Social Media Guru’s Are Spewers Just Like Traditional Broadcast Media
This morning I was reading an article posted on a fairly well known web hosting blog. That set things in motion with regard to this post. Why? Well the article was about Jeremiah Owyang’s discussion on the future of social media and business. A piece of that was how important it is for businesses to listen to the conversation, instead of pushing their sell message. Jeremiah has a list of 8 objectives I don’t want to detract from, but there is a bigger picture here.
Jeremiah is a well known analyst. I’ve had a couple of interactions with him, all online and he always struck me as incredibly bright and thoughtful. Just lately I’ve noticed a couple of things, not just about Jeremiah, about the bigger names in this social media world, and it occurred to me they reach a point where they no longer listen to regular people, no longer engage in typical conversation, no longer participate in collaboration with anyone in the ranks. Occasional evenings with a glass of wine may inspire a bit of open conversation but that seems to dissipate as they reach the peak of what I call the place where the snowball effect happens.
Picture if you will, a hill that is very steep and requires quite an effort to climb. Once you reach the very top, obviously you sort of hang out there for a while to catch your breath, putting on your ski’s, preparing for the steep decent, and there it is ahead of you. You move toward the edge and push off, slowly at first, gaining speed as you go leaving a wake of snow dust behind. Part way down the hill you realize you aren’t really in control anymore, your speed is at a rate you weren’t prepared for but you can’t do anything about it but try to stand up and stay in the tracks of those who went before. And then it happens. You hit a clump of ice and down you go! You’re not stopping because your momentum propels you forward, instead you roll and become a human snowball, moving faster and faster, bowling over everything in your path, so fast you don’t even care what is in your way you only hope you get to the bottom soon and that you haven’t injured yourself or anyone else too badly. Your goal, to survive, and survive well.
This is how I view the Social Media Moguls. The big names in the world we’re all creating and moving around in. The Leo Laporte’s and Robert Scoble’s, or Jeremiah Owyang’s. There are quite a few I could cite, and many may take issue with my plunking Robert into this category but hear me out. Robert is a nice guy, I’m taking nothing from him for putting him here. What he is, and he owns it, is elitist. He pays more attention to us minions because that’s his job, but he rarely heeds us heading off in his own direction stirring the dust behind as he pushes through. Is he engaged? Certainly to some extent he is, but he many times spews his message, and then rushes off leaving everyone to fight amongst themselves. It’s a bit macabre, almost puppeteer like.
You see what these men, and others, have in common is they’re speeding down the hill and haven’t yet recognized they are headed for a collision. They don’t equate themselves to the monster media companies that have died out from past era’s. They don’t see the correlation between how they started to the newspapers that are dying today. They’re still enjoying the swooshing they hear as they race down the hill at breakneck speed. They still believe they have control, and they definitely don’t think they’re broadcasting a message instead of engaging in conversation.
Broadcast. It’s an interesting word. Most of us have been seeing that word used for old media, and why it’s failing. We now have choices and we don’t want to be preached to. We want to get facts, sure, we want details, sometimes, but what we want more than anything else is to be involved in the conversation and feel like we make a difference too. The people racing down a hill, well they can’t even see us as anything more than a blur. Sad really. Sadder still that they have to hit something to stop their out of control plummet.
At some point, what our social media moguls have in common with each other is they stop listening. They can tell others what to do and how to do it, but at some point they no longer heed their own words. They’ve reached such a state of speed they simply don’t have the ability to hear what their audience has to say. They become insensitive to those around them and are surrounded only by similarly positioned people. It happens to them all. When did you last see Brian Solis talking to a regular person on the street? And he’s mister nice! How about Mike Arrington? Never happens. Soon, Robert Scoble will be like that just as Leo Laporte has become that. Their occasional forays into their audience to provide perceived reciprocity simply isn’t enough.
