Readership Dilemma

Jerry
Springer and Rush Limbaugh get it.  So do
Jim Cramer and Dick Vitale.

To attract
a significant following in today’s noisy, media and blog-saturated world one
has to express controversial views, delivered in a loud and boisterous style.

Perhaps
that’s what the editorial staff at New Yorker magazine had in mind when they
signed-off on a cover illustration that depicts Barack Obama in a turban,
fist-bumping his gun-slinging wife.  Whether
you believe its “tasteless and offensive” like Obama’s campaign or merely misinterpreted
satirical humor like New Yorker editor David Remnick,
the resulting uproar has delivered a level of attention and significance the
magazine has not had in years.

New Yorker
Obama Cover Sparks
Uproar

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/14/politics/politico/main4257077.shtml?source=mostpop_story

Most
bloggers understand the readership dilemma all too well.  The competition for attention is fierce with
Technorati now tracking more than 110 million blogs.  As a result, the blogosphere often digresses
into a shouting match of hysterical voices promoting their respective views and
agenda.

Into
this mess walks the corporate executive blogger.  How can a company garner readership and
visibility for its thought leadership using an approach that is consistent with
its brand image?

Our
counsel to clients is to side-step controversy, and focus efforts on developing
relevant, engaging and entertaining content tailored to the needs of specific
target audiences.  Expressing opinions in
a clear and well-articulated fashion is a must, as is promoting blog content
through a mix of social media and traditional PR channels.  Yet, the benchmark for success should be
quality of readers, rather than quantity.

Recently,
I had two prospects comment on my blog posts during pitch meetings.  One agreed with my thinking, while another
felt I was off-base in my assessment of the value of micro-blogging
platforms.  Both are now current agency
clients.