The Publisher Mindset
April 26, 2011
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Mitch Joel is consistently one of my favorite bloggers, probably because there are equal days we disagree and also agree. I also particularly enjoy his thinking because he does a good job distilling complex concepts into more simple, bite-size pieces.
He summarizes a theme we’ve been digging into here over the last few years quite well about thinking like a media company by embracing the publisher mindset:
I often Blog about how the more successful Marketers in Social Media treat everything that much more like a publisher than a Marketer. That same thought is valuable here: if you’re Blogging or tweeting is sporadic and lacks relevance, frequency and consistency, it’s probably being accepted by the public more like Marketing fodder and less like credible content. Embracing a publishing mindset is a critical part of what equates to eventual success. Yes, it’s commitment. No, it’s not easy. Yes, there are moments when you’ll question the very reason to keep at it. No, there are no shortcuts.
Indeed, the publisher mindset is what it’s all about to build a community and reach a level of sophistication your efforts follow the strategic path of pull providing increasing returns (as opposed to the infinite treadmill of push where you keep paying new money to reach the same people).
The publisher mindset is about thinking iteratively and not overvaluing every bit of content. Most marketers still lack consistency and have yet to restructure their communications to be agile. To that end, they are getting out-executed by those with far less budgets, but way more passion. So as Mitch alludes to, they get frustrated and quit. Yet it isn’t that the strategy doesn’t work and isn’t potent: those without results are executing on it poorly.
Not all companies will be able to embrace a publisher mindset mostly because they have politics that won’t allow such a thing to exist, there is historic baggage with their communications or a legacy mindset permeates the organization. Or just laziness (no one said being a publisher was easy). Yet it speaks volumes that, in fact, some brands and individuals in every industry are able to execute this approach and dominate share of voice in their market.
Embracing the publisher mindset is a clear opportunity for your company to set itself out from the pack from a communications standpoint. The mindset itself is bigger than any one tactic or channel: it’s the basis of an effective digital marketing strategy.
image credit: Shutterstock
Lewis LaLanne aka Nerd #2 replied | Apr 26, 2011 (10 comments)
“Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.” Oscar Wilde
No one, publisher or marketer, is free from the consequences of random acts of distribution.
Consistency wins the day, every day and you guys are so right. Being the consistent presence in your audience’s mind will get you to the top of it. And in this world of clutter and confusion, this is small price to pay to reign supreme upon that throne.
Jody Urquhart replied | Apr 26, 2011 (1 comment)
I agree with consistency. Very critical. You also get better the more you blog/ write and people get used to your style.
Hard not to get attached to your content, just keep writing.
Kathryn Kilner replied | Apr 26, 2011 (4 comments)
When you adopt a publisher mindset, consistent participation on social media becomes easier. One piece of content can be transformed into multiple assets: post the title of your article and a link on LinkedIn, put a link to a video in your status on Facebook, summarize your article on your blog, tweet the slide titles of your presentation, extend the conversation of your online events. Social media is still about making connections with people, but content can facilitate the process and help you maintain consistency.
Geoff Livingston replied | Apr 27, 2011 (4 comments)
I do like to think of this as an embedded journalist and even go so far as to use editorial missions with clients. The reality — as you so well point out — is that the content has to be written for the stakeholder, but it has to be done so regularly over time. Goals can’t be achieved with a single piece of brilliance, rather with a long-term commitment to creating valuable, interesting content day-in, day-out. Thanks for a good post!
John Souza replied | Apr 27, 2011 (1 comment)
I like what you said ” Embracing the publisher mindset is a clear opportunity for your company to set itself out from the pack from a communications standpoint.” Standing out from the pack must be in the back of our minds for ANY marketing strategy – this is great advice. Thanks for the article. I look forward to networking with you in the future.
J. Souza
SocialMediaMagic.Com
Mitch Joel – Twist Image replied | Apr 28, 2011 (5 comments)
It’s also a huge challenge because writing content like a publisher (trying to fair and balanced) is not something that comes intuitive to brand. A brand’s ultimate result is to say “buy me!” A publisher’s mindset is all about “inspire me!”.
Tony Faustino replied | Apr 28, 2011 (25 comments)
Adding in the fair and balanced view shows how we can also leverage journalism principles plus a publisher’s mindset — a key teaching from Six Pixels of Separation.
Consistently creating content with those attributes is what makes it so challenging (especially blogging). But, that’s why I love blogging. And, it’s the most intellectually fulfilling exercise I’ve ever taken on.