When I started Cinematic Slant last year I knew it would be an uphill battle to grow the site. Every single bit of research and data I’d read showed that launching a blog in 2017 was a much different prospect than it was in 2005. Not only were there simply more blogs and sites to … Continue reading Blog Writing and Maintenance Isn’t Passive
Don’t Write For Free, Unless It’s For Yourself
There’s a long-standing and completely true maxim in the freelance world that you shouldn’t write for free. If a publication or site is telling you it can’t pay you but hey, you’ll get exposure, turn it down. They don’t value you as a creative talent, just someone who can help them build out their ad … Continue reading Don’t Write For Free, Unless It’s For Yourself
Break Out of the Walled Gardens
Despite all the rhetoric and trending hashtags and everything else, people didn’t delete Facebook in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica data appropriation scandal. That was never really realistic. That doesn’t mean there won’t be a move toward other, newer social networks and platforms. A recent Quartz piece featured some recommendations from a Y Combinator … Continue reading Break Out of the Walled Gardens
What If the Media Focused On Doing One Thing Well?
Whether it’s on Twitter or, like me, via RSS, it’s pretty likely you see the same story reported by multiple outlets over the course of three or four days. There’s an initial surge as everyone is quick to publish the reworded press release or share the same scoop, then other sites pick it up and … Continue reading What If the Media Focused On Doing One Thing Well?
Never Forget Who Owns The Land You’re Building On
I own my house. OK, the bank technically owns it for several more years, but you know what I mean when I say that. I can do what I like on that land and with that house, as long as it complies with the guidelines of the city it’s located in. I can paint the … Continue reading Never Forget Who Owns The Land You’re Building On
Scale Doesn’t Mean Success
Nieman Lab has been publishing their regular series of predictions for the coming year in the last couple weeks. There’s been some interesting speculation and thinking in there, as there always is, as various people from a variety of backgrounds share what they think 2018 will hold. One jumped out at me: “Zines had it … Continue reading Scale Doesn’t Mean Success
Study: Fortune 500 Gets Blogging Again
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Center for Marketing Research has released its latest analysis of social media usage in the marketing efforts of companies on the Fortune 500 list. As always, the study has a number of interesting insights into how corporations view different online platforms and how they can contribute to their marketing efforts. … Continue reading Study: Fortune 500 Gets Blogging Again
Wait, Bloggers Are an Influencer Marketing Afterthought Now?
I’ll admit I was taken somewhat aback by this story, which laid out some very sensible reasons why those engaging in influencer marketing should remember to include blog publishers in those efforts. Umm…”remember”? I’m old enough to remember when bloggers were not just the primary but pretty much the only category of self-publishers you could … Continue reading Wait, Bloggers Are an Influencer Marketing Afterthought Now?
Expanded (Complete?) Agency Archives
Over the years I’ve been one of the primary writers for a number of corporate blogs for my employers. Those posts and articles represent a substantial portion of my professional portfolio and provide insights into what the prevailing conversations were at the time as well as how I viewed the blog medium and what I … Continue reading Expanded (Complete?) Agency Archives
What Issues About the Content Marketing Job Concern Me?
(Note: This is based on one of the prompts from Robert S. Kaplan’s book What You’re Really Meant to Do.) There are issues with the content marketing industry, many of which I’ve discussed openly here or elsewhere previously and so won’t reiterate or otherwise list. You work in any field for any significant length of … Continue reading What Issues About the Content Marketing Job Concern Me?
