 |
I was at a presentation tonight in San Francisco. The speaker was talking about how bloggers can (and should) be publishing eBooks based on their blog content. To emphasize the opportunity, he said, “eBook publishing is The Wild West right now!”
I don’t disagree.
With that said, if I got a nickel for how many times I heard that it’s still “The Wild West” in marketing platform X, Y or Z, I’d be rich.
eBooks, Podcasting, SEO, Online Advertising, Local Business Marketing, Video Marketing, Facebook Marketing, Google+, Pinterest. What’s not the Wild West???
Okay. Fading or irrelevant platforms aren’t “The Wild West”. MySpace is not the Wild West. No one’s fighting for leadership there. That’s just a fact of life.
Implications?
In my opinion, the big marketers in these industries are always at risk because the platforms, the rules, and the norms of engagement are constantly changing. Companies that get complacent and stop learning or experimenting are also at risk. Just look at search. Google’s algorithm changes constantly unsettle anyone who depends on search for their business. Facebook’s move to Timeline has completely revamped the Facebook marketing industry. A lot of businesses are still trying to catch up. Pinterest eclipsed Google+’s time in the sun by coming out of left field.
My prediction. For the next 20 years, we’ll be living in “The Wild West” across all of Social Media and there’s nothing we can do about it. Get used to it. Keep learning, experimenting and investing or fall back.
What do you think? What does this mean for your business?
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
says:
Tom,
I couldn’t agree more. The true leaders in every industry to listed above are those who have dedicated themselves to learning…
Once you think you’ve got this stuff by the balls everything gets turned on it’s head.
This also why I love the Online marketing world so much. Everyday is a new adventure.
Great stuff!
Hanley
Ryan Hanley recently posted..A Brand New Form of SEO that Radically Increases Search Traffic
Twitter: rtmixmktg
says:
Hey Ryan. I couldn’t agree with you more. There’s no complacency in the social media space and the level of commitment really separates the winners from the also rans (or the “chose not to rans”)!
Tom Treanor recently posted..Landing Page Optimization: Don’t kick your customers out the door
Twitter: chrisnpi
says:
Hi Tom – you are totally right – all thinks related with online marketing are “The Wild West”. But do you really think, that it will change after 20 years? I don’t think so ;)
BR, Chris
Chris recently posted..8 Helpful Tips, How To Promote Your Blog
Twitter: rtmixmktg
says:
Chris, by about 2032, we’ll all have multimedia chips that attach to our clothing and allow us to web browse or watch video via a holograph and listen to audio on demand. By that time it will be corporate-controlled and government-regulated – so it will be largely standardized. Basic usage will be contextual ad-sponsored or you can eliminate that for a price. So, you can see – by then it will be less “Wild West”! I may be off by a few months or so..
Tom Treanor recently posted..Advanced Google Search Tricks and Tips
Twitter: chrisnpi
says:
Hi Tom, now it’s clear. We all are in Matrix, and social media are outside it – it’s “Wild West”…
BTW – I know that guy in the hat ;)
Chris recently posted..10 Lessons Learned from First Month of Blogging
Twitter: rtmixmktg
says:
I hear he’s a really nice guy despite his rough looks.
Tom recently posted..Do You Know Your Product’s Risk-Reward Ratio?
Twitter: GeraldNitram
says:
Learning is a never ending process in the first place, so what’s the point of stopping it if that’s part of the essentials of a successful business? When you stop learning, that means you’re rejecting the chance to progress, and that’s going to bring a business down. By the way, I agree with the fact that we’re all in the “Wild West”. You don’t just sit down and do nothing; you stand up and move to reach something good.
Twitter: rtmixmktg
says:
Hi Gerald. I agree with you that to succeed we all need to keep learning and moving forward. Thanks for stopping by!
Tom recently posted..How to Measure Social Media ROI (Infographic)
With the ever advancing state of technology, changes will always be essential. We are all interconnected in this Internet world. When someone advances, it will always be up to you to either stand still or move with the flow. Learning should never stops; but people do. And if you want to succeed, you need to continuously finds ways to improve.
Magic Webs recently posted..SEO Consultation