Comments on: What are the seven deadly sins of writing for social media? http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/2007/06/13/what-are-the-seven-deadly-sins-of-writing-for-social-media/ Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:19:09 +0100 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: yahoo personal web pages » Blog Archive » Search Engine Optimizations News :: - Search Engine Optimization: The Advertising Bargain of the Century http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/2007/06/13/what-are-the-seven-deadly-sins-of-writing-for-social-media/comment-page-1/#comment-297 yahoo personal web pages » Blog Archive » Search Engine Optimizations News :: - Search Engine Optimization: The Advertising Bargain of the Century Mon, 29 Oct 2007 18:25:21 +0000 http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/?p=10#comment-297 [...] pretty much wrapped up. However, following in the footsteps of Catherine at Sticky Content, who invited peer contributions for her presentation at the Online Marketing Show this summer, I’d like to invite the wonderful Mozzers to suggest [...] [...] pretty much wrapped up. However, following in the footsteps of Catherine at Sticky Content, who invited peer contributions for her presentation at the Online Marketing Show this summer, I’d like to invite the wonderful Mozzers to suggest [...]

]]> By: Quick Lists 7.21.07 « Branding Me http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/2007/06/13/what-are-the-seven-deadly-sins-of-writing-for-social-media/comment-page-1/#comment-13 Quick Lists 7.21.07 « Branding Me Tue, 31 Jul 2007 15:53:30 +0000 http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/?p=10#comment-13 [...] Seven Deadly Sins of Writing for Social Media - Whether you have a blog or use other social media in your strategy, it would be useful to consider these seven points. In the comments section I also discussed the possibility of another rule: “Brace Yourself”. It’s a difficult road to walk when participating in something that is ultimately out of your control. [...] [...] Seven Deadly Sins of Writing for Social Media – Whether you have a blog or use other social media in your strategy, it would be useful to consider these seven points. In the comments section I also discussed the possibility of another rule: “Brace Yourself”. It’s a difficult road to walk when participating in something that is ultimately out of your control. [...]

]]> By: Darryl Pieber http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/2007/06/13/what-are-the-seven-deadly-sins-of-writing-for-social-media/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Darryl Pieber Fri, 29 Jun 2007 10:40:06 +0000 http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/?p=10#comment-12 Yep, they generally make sense to me. The first one is particularly troublesome, and all too common. But I disagree with point number seven. It's much more important to be authentic, and to speak with your own voice. If that means making spelling and grammar mistakes, and rambling a bit, then that's what you should do. The worst thing you can do is to have a blog that's on brand and on message, optimized for the medium and proofed by the Comms department. Surest way to lose credibility and audience. Rule number 7 (actually rule number 1) should be "Speak from the heart and speak with your own voice." Yep, they generally make sense to me. The first one is particularly troublesome, and all too common.

But I disagree with point number seven. It’s much more important to be authentic, and to speak with your own voice. If that means making spelling and grammar mistakes, and rambling a bit, then that’s what you should do.

The worst thing you can do is to have a blog that’s on brand and on message, optimized for the medium and proofed by the Comms department. Surest way to lose credibility and audience.

Rule number 7 (actually rule number 1) should be “Speak from the heart and speak with your own voice.”

]]> By: Badger Gravling http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/2007/06/13/what-are-the-seven-deadly-sins-of-writing-for-social-media/comment-page-1/#comment-11 Badger Gravling Wed, 27 Jun 2007 12:41:18 +0000 http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/?p=10#comment-11 While there are successful sites without acknowledging formal styles, I'd suggest that most have picked up a grasp of the basics, perhaps by subconsciously picking up good writing from other sites, or mediums. Nos 4 and 6 are the biggest sins for me, as so many firms want to jump on the bandwagon, without acknowledging the need for training and resources to do is successfully. And then complain that it doesn't work as well as they'd hoped. Incidentally, one additional sin would be using colours on your blog which makes it impossible to see who has commented! ;) While there are successful sites without acknowledging formal styles, I’d suggest that most have picked up a grasp of the basics, perhaps by subconsciously picking up good writing from other sites, or mediums.

Nos 4 and 6 are the biggest sins for me, as so many firms want to jump on the bandwagon, without acknowledging the need for training and resources to do is successfully. And then complain that it doesn’t work as well as they’d hoped.

Incidentally, one additional sin would be using colours on your blog which makes it impossible to see who has commented! ;)

]]> By: Rupert Hughes http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/2007/06/13/what-are-the-seven-deadly-sins-of-writing-for-social-media/comment-page-1/#comment-9 Rupert Hughes Thu, 21 Jun 2007 18:50:00 +0000 http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/?p=10#comment-9 Not sure that I agree that no 7 is a deadly sin. Whilst I absolutely applaud any effort to improve the quality of writing on and for the web, plenty of blogs, wiki entries, etc. are very successful (in terms of traffic) without the writers having a clue what "inverted pyramid style" is. I think that the substance of your content matters much more than its style. If your content isn't compelling, then no one will visit it however easy it is to read or get indexed by search engines. Although, I suppose that if you have addressed the other six deadly sins, then no. 7 might be the icing on the cake. Oh look, I've argued myself out of my point in 3 paragraphs. Isn't social media great? Good luck with the presentation, sadly I won't be able to make it. Not sure that I agree that no 7 is a deadly sin. Whilst I absolutely applaud any effort to improve the quality of writing on and for the web, plenty of blogs, wiki entries, etc. are very successful (in terms of traffic) without the writers having a clue what “inverted pyramid style” is.

