User Generated Content. Businesses (big and small) are trying control of their content. What are they going to do?
Let’s face it. You can’t control the creation and distribution of user generated content. The tools are available and the web is too big to police it all. So what is a business owner to do?
Embrace it. Yes, embrace it. And work to really understand the mechanics of the web and social media.
Embrace the concept of (re)created, (re)distributed and (re)purposed content.
Just yesterday I was running a backlink check on one of my sites. Check your logs. It is an adventure.
Guess what I found?
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The posts are being lifted and reposted all over the net.
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Presentations are being posted.
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Videos on Youtube.
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MP3s everywhere.
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Articles all over the place.
I mean when I checked, my “content” was everywhere. Then the feelings and thinking started.
Here’s what I tracked…
My thinking which I think is a very typical “business owners” mindset is based on scarcity and control.
Now at first I thought…
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this is terrible
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my intellectual property is everywhere
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to be valuable means scarce
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I have to get control of this
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take this down
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this is mine
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this is my valuable thinking
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I am not getting paid for my content
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blah, blah, blah
But, then I looked at the meaningful data that I should have been looking at all along.
Traffic….
Those posts that have been lifted from my site are delivering traffic without a direct search engine listing.
Those videos are gathering attention from places that I would have never thought of…
hmmm…. got me thinking.
Targeted Attention is what I want the content to gather. Connection is what I am wanting the content to foster. Conversation is what I want the content to start. Trust and transactions are the byproduct of good content. BINGO… I understand. Not because I read it. No I am seeing how this really works.
Promoted content in the proper context creates a transactional conversation.
In the end, we want to create an environment in which the visitor will transaction with us.
But then, what is a transaction?
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Clicks
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Sales
It is also…
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Comments
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Backlinks
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Emails
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Downloads
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Leads
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Attention
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Action
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Response
You have to define the transaction based on your request for action.
It all starts with the content. So that you can have the opportunity to have the clicks turn into sales.
You are known, recognized and understood online by your content and your connections.
Those two make up the whole of the web. I am looking to see if there is more to it than that. Not seeing very much more.
The question now becomes. How to you use this “environment” to build business?
What do you think?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I think you are absolutely right that our goal is having our website found and read. That’s why we invest the time and sometimes money into getting the search engines to find us. But, yes, then we want control. Isn’t that why we are business owners many times?
David,
Very good post.
The issues that revolve around user generated content get very interesting when operating in a client based world.
The issue of control stands at the foreground when one is urging a client to allow user generated content about their products, site, brand etc. The question that is often posed is “What if the users are saying bad things about us?”
Good question.
To operate at the pinnacle of online business today requires an increasing amount of (if not total) transparency. The questions that should be asked are “Why are people saying negative things about us?” and “Is it hurting anything besides our pride or is it facilitating more conversation as our brand advocates jump in to counter the negative statements?”
Most larger businesses with whom I’ve consulted fear the negative too much to embrace that which it can bring about.
At the same time, if ALL you get is negative… then you’ve got some stuff to fix.
Thanks again Dave.
Sam Knoll
Sam’s Marketing Blog
It seems to me that how you feel about your content being shared depends on your goal. If your goal is for your name to become well known as an authority in your industry, then other people using your work in a compliment and adds to the value of your good name.
Susan/Unique Business Opportunitys last blog post..What Do You Want?
@rghorses LOL. The control / no control of a business owner is why the internet has become so complex for some. We have to give up control to the market and the search engines to found. What a way to try to earn a living. I have found that the key is to let go and let the market self regulate. You give much food for thought with your comment.
@Sam You are correct the world, if it can report the negative, will report the negative. But then on the other hand, you are right the negative reports may be telling you something about your business. Finding balance with listening to the market and becoming a speaker in the market is the sweet spot. Thanks for your thoughts.
@Susan – Good Point. All of your content should be well thought out and deployed with a goal in mind. Building links. Building a brand. Creating buzz. Someone using it and passing it on is the greatest compliment for sure. Thanks.
I have got into guest posting lately because of this. I have guest posted and will have some other bloggers guest posting at my blog starting in a few weeks. It just spreads the traffic around more and benefits all involved.
Stephan Millers last blog post..The Inner Workings of the Twitter Machine