Web 2.0 Kids: Teaching MSPs New Tricks?
I spent Tuesday evening in New York City at a blogger conference, the Mashable NextUp NYC event. Guest speakers included representatives from major media companies and Web 2.0-crazed college students and recent college graduates. I bet many of those “kids” — armed with their Web 2.0 communication skills — could propel the managed services industry forward. But the Web 2.0 workforce also comes with some limitations.
First, let me focus on the positive: The Web 2.0 generation will help traditional businesses reinvent their marketing, PR, branding and communication strategies. They will push us forward with search engine optimization and community building.
Got A Business Plan?
Now, for the negative: The Web 2.0 generation also has a sense of entitlement. One speaker — I don’t want to name names — celebrated her huge following on the web. She also mentioned she had no plans to take on basic entry-level job tasks after graduating from college. Then, when quizzed about her online readership and her plans to generate online revenue, she basically told conference attendees: “I have no idea how to make money on the web.”
That was a familiar theme throughout the night: Talented speakers who know how to drive traffic and drive dialog on the Web, but only a few of the speakers had a feel for how to build a business or run a business.
Now, let’s apply that example to a managed services business: If you hire a Web 2.0 college graduate, they will likely offer you a range of creative, disruptive ideas that you’d never see on your own.
Turning Ideas Into ROI
But once you start asking the hard questions — how does that Web 2.0 idea help our brand? How much will it cost? What’s the potential return on investment? — the real fun, and learning between you and your new hire will begin.
Alas, many members of the Web 2.0 generation still have to learn the following: A blog is not a business; it’s a communications tool that can assist a business.
We’re at a tricky point with Web 2.0 media. MSPs do need to polish their online brands and communication efforts. And we can all learn quite a lot from the Web 2.0 generation. But this is going to be a two-way learning experience: Many of the Web 2.0 college graduates need mentors in the business world. Let me know if you plan to be one of those mentors.
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Maybe I am a little off base here Joe, but I see Web 2.0 as just another marketing tool. And like all marketing tools (print, public relations, direct mail, social marketing, etc.), it is just one component to be used in a total marketing strategy. Web 2.0 by itself does not make a marketing campaign, or a business model for that matter. Don’t get me wrong, I think Web 2.0 has a lot of potential uses in marketing efforts, but it is only one piece in the puzzle. Time will tell.
Paul Barnett
Marketing Director
VirtualAdministrator
Paul: Off base? I think not. You’re right on target. Sooo many vendors call me asking me to assist with blog and Web 2.0 strategies. But they don’t have a decent message or unique selling proposition or any of the basic “marketing” materials in place to pump thru Web 2.0 pipelines.
There’s nothing worse than launching a Web 2.0 strategy … then realizing you don’t have any compelling content or messaging for it.
-jp
Joe,
I think your last comment about not having enough marketing material to pump through Web 2.0 pipelines is very apt. I see that both from a personal stand-point and professionally.
After the whole world got crazy about blogs – I started mine but never tended to it by writing regularly. It was meant to by opinions blog about non technology stuff I find interesting but it went down the chutes quickly as I would not actively seek out topics. Writing was an afterthought.
I have been commenting upon some of the blogs @ my previous work-place as well as my current one. The problem I see is very similar to what I experienced personally. Putting your thoughts to paper has been one of the most daunting experiences. People have talked extensively about the horrors of public speaking – but believe me the pain starts with writing original content – which is why a lot of blogs are good intentions badly implemented.
Aditya: You bring up an interesting connection between public speaking and online content development. Prior to co-launching Nine Lives Media Inc. (parent of MSPmentor), I hosted CIO events across the world for Ziff Davis and also moderated WiFi events for MuniWireless.
You’re the first person to make me realize my “public speaking” days may have set the stage for my blogging/Web 2.0 career. After all, Web 2.0 sites are a big stage, and you better have plenty of thoughts/opinions to share … and you better know how to attract a crowd.
Thanks for the observation.
Very interesting – all comments.
Andrew Keen points out often how the so called Web 2.0 doesn’t make everyone an expert, it makes us all of amateurs. Web 2.0 is a sea of mediocrity.
I think Aditya actually said it best and swerved into it – writing is not writing until it’s difficult.
The “blog” started out simple enough as a way for families to keep in touch, just like all those yearly newsletters you get from your aunt at Christmas Time.
But things change.
I can’t wait to see WEB 3.0.
Greg: I lose sleep over Web 3.0 nearly every night. No joke. I worry about our Web 2.0 sites getting disrupted. As Andy Grove always said, only the paranoid survive.
Nine Lives Media Inc. (MSPmentor’s parent) intends to keep growing. We’re having a heck of a fun time growing our business. And yes, all of our business and traffic metrics are on the rise for Q1 2009. But keeping pace with every emerging disruptive technology is a heck of a challenge. Let us know how you think we do 😉
-jp