Just something to think about. That’s all.
on November 2nd, 2009 at 3:20 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Sheryl Breuker, David Petherick. David Petherick said: RT @SherylBreuker Social Media Guru’s Are Spewers Just Like Traditional Broadcast Media http://bit.ly/3z4tpq [...]
on November 2nd, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Interesting view, and I think a valid one – there are ‘moguls’ emerging, and to a certain extent, some are sliding into broadcast mode.
But I have to stick up for Robert Scoble!
I first met Robert last year in Amsterdam, and interviewed him. http://thenextweb.com/2008/04/04/robert-scoble-at-the-next-web-amsterdam/
One thing I noticed was that Robert took the time to talk to a huge number of people throughout the event – without hiding in the press or VIP areas at all. Robert wore the T-shirt I gifted him the day before with my URL on it at HIS keynote. He didn’t have to do that – he should have been broadcasting his own messages like most of us do when we are in the spotlight. But he didn’t.
Robert also returned my call to my cell in the UK from the US within half an hour when I called him a few months later – and he didn’t know it was me who called, because I didn’t trouble him with a message, as it was not really an important call.
So he may be a mogul, but he’s still very conversational to me!
Regards, David
on November 2nd, 2009 at 3:45 pm
I did say, “Soon, Robert Scoble will be like that just as Leo Laporte has become that”
I’ve interviewed Robert too, and met him. He was nice, thought I don’t think he remembers any of the times we’ve met and there have been a couple. I have since had conversations and enjoyed them quite a lot. If there is a differentiator I’d say it’s his actual enjoyment of all the social tools. But time will tell. Call it a hovering prediction if you will
Nice to see you on here, David. I’ve missed you
on November 2nd, 2009 at 5:16 pm
You must have the wrong Brian Solis
I dedicate more time to interacting with anyone and everyone in the real world – answering questions, helping people who need direction, helping students finish papers, etc. in addition to my day job. It’s one of the reasons you don’t see me online more often. Robert’s also one of the most approachable guys I know. He talks to everyone who asks for his time. Jeremiah and Chris Brogan too…
I do see where you’re going and I do appreciate your thoughts. There are many I’ve seen many who become broadcasters – losing touch with the communities who support them in favor of producing, promoting and distributing content.
on November 2nd, 2009 at 5:29 pm
I think, as David Petherick and I exchanged in email, the core issue is the scalability of any one person. We know all the people mentioned either personally or by years of reading (not just casual, one-time reads). Robert, Jeremiah, Leo, Brian and many others are fabulous people we enjoy interacting with and following.
The root problem is that one person can only scale to a limited number of conversations. I’ve had countless conversations with Scoble, for example, dating back to well before he joined Microsoft as an evangelist. Over those years, I’ve watched one of the most likable guys I know gain speed and momentum, hurtling through social media at a speed approaching 32 feet per second per second (as my high school physics teacher liked to say).
At some point, that snowball effect rolling downhill either abrupts as people find a way to engage differently, or the person involved drops into freefall. Freefall may be the end game for many as it’s seen as glorious success, fame and fortune.
But at what price. There is a decrease in the person’s ability to join conversations at the same level. As many years as I’ve known Robert, I’m not in a position to share drinks on the beach in Half Moon Bay with him. Our circles diverge. I think that’s the case for anyone whose momentum reaches a certain point. I’m just not certain what that point is.
Like Sheryl, I think it’s a warning sign for all of us who really take social media seriously.
on November 2nd, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Brian, I believe I said you are mister nice
If you get where I was going then you can accept that I was speaking in a collective way, throwing names out there for effect, not necessarily speaking specifically about certain people, even though a few names were used. Having said that, I would also like to point out the fact that you and I have never crossed paths in any way before now.
As for how much time you spend with regular people, I can’t honestly say I know, but what I do know, just based on the massive amount of media and press you get is that in virtually all articles, in all aspects of media you are seen in the company, not of regular people but the tech super stars. And who do you do business with?
