23 October 2008
The blogosphere was stirred up by gossip blogger Paul Boutin. In a successful attempt for some linkbait, the Valleywag correspondent announced the death of blogging on Wired.com:
The blogosphere, once a freshwater oasis of folksy self-expression and clever thought, has been flooded by a tsunami of paid bilge. Cut-rate journalists and underground marketing campaigns now drown out the authentic voices of amateur wordsmiths. It’s almost impossible to get noticed, except by hecklers.
He criticizes the immpersonal character of blogging and supports that with the following argument: Continue reading →
19 October 2008
One of my friends recently got one of the best birthday gifts an ambitious guy can get: the modern self-help classic It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be by former creative director for Saatchi and Saatchi Paul Arden. The marketing maverick died in April, but I think about his common sense lessons on a daily basis.
At first, the book seems kind of cheesy, like most self-help books. Yet as soon as you’ve started reading, it’s what you call a page turner. It will probably take you 30 to 45 minutes of your life to read it and I promise you, some of Arden’s one liners will stick with you a life time. Continue reading →
6 October 2008
As you might know, I’m co-organizing BLOG08 – the international blogging conference in Amsterdam on October 24. Edial Dekker and I have invited famous blogging heroes like Mashable’s Pete Cashmore, Gapingvoid’s Hugh MacLeod, and CEO of Lookery, Scott Rafer to inspire (corporate) bloggers all around the world. So far, people from Poland, the US, Sweden, Estonia, United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and the Netherlands have purchased tickets. Continue reading →
30 September 2008
Just go with it, what do you have to lose anyway?
Maarten Besseling did the same. One of his friends, a singer, had a bad break up, so he invited him to come on a trip to a cabin somewhere and make music. Several years later Besseling releases yet another album in his music series “in a cabin with“. By now, he has traveled to remote cabins in Iceland, Greece, South Africa, Australia, Mexico, and fifteen other places.
That last cd happened to be recorded with the designer of this blog, Odilo Girod. Not only is he a graphic designer that can make blog designs which are ahead of its time, he also has a voice that comes close to Mark Everett‘s rawness and the surrealistic sound of Thom Yorke. On top of that, he plays the piano and handles sample machines like Jamie Lidell. Talking about multi-talents… Continue reading →
26 August 2008
This post contains the best tip of your life. I realize that’s quite a bold statement, especially coming from a 22-year old chap. But it’s really important, since it’s the one tip you DON’T want to hear.
It’s just after five ‘o clock in the afternoon when the first kite surfers hit the water. They’ve escaped their cubicles to jump over San Franciscan ferries. I’m on the run as well. After the three-day conference Supernova, I’m about ready to admire a red structure I’ve only seen in the movies so far. I got rid of my infamous white suit, but still wearing the shiny white shoes. This doesn’t go unnoticed by a forty-five year old All-American woman. “Those aren’t your average beach shoes, right buddy?” is her conversation starter. She has lost her job a year ago, spent some time in the Philippines, and just got back in the States. “I’ve gotta go”, she says, “have to go home, just across the bridge”. “I can give you a ride over the Golden Gate if you want? The view is amazing“. Continue reading →
19 August 2008
Kevin Kelly’s legendary essay about a 1000 true fans was an eye-opener for many people who had been trying to live from what they love to do most. He wrote that whether you’re a blogger, musician, aspiring film maker, or painter: you’re in need of a 1000 fans who are willing to spend 100 dollars per year on your work (acquisitions, merchandise, donations, tickets, you name it).
Since this article was published, many people started thinking of ways to reach and keep fans. Kathy Sierra has written about creating passionate users. Seth Godin has said we have to be a purple cow and be patient. And I would like to add, in all modesty, that you have to pick a sentiment. Continue reading →
14 August 2008
How can you use your corporate blog to promote your company? Even when you don’t have anything to blog about company-wise? Last week I interviewed Yakov Sadchikov from visual search engine Quintura, a Russian-based start-up, about these questions. He surely knows the answers to them, as his corporate blog is often featured on major tech news outlets like Techmeme and TechCrunch. Continue reading →
