our overall subscribership is over 4 million persons and growing rapidly. Add those that listen to SIRIUS via the Internet and through our relationship with Dish Network, and SIRIUS has a significantly large and ever-expanding audience.

"The ability for us both to have the interest of exposing new music to our combined audiences I think clearly benefits us both: we can turn our listeners onto their blogs, and we turn their blogs onto our growing listenership," Steele said.

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 04:50 PM
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May 19, 2006

Textcasting headlines

Podcasting. Videocasting. Textcasting? That last one seems to contradict the whole idea of digital living, doesn’t it? Not if you ask the forces behind Slate's latest idea. As they described it themselves, "We call it a ‘textcast,’ a podcast in which the main thing being delivered to your iPod is text rather than audio.”

Slate introduced Today’s Papers this week for iPod use. As they say on their web site, “Print, meet your cool new friend: the iPod.” The segment is already one of Slate’s most popular features. Today’s Papers highlights some of the bigger headlines from newspapers across the country, providing links on topics provided in the story by Slate. That exact content is now iPod-ready through a free subscription with iTunes.

The daily dose of news isn’t the only thing subscribers will get: Lexus signed on to sponsor the textcasts. Where an album’s artwork might usually show up in both iTunes and iPod, Lexus’ text-only ad will appear instead.

The textcast is the first of its kind for Slate, which already produces podcasts. The textcast is updated every morning through iTunes and is then ready for iPod use. The web site first started experimenting with the idea at the beginning of the year by providing full-text versions of The Explainer with its podcasts. The response from subscribers was very favorable.

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 04:15 PM
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We are living in a virtual world…and I’m a virtual girl (guy)

By Chris Clonen

The world of marketing is about to change. Are you ready? Virtual, on-line games like Second Life and There.com have created a burgeoning, virtual universe offering “alternative lifestyles” for everyone from teenagers to your grandmother. The wish to live someone else’s life is now possible.

Corporations are thirsting for new, cutting edge ways to present their ideas and products to consumers. Everyone wants to have the next iPod or create the next Myspace. Well, the iPod is not the leading MP3 player because it is the best—it is the best because of marketing. What better way to get your product noticed than to put it in one of the coolest places on earth…the virtual world.

Here’s my experience. I decided to go to secondlife.com and create an “avatar” or visual characterization of myself. After a short tutorial and advice from one of the many Second Life helper characters, I was flying around my new reality as a suave, handsome public relations account exec looking for a few good people to pitch new ideas to. At first, Second Life reminded me of games like The Sims, World of Warcraft, and StarWars Galaxies, but it turned out to be much more. This fantasy has a close connection with reality.

I started off my free stay by visiting “Cobalt’s Corner,” a hot rod shop where I decided to take a ride in a replica of the Batmobile, when an alarm sounded and I was catapulted into the air while a message scrolled across the screen saying, “This is private property!” Next, I fulfilled a life-long dream—to join a sorority. Unfortunately, none of my fellow sisters were around to join in the celebration (and I am sure they are trying to come up with ways to expel me), but the feeling of being the first man in Sigma Theta really made my day. I then found a water park where I rode head first down a water slide, followed by shooting cannons from a pirate ship while chatting with a girl from Florida who loved pirates, and finally relaxing at the end of the day at the local mall, browsing though clothes selections, posters and furniture for a “second” home.

What really stuck out while I was perusing my virtual world was the amazingly creative landscapes and architecture, from ancient castles to post-modern dwellings (which you as a land owner can construct), to, best of all, a sea of advertisements: “Buy New Clothes;” “Rent Space Here;” “Drive a New Car;” and my favorite, “Need a New Lightsaber?” It is here that a light went off in my head. I realized that in this brave new world the possibilities are endless, especially for the advertising industry. It is this opportunity that separates Second Life from its fantasy competitors.

In Second Life and similar games, there is a direct connection with the real world. You meet real people with real needs and real wants. While walking around one of the virtual malls, I was amazed to see that you could buy basically anything. You could purchase a new shirt for your avatar using the game’s currency, or a new shirt for your real body by linking out to a commercial web site. Imagine trying on clothes at The Gap, Old Navy, or Hugo Boss from one of these virtual shops, kicking the tires of a new car at the local dealership, or even touring a new home.