My view is this, this life you and Robert lead is an elitist existence that doesn’t have a lot of room for those of us living on the outside. If I should cross paths with you or anyone else in the social media super star world, it will be me seeking it out, and once it’s over, it’s over. You are certainly not hunting me down because I’m a great person to hang with. You know nothing about me and most likely have heard nothing about me until today. I’m not honestly sure how you heard about this today. I didn’t tag you or link to you in any way.
Aside from that, getting back to Robert, what I said stands. I have talked to Robert. I interviewed him and really enjoyed my conversation with him. But further to that, I’ve met him. He has no recollection of it and I didn’t hound him at our meetings. I simply greeted him as he came through the door to an event, and the other time I was introduced to him was another conference.
I’m sure you are very nice people, if you allow people to know you. But for those of us living on the outside, you don’t take time to get to know us, you’re very busy interacting with each other when not working. What is shared is broadcasting. At some point what is lost is the fact that if not for those of us sitting on the edge, many of you would have no audience.
Let me put it another way, I knew who you were before you came here to respond to my post. Did you know who I was? And, let’s go one step further, if you did know who I was, why had you never approached me to have a conversation with me? I think I’m pretty interesting, not in
an egotistical way, in a curiosity is my life, way. I like to talk, like to learn, like to listen, am most of the time considered, like you a pretty nice person. I don’t do suck up very well, and I believe my blog is a place I have a right to speak my opinion.
Whew, that’s almost another blog post right there.
Good to hear from you, Brian. Let’s see if a conversation begins and spreads or if a message was broadcast, shall we?
on November 2nd, 2009 at 9:39 pm
To further emphasize the point, I submit this tweet from @Scobleizer – Hah @kevinrose it’s way beyond a gateway drug. By the way, you’re on @Scobleizer/most-influential… — Congrats, big honor! (See http://twitter.com/Scobleizer/status/5382434303)
Now if someone can explain to me how that isn’t glad-handing, ego stroking “God I’m so freaking awesome and so are you hotshot” among an elitist group, I will eat my mother-freakin hat…live on QIK video.
on November 2nd, 2009 at 10:20 pm
As Sheryl said – game, set match. And as I said, my hat is safe.
http://twitter.com/briansolis/status/5384265895 RT @Scobleizer If u invited 400 of the world’s best tech journalists to a conf, this is what they’d talk about @Scobleizer/tech-news-people
on November 2nd, 2009 at 10:23 pm
on November 2nd, 2009 at 11:37 pm
Great post, Sheryl. It articulates a thought I’ve had for a while, which is: at what point are you unable to meaningfully interact with all the followers who try to engage you? Clearly, some of the names you’ve mentioned have reached that point, and I actually feel sorry for them because it’s impossible for these folks to interact with everyone that wants to!
I haven’t reached that point–yet, though I get a glimpse of it from time to time. Various people over the years claim to have met be in person before when I have no recollection of meeting them. I tend to write it off as being a minor celebrity to anyone who ran the Check Point firewall products in the late 1990s-early 2000s, but it could just as easily be faulty memory on my part
on November 2nd, 2009 at 11:48 pm
Dameon, you are a celebrity. I happen to know you’ve been asked for your autograph! As long as you still remember me, grandpa, we’re ok.
I agree with you, too. It definitely happens to people, even to me, though so far it’s pretty rare and it really is something I chalk up to simply having a bad memory with regard to names or faces. I have to meet someone one on one probably 2-3 times before they stick.
Still, if you paid attention tonight to the Scoble/Solis interaction on twitter you’d know that for them it has reached a different place. I won this battle. Brian acknowledged it
And yeah, I’m patting myself on the back for my little insight! HA!
on November 3rd, 2009 at 8:27 am
But, Brian, I sent you an email only in my life and you never got back to me…
on November 3rd, 2009 at 9:00 am
Point to Luca!
on November 3rd, 2009 at 9:16 am
I did get a few autograph requests over the years, true. I try not to think too much of it, lest my ego grow too far out of control
I didn’t watch Scoble/Solis on Twitter. I try not to pay too much attention to that stratosphere. In fact, I rarely follow people who are followed by so many people as the quality of interaction I am likely to get is quite low. Exceptions are made for people who entertain or regularly inform me.
on November 3rd, 2009 at 9:51 am
Sheryl, you’re on the money.
