Yes, Blogging Can Make Us Slightly Famous - Unfortunately
Tonight, on the comment section for David Caruso [Horatio on "CSI: Miami"] I found out that I was what marketing expert Steven Van Yoder calls "Slightly Famous." In his book by that title "Get Slightly Famous," Van Yoder explains how to "become a celebrity in your field and attract more business with less effort." I am not unique in being able to leverage intense blogging [my other syndicated blog is here] into a mini celebrityhood. A number of bloggers, ranging from Paul Chaney to Toby Bloomberg have also achieved that. I have no notion how other slightly famous folks feel about this. I find it an unfortunate consequence of this powerful medium of blogging.
How I discovered my mini celebrityhood was a comment left on the Caruso site noted that the sun might rise and set on Jane Genova's blogging but the person making the comment didn't consider my thinking or writing too hot.
I replied that I became a blogger and made this goal clear to my blogging coach Paul Chaney primarily for commercial purposes. No I was not in it for personal expression, to find an audience for my writing or to make a difference. The weblog was to be a tool for attracting new business and for branding. Both happened nicely. About 90 percent of prospects contact me because they bump into me on the web. My brandname is now out there as an executive/marketing communications writer and as a strategic consultant.
After I made that known on the comment section, the hostility seemed to lessen. But I had no wish for a high profile, for being evaluated as a "writer" in the traditional sense of visionary, or for being a role model/punching bag for other bloggers.
In 1999, I read political consultant Dick Morris' book "Vote.com." He predicted that the Internet was going to turn traditional communications, and with it establishment influence and power, on its ear. Anyone could get attention without begging the gatekeepers to let their point of view or personal branding in. I believed Morris. I got it that if I could master citizen journalism I could gain entrance to market segments that only the establishment and elite had access to. So, I dug in.
It began with an Internet Writing course at the New School. Then, I researched and published articles on new media. Finally, I was ready to take the plunge. I set up a blog through Six Apart's Typepad. It was awful - graphically and in tone and content. I knew it. Through Toby Bloomberg who was hosting a ListServe I contacted a social media coach Paul Chaney. Gently he led me into finding my voice, one that would be heard in cyberspace. It took about 18 months for everything to come together. Then I started the second blog. Several times I launched a third one which never gained an audience.
This tool is cheap, fast and effective. Of course, I reinforce it with other promotional strategies and tactics. My only whine is that it entails being out there. I thought I could put my content out there but not myself. It doesn't work that way.
Newbie bloggers: Should your posts attract readers you can also find yourselves slightly famous. Be prepared to deal with it.