This “fantasy/reality” offers the advertising world an unlimited amount of space and a wide variety of people all in one place waiting to hear about the latest innovative product. We could use the virtual world to pitch the next blogger outreach program, or put up billboards for the latest brainstorm, or better yet, create an e-commerce factory. Members can buy land, put up advertisements, chat with fellow members asking them to try out the latest in virtual designer jeans, ride around in the latest automotive innovation, or fly to the mall and purchase the latest teen craze. The sky is the limit! A virtual world with thousands of new customers is just a click away.

Corporations are already jumping on the bandwagon. Wells Fargo is preparing a virtual spot on Second Life called “Stagecoach Island” to encourage kids to become financially responsible, while rumors are floating that Microsoft owns an island in Second Life that it uses for conferences and executive “getaways.”

Imagine having virtual meetings with clients, taking away the boring conference call and adding a fun, 3-D virtual setting. Imagine reaching out to consumers from your desktop by means of a real-time video game. Imagine “commuting” to the office right from your home computer, never spending a dime on gas.

The possibilities for the industry are endless, and, best of all, fun! Thinking outside of the box has become thinking outside reality. The world of marketing is about to change. Are we ready?

Posted by staff at 01:08 PM
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May 18, 2006

Technorati gives you your blog's facts

Have you ever wondered where your blog “ranks” in the blogosphere? Technorati recently launched a tool that not only ranks your blog, but also shows site activity, which operates it and recent posts all in one small report.

Off to the side of the report are graphs that show how many posts are made daily and traffic to the site. Both of these tools are useful in seeing how you can improve your site’s visibility and traffic.

Steve Rubel, of Micro Persuasion, refers to the report as a baseball card, but the results look more like a report card than anything else. Try your blog and see where it ranks.

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 05:15 PM
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May 17, 2006

Police blotters become blogs

Last week, the Los Angeles Police Department launched its own blog, reporting on topics ranging from department activities to hard-hitting editorials.

The blog is a response from the department to improve community relations and the communication between officers and the citizens they serve. As Chief William Bratton says in one of the blog’s first posts, “By using this blog, the LAPD hopes to maintain an open dialogue with the communities we serve and those who have an interest in the men and women of this organization. We encourage you to express your opinions about current events through respectful and insightful discussion.”

The LAPD isn’t the only police department realizing the power of blogging. The Boston Police Department has had its own blog since November 2005. The two blogs differ from each other dramatically.

LAPD’s blog is more of a conversational piece, filled with stories on community events and candid reactions to current news. The blog is an attempt to create a better image for the controversial department known more for its scandals and corruption than positive activities. One recent post reported on a case where an off-duty bicycle officer and citizens helped save a man trapped inside of a burning vehicle while another reported on a department investigation involving an officer and a failed integrity test.

The BPD’s blog reads more like a police blotter. It does have community stories, but primarily lists crime statistics and a few police calls per day. There is a page devoted to community news and outreach, but the content is primarily based on facts and figures. An entire media page features news from the department for potential story ideas in the mainstream media.

The listing of specific police calls is of particular interest with the BPD blog. One of the most popular features in community newspapers is the “cop calls” section, listing runs the department responded to during a given period of time. Having the information available online, as well as the blog itself, reflects the department’s realization that their residents utilize the Internet more than ever before, and still want the features they came to rely on in a print publication available to them.

Whether it’s featuring police officers in a new light or releasing important information to the public, police department blogs are a useful communication tool.

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 12:02 PM
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May 15, 2006

BackupMyBlog restores peace of mind

For those concerned about losing their blogs at the click of a mouse, BackupMyBlog recently launched a backup service that automatically saves entire blog databases on a daily basis. Doug Martin, a web industry veteran, provides the service. His previous work includes serving as creator for LookLater (an online bookmarking tool), principal engineer for Encyclopedia Britannica online and consultant.

BackupMyBlog’s client is a PHP script that is housed on the blog’s server. As the web site states, security is a top priority. The client installed on a blog’s server can’t change any information about the blog’s database.