Go ask that universe of Social Media Gurus how long it has been since they used Twitter with the web interface, like most people do.
Once they reach the first base station up the mountain, they breathe in that rarefied air – and forget how people live at sea-level.
on November 3rd, 2009 at 10:49 am
Luca, you can email me…but honestly, that’s a place where I am perpetually playing catchup. And for the record, I use Twitter.com
on November 3rd, 2009 at 11:44 am
[...] must be thinking this way because it is nearly becoming a meme. Take this post by Sheryl Brueker: Social Media Guru’s Are Spewers Just Like Traditional Broadcast Media. In it, Sheryl equates failure to engage with your community with an out-of-control skier [...]
on November 3rd, 2009 at 11:55 am
I personally don’t think using a Twitter client (or just using twitter.com) is a sign one way or the other of whether or not you are engaged. I personally use a mix of SMS, Tweetie (iPhone), Gravity (Nokia E71), and various web clients (twitter.com, Seesmic, Brizzly, and maybe others) depending on where I am and what I am doing. In fact, the multiple ways to access the service–particularly from a mobile phone–is one of the most powerful things about using Twitter–and why I started using it in the first place.
on November 3rd, 2009 at 2:31 pm
I like that this is food for thought, but it would help if you proposed action as well. These guys are obviously all trying; come on, they’re commenting on this post!
Are you proposing it’s their fault that they hit this snowballing effect? If I understand correctly, you are saying it’s not their fault with which I would agree
So then, whose fault is it when they don’t stop the snowballing effect? Theirs? Their yes men? How do they know when they’ve hit the point of no return, and does that even exist?
In defense of the big shots, I can’t imagine how hard it is to scale the sheer amount of conversations people want to have with them. I remember more than one occasion where Robert Scoble posted his cell phone online; would you do that? Or, for example, try following Gary Vaynerchuk and you’ll quickly be directed to a landing page where Gary lays out, in a video to you, why he can’t respond to most of the queries you’d like to send him. It’s just too dang difficult.
I guess all in all, I just don’t see the point of ragging on people who we don’t really know except for their celebrity status. We have no real knowledge of their lives and what they do in order to stay as humble & modest as they are, so it seems strange to debate whether or not they’re still involved with us lowly normal people
Perhaps next time you could do some analytics behind all this? I’m thinking: look at # of tweets between/among “celebrities” vs. with the rest of us, etc. You know, put some real data behind the claims. Until then, thanks for being bold and bringing up this topic!
on November 3rd, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Tyler,
I’m mobile on Blackberry at the moment, but to one point Sheryl’s cell number is posted here and on every site we use. Mine too. I publisjed mine like that before Robert was so big – in 2000. Just check any page on this blog.
More later when we aren’t mobile. Or on Twitter @kencamp and @SherylBreuker.
on November 4th, 2009 at 7:21 am
Interesting dialog, thanks for highlighting it.
I saw this light up in my alerts yesterday, but was generally unable to respond in a thoughtful way (as I had the day off), so excuse me while I’m a bit slower than Brian Solis jumping into the conversation.
I’ll be very honest. Your assessment is true, many of the top bloggers in any sector start to look like mainstream media. Instead of having a few deep relationships as they once did, they have a broad set of shallow relationships.
I’ve written about this here, “Looking Behind the Curtains on the Social Media Stage: Humans Don’t Scale” –I think we agree.
http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2009/06/13/looking-behind-the-curtains-at-the-social-media-stage-humans-dont-scale/
On a side note, I refrain from two many individual conversations that don’t pertain to others (i’m trying to respect the time of others) and shift conversations when I can to DM, email or sometimes phone. Take for example my Twitter account, I’ve done 17k tweets, but have 10k DMs –this means I cascade the conversation closer, and much more private.