I think that the substance of your content matters much more than its style. If your content isn’t compelling, then no one will visit it however easy it is to read or get indexed by search engines.

Although, I suppose that if you have addressed the other six deadly sins, then no. 7 might be the icing on the cake. Oh look, I’ve argued myself out of my point in 3 paragraphs. Isn’t social media great?

Good luck with the presentation, sadly I won’t be able to make it.

]]> By: Adrian Palacios http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/2007/06/13/what-are-the-seven-deadly-sins-of-writing-for-social-media/comment-page-1/#comment-8 Adrian Palacios Thu, 21 Jun 2007 16:36:40 +0000 http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/?p=10#comment-8 Check out <a href="http://www.yelp.com/topic/J886YwQ1-4DT2VFEEViFTQ#N94REKOJTmCB12Y-CPYQaA" rel="nofollow"> this thread from Yelp NYC</a> for an example of someone ignoring the rules and then paying the price from the community. It's an example that is a bit out of the norm because the offender was so obvious in their disregard of the rules, but it might still help your purposes. Check out this thread from Yelp NYC for an example of someone ignoring the rules and then paying the price from the community. It’s an example that is a bit out of the norm because the offender was so obvious in their disregard of the rules, but it might still help your purposes.

]]> By: Catherine Toole http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/2007/06/13/what-are-the-seven-deadly-sins-of-writing-for-social-media/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Catherine Toole Thu, 21 Jun 2007 11:37:05 +0000 http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/?p=10#comment-7 Adrian, thanks for this. Any example I can use of a co or brand you've seen being 'flamed' would be gratefully received! Adrian, thanks for this. Any example I can use of a co or brand you’ve seen being ‘flamed’ would be gratefully received!

]]> By: Adrian Palacios http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/2007/06/13/what-are-the-seven-deadly-sins-of-writing-for-social-media/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Adrian Palacios Wed, 20 Jun 2007 18:33:13 +0000 http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/?p=10#comment-6 You've really hit the nail on the head. I heartily agreed with all your rules, but only have one comment. Under '6. Expecting It To Be Easy' I would also make a note about not having a thin skin, or even another rule: '8. Brace Yourself' (sorry, that would mess up the catchy '7 Deadly Sins'); as a frequenter of different social networking sites I have seen a few instances where businesses ignored one or more of the rules you wrote and the community, in return, harangued the business to no end. The inability to protect your branding and what people say about your company/product has many scared, but that is the cost of a social media strategy. Thus one needs to be prepared and ask whether or not they can handle criticism, or even being 'flamed' on a message thread. You’ve really hit the nail on the head. I heartily agreed with all your rules, but only have one comment. Under ’6. Expecting It To Be Easy’ I would also make a note about not having a thin skin, or even another rule: ’8. Brace Yourself’ (sorry, that would mess up the catchy ’7 Deadly Sins’); as a frequenter of different social networking sites I have seen a few instances where businesses ignored one or more of the rules you wrote and the community, in return, harangued the business to no end. The inability to protect your branding and what people say about your company/product has many scared, but that is the cost of a social media strategy. Thus one needs to be prepared and ask whether or not they can handle criticism, or even being ‘flamed’ on a message thread.

]]> By: Matt Ambrose http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/2007/06/13/what-are-the-seven-deadly-sins-of-writing-for-social-media/comment-page-1/#comment-5 Matt Ambrose Mon, 18 Jun 2007 17:56:16 +0000 http://www.stickycontent.co.uk/blog/?p=10#comment-5 These seven points certainly sound familiar to me, the only thing I'd add (which is probably covered by point 4) is the assumption 'if you build it they will come'. A lot of businesses think people will just automatically start arriving; however, it takes time to build your blog's exposure and traffic. Most new visitors will find you via referrals and you only get those from consistently writing posts that are well researched and offer new insight to the conversation. Nobody said building a successful blog was easy. Underestimating the SEO value of blogs might be another point. With businesses starting to get disillusioned with PPC now is the time to start pushing blogging as a multifunctional marketing tool for climbing the organic results. This does have its own pitfalls, however, when your blog starts superseding your main website in the search results. These seven points certainly sound familiar to me, the only thing I’d add (which is probably covered by point 4) is the assumption ‘if you build it they will come’. A lot of businesses think people will just automatically start arriving; however, it takes time to build your blog’s exposure and traffic. Most new visitors will find you via referrals and you only get those from consistently writing posts that are well researched and offer new insight to the conversation. Nobody said building a successful blog was easy.

Underestimating the SEO value of blogs might be another point. With businesses starting to get disillusioned with PPC now is the time to start pushing blogging as a multifunctional marketing tool for climbing the organic results. This does have its own pitfalls, however, when your blog starts superseding your main website in the search results.

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