Creating an account is currently free during the beta testing. While no official costs are given by BackupMyBlog, Mark Allen of Moustache reports that the service will eventually cost $20 for three months of service.

There are just a few requirements for a blog to be able to use BackupMyBlog:

• The blog needs to be hosted on a public server.
  
• MySQL must be used for database backend.
  
• The blog’s server needs to support PHP version 4.3.0 or later.
  
• The blogger needs to have rights to install a PHP script on his blog server.

Hosted blogs, such as LiveJournal or those offered by MySpace, can’t be backed up the service.

Brian Benzinger of Solution Watch posted his thoughts on BackupMyBlog today after signing up a blog of his own for a trial run. Benzinger said, “Overall, I found BackupMyBlog to be a great service that can definitely help many bloggers out there.”

We asked Steve Moazami, Chief IT guy here, if he, as a blog administrator, would have concerns about using BackupMyBlog. He said:

1. Data is sent clear text: This would be of concern if you have private data in your blog. Do you have some content restricted? Do you often post things ahead of time but not publish them until later? This data will be sent clear text across the Internet when you back up.

2. False sense of security: The database is backed up, but don't forget the files aren't. Should the server your blog is on crash, you'll need both file assets and your database backup to get your blog back up and running. If the database itself crashes, or if you make database changes that you wish to roll back, then just the database backup will suffice.

3. Data rentention policy: This is more for corporate blogs. Does your company have a data rentention policy? Better check BackupMyBlog's retention policy to see if they're compatible.

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 04:15 PM
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May 12, 2006

Here's to the Moms

By Charlie Kondek

Mother's Day is nearly here, and we thought it an appropriate time to make note of some of our favorite "mom bloggers."

The mom blogosphere as a whole is a delightful place to spend time. These women are witty, funny, insightful, inspirational – and sometimes heartbreaking as they detail their day-to-day struggles big and small with marriage, child-rearing, professional life, medical trials and family issues. Something about moms and blogs just kind of go together; maybe it's the long-standing literary tradition of women finding time to get something on paper between the burpings, pukings, tantrums, meltdowns, crises, and snuggles. Mom-blogging is Victorian in its comfort, post-modern in its freneticness, and thoroughly relevant in its scope.

So Happy Mothers' Day, mom bloggers. We salute you and present a very small sampling of some of, but by no means all, of our favorite mom bloggers.

Alittlepregnant: Read back in the archives for the story of her IVF pregnancy and Charlie’s premature birth. Mom, dad and baby are happy and healthy now.

Dooce: The godmother of mom bloggers, she’s ranked No. 22 most popular blog by Technorati. She’s an ex-Mormon, she’s profane, she’s funny, her web site looks great, and she posts a new photo every day.

BusyMom: Doesn't the name say it all? She works. She parents. Her husband is called Busy Daddy. And she has a slogan I think many of us can relate to: “Better parenting through coffee.” Plus, we have always loved the graphics on this blog: Is the icon on the top of the page happy, insane, or both?

Foodmomiac: This blog combines two of our favorite types of blogs: mom-blogging and food-blogging. Okay, so sometimes the food in question is baby food. But like all good food blogs, this is best read after lunch – because if you read it before, say, 11:00 in the morning, there' no way you're going to make it to noon without a snack (her recent post on brats was a low blow).

WouldaShoulda: Everything is an adventure for Mir, and she never shirks from the gory details. Sometimes she even provides photographs, although the mental images are often harrowing enough. We wanted to single out this "over-educated, under-appreciated, divorced mom to two" for her passion, her humor and her pathos. Whether Walking for the Cure, speaking at BlogHer or just doing her thing, she's a joy to read.

Posted by staff at 02:55 PM
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May 11, 2006

Google Trends creates more search possibilities

Google Labs recently released Google Trends, a search engine that allows users to compare topics over time and see how frequently they’ve been searched for, any possible news stories they were featured in, and even in which geographic regions they appeared. The results are displayed in a colorful, interactive graph. Results go back to January 2004.