Here’s how I use Twitter, in which I’m attempting to think of others first.
http://tinyurl.com/24lv65
on November 4th, 2009 at 9:06 am
“Experts to the left of us, experts to the right of us, and rarely shall they deign to greet … the rest of us”
on November 4th, 2009 at 9:09 am
I’m in the same boat as Sheryl. I’ve met Robert a half-dozen times over the past half-decade .. at Web 2.0 conferences and workshops in California, in Washington State, here in Vancouver, in London, in Paris, and in Copenhagen. And I am willing to bet that if I walked up to him now without a name badge on, he’d have no idea who I was and could not put a name to the face.
on November 4th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Jon, I appreciate your comments. I know I’m not alone with this struggle.I’m not sure what I expected with this, certainly was surprised to get comments back from both Brian and Jeremiah. If I thought about it, Robert is who would have commented in my mind, if only because he and I have a lot more communication in our history.
The slippery slope of notoriety. Still, they did comment and acknowledge the struggle, so for that I am grateful.
on November 4th, 2009 at 11:32 am
Jeremiah, I am curious about something. At some point don’t you have to determine what your value is to those around you? If your relationship is shallow, isn’t your value then compromised?
on November 4th, 2009 at 11:39 am
Tyler, thank you so much for taking time to comment here.
I didn’t post analytics because I’m no analyst. I am making observations as I move through the technical/social world, if on the borders. These are my observations, my experiences and my suppositions. I couple that with real life communication with a variety of people at various levels of the spectrum.
Posting this certainly created dialog, and that’s worth something I believe.
on November 4th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Excellent points…I see this as a symptom of anyone in any field when they start to grow and get larger, could be a small business or someone climbing an organizational ladder. The core issue with the social web is really the pretense of engagement, since someone may have reached a scale too large to really fully engage, but pretend they are. Therein liew the rub.
In other words…people accept it more I suppose, begrudgingly perhaps, in other social forums but the social web was built on the idea of engaging with all people, those of “import” or not. Frankly when someone reaches a certain scale, unless I’m an “original” follower, friend, etc., I’ve never had anyone respond to me, only to their original faithful flock. Therein lies the hypocrisy I think.
So these guys you’re referring to, named and otherwise, no longer are relevant to new followers unless the new ones want to hear their spiel and don’t expect a response in return. I no longer follow the people you mention and many others because I know I’m just a number to them now. Jim Long is the only person I can think of who has responded to me recently and it was on a relatively common issue and he certainly doesn’t follow me back. I accept that with him but he’s an exception to my rule of dropping “big names” (who don’t follow me back) to follow/friend.
In summary, I think you have the right analogy of speeding down a ski slope. These folks don’t see what’s happening due to the trees whipping by so fast. A conscious decision should be made early in their engagement to avoid collision, no matter which path they take…in my mind:
“Far better to be a big fish in a small pond than a little fish in a big pond.”
on November 4th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Hey JR, I think you make a good point about these people and their relevance to newcomers. So how long do you give them before the newcomers put someone relevant to them on a pedestal and push these guys off? I would like to know how big the top of the pedestal is.
Thanks for all the comments guys. We didn’t get Scoble to come comment, but Brian and Jeremiah certainly made their presence known.
on November 6th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Frankly when someone reaches a certain scale, unless I’m an “original” follower, friend, etc., I’ve never had anyone respond to me, only to their original faithful flock. Therein lies the hypocrisy I think.
It may be that the “echo chamber” phenomenon much discussed 4 or 5 years ago hasn’t grown much past the original dynamics, except that there are more ways now to gather and reinforce attention .. and for those that are seeking to making a living in this chaotic mumbo-jumbo of every-which-way pulls on attention, those who have it will tend to want to keep it, grow it, renew it, etc.