Trends allows for a unique, customized search. Up to five items may be compared at one time. Comparing pairs of topics is also an option, while creating a search to avoid specific words is also possible. Google provides specific instructions on how to set up the right search for the user’s needs. Take a look at some of these pairings to see what kind of interesting results you can receive.

Apples or oranges? Apples definitely win in this match. Some of the headlines that turned up ranged from a health segment (Comparing Apples To Apples: Which Are Healthiest?), to Apples turns down the iPod volume, an article on Apple software that allows iPod Nano users to adjust sound output.

Michigan State Spartans and Michigan Wolverines: which one’s better? Apparently the Wolverines are. However, the top city is East Lansing, with “Spartanburg” a close second.

On the small screen, it’s a neck-and-neck race when it comes to Oprah Winfrey and David Letterman.

If the topics have appeared in Google News stories, the headlines are displayed on the results page and have a corresponding letter on the graph showing when they were originally published. Currently the site provides English-only headlines in the searches, but Google hopes to add non-English titles soon.

The results of time, location and frequency are useful in analyzing what was going on during a certain period of time and what kind of information people were looking for then. ProBlogger’s Darren Rowse makes an interesting point about comparing headlines to their date of publication on the graph and how that might be able to relate to specific events. Rowse believes the tool will be very useful to bloggers wishing to track buzz on their topics over time.

While no individual personal searching data is divulged through Google Trends (the results are from a large sampling), the new feature shows what people are looking for on the whole, and at what frequencies. With such potential to compare and contrast what people are searching for, Google Trends is poised to be a helpful resource to the public relations community.

However, it’s still unclear how the general public will use the search, as Guardian’s Jack Schofield debated in his technology blog. “This should be useful to search engine optimizers, and people in advertising and marketing, who will be able to compare brands over time. For the rest of us, it's just amusing to compare, say, the iPod with the Xbox, or Blu-ray and HD DVD, or AAC, WMA, and Ogg Vorbis, and so on.”

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 04:42 PM
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May 10, 2006

BlogBurst Supplies Bloggers to Newspapers

By Alicia Dorset

The next time you visit your favorite newspaper online, you may find some of your favorite blogs right there on the same web page.

BlogBurst, a syndication service that connects blogs on a variety of topics, announced May 2 that its members’ blogs would be associated with some of the country’s largest papers as a source for stories, news and features.

How does it work? BlogBurst says, “We promote your blog in our publisher workbench, our top-tier publishers display your blog content on their sites, and clicks on your byline drive new traffic to your blog.” Currently, BlogBurst has more than 1,000 member blogs in its network. Bloggers may submit their blogs for review through BlogBurst to become part of the network.

A few of the newspapers participating so far are The San Francisco Chronicle, The Houston Chronicle, The San Antonio Express-News, and The Austin American-Statesman. BlogBurst, part of the Pluck Corporation, claims that more than 15 million users visit these newspaper sites each month, and can now benefit from the additional blog coverage.

The San Francisco Chronicle features travel-related blogs in its own travel section. On the main page of the travel section, readers may click on a blog headline (several stories are available at once) to read a short excerpt on the newspaper’s site. By clicking on the author’s link, the reader is taken directly to the actual blog for the entire post, leaving the newspaper. The idea behind this is that the bloggers themselves will receive greater readership from a byline being featured in the online newspaper.

The American-Statesman (out of Austin, Texas) sets up their blog content a little differently. Entries are available in their entirety on the newspaper’s own site, with links to the authors’ individual blogs available. The Statesman features Teenfashionista, a blog that explores the ins and outs of preparing for the annual prom, in its style section, right next to actual staff reports.

The partnership between bloggers and newspapers raises interesting questions. With many newspapers having to cut back on staff due to declining circulation and revenue, will more and more newspapers look to BlogBurst for online content to supplement their own? Editor and Publisher reported today on the potential “radical” moves The Boston Herald is investigating in order to survive, including a move to put more emphasis on the web. “(Tobe) Berkovitz said such a move would address the importance of younger, Web-savvy readers to advertisers, and the high rate of Internet use in the Boston area.”

While many newspapers fear the end of a print product, embracing web content with their current material may help win more readership and users in a society moving more and more toward Internet-based content.

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 04:57 PM
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May 09, 2006

Vlogging on the World Wide Web

By Alicia Dorset

As more people become comfortable with the Internet and what it has to offer, more and more are investigating how they can best personalize the World Wide Web. One of those trends happens to be vlogging (rhymes with blogging), or video blogging, a trend catching the attention of everyone from moms to celebrities to corporate executives.

Vlogging is fairly easy to do. References are abundant online, where you can find useful tips for broadcasting and lists of interesting vlogs. Put that together with low-cost equipment, such as web cams, and just about anyone can become a producer.

Next month, San Francisco will play host to “Vloggercon,” a two-day conference devoted entirely to vlogging. The event plans to cover topics ranging from cool tricks when making your own movie to how journalism is getting involved with the medium. As the web site states, “No video blogger will be turned away.”

The mainstream media are paying attention. As reported in the May 8 post from TV Week, television executives are looking for ways to capitalize on the popularity of do-it-yourself videos. Even advertisers are looking to vlogs for commercial inspiration, such as the American Express “15 Second”ads, where hopefuls submitted their own take on the “My Life, My Card” campaign.

Recently, YouTube, a site that allows users to upload video clips, has caught the attention of the media as well. YouTube is a good example of the huge potential of video blogging. As Forbes reported on April 28, Internet video is finally taking off. According to the article, the site had more than 12 million users in March of this year and streams 40 million clips daily.

Rolling Stone noticed the phenomenon in a recent article. In its April 28 issue, Andrew Goldstein looked into the trend and interviewed the creators behind Rocketboom, one of the most well-known vlogs. Wikipedia has a detailed history of the show.

In related news, BitTorrent and Warner Brothers announced today a partnership to release more than 200 WB titles (both films and television shows) through the popular file-sharing application for purchase. This is clearly a good example of how video usage online is becoming more accessible to more people as the technology (faster Internet connections as one example) becomes easier to use.

For more on vlogging, check out the sites listed below.

Vidblogs
Videoblogging info
BlipTV
Mefeedia

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 04:49 PM
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May 03, 2006

Buzz Brouhaha response

By David Binkowski

PR Industry maven Paul Holmes, on his Holmes Report Blog, writes today that any PR pros upset that Bzzagent gets a disproportionate share of publicity in the area should step up to the plate and "write their own damned book." He says PR pros have done little in evangelizing, much less "getting" word of mouth (WoM). I take issue with that claim.

There are people in PR that "get it". We spend a lot of time educating our colleagues and clients about WoM, our WoM practice and how it can help their business. This is a new avenue for a lot of corporate VPs, Directors and the like, and this educating has led to a significant increase in the acceptance of WoM and the marketing mix.

Our firm has run more than 30 WoM campaigns in the past two years for 17 global and national brands. I was recently paraphrased, along with Mr. Balter, in the April issue of Inc. Magazine ("Creating Buzzzzzzz"), have done a handful of podcasts on WoM and regularly post on this blog as well as my personal blog.

Our recent PR week awards, new business wins and repeat business are the signs that we're doing a great job with WoM -- not negative PR, being the loudest mouthpiece in this field or being the first to publish. Now, to start tapping out that book...

Posted by staff at 02:07 PM
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May 01, 2006

Are you a "product whore"?

By David Binkowski

That's the question a blogger product reviewer was asked by her husband. Her answer:

"I don't see anything wrong with getting free products in exchange for writing a review. No one tells me or even suggests to me what I should say. I'm under no obligation. That being said, if you have a product that you want an honest opinion of, the opinion of a regular person, let me know. I don't make any money off this site so I might as well get some free stuff because of it!"

The comments from her readers were interesting. Here's one:

"I like that you review the products. You clearly state that you received it for free, and give an honest opinion -- nothing wrong with that. I think it's clever of the marketers to tap into the untamed blog world. ;-)"

We agree. You too can be a product whore and give us your honest review of new products if you'd like. Drop me an email and let's chat.

Posted by staff at 05:58 PM
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