So what's next for social media? I thought it was a good follow up question after declaring the Internet dead. Well, then again, I'm not sure if I declared it dead, or just dead to some. Maybe that is the question I should be asking and answering here, but I'm not. Maybe next time.
As of today, Myspace has totally relaunched itself as a place for entertainment. Okay, what part of that is social media? You can still have a personal and band page on myspace, but I don't see the thrust towards being a future leader in the social media realm. What attracts a user to come to myspace to meet, network, or otherwise? Nothing.
There are already numerous sites across the web that offer users entertainment news, updates, features and special access to celebrities. Most of these sites offer you a free membership where you can sign in to get updates direct to your email or mobile device. I don't think having the option of having a personal page on Myspace will make much of a difference or help separate it from other sites that already provide that kind of content.
So what about Facebook or Twitter? Are they really any better? They are both free of content pur say, as in they don't offer or feature entertainment news or otherwise, but what do they offer to the user.
I would say that Facebook has become the place for friends. Sorry Myspace, but it's true. If you want to connect with friends, both former and new, or with colleagues it's the place to be. But what if you are a business or a band? Is this the best place to spend your social media time. My experience says no. Facebook users seem to only be concerned with those that they directly know. If you are outside of their personal sphere they almost always will ignore your friend requests. So what's so social about that? I can already call, write, email or visit those vary people. Do I need a website to do this for me. No.
So that leaves Twitter. As far as my discussion for today goes, I only decided to talk about the three most well known social media sites. So what about Twitter, what if anything separates it from the other two? It is fast and easy to use. Micro blogging in 140 characters or less is very appealing to those of us on the go. Yet again though, the same question arises that I have with Facebook, who are you tweeting with? Are you just tweeting with friends and co-workers? There are a lot of businesses on twitter, not to say there are not on Myspace or Facebook, but they seem to be more visible on Twitter then anywhere else. Are you using twitter to keep up with what a venue or restaurant is doing that day, in a way, that that you don't use Myspace or Facebook. I do think users are doing this. I think users feel like they don't have to have a personal relationship to follow a band or business on twitter.
With all of that said, what is social media all about. I guess it depends on your own personal definition. If that means chatting with the vary friends you talk to everyday or work with on Facebook, then that's social media to you. I have always thought of social media as a way to expand my relationships and meet new people who are outside of my bubble.
To answer my own question, what is next for social media. I think right now social media is still finding it's way. I think the original premise of social media, as a way to meet new people and expand their relationships, has not really happened. I think for the most part people are not looking for new opportunities to reach out and network through these sites. I think as time goes on, that more and more users will look past the traditional means of the past and start looking for new ways to connect. Does that mean that Myspace, Facebook and Twitter will be the answer, that remains to be seen. But if they are not, rest assured that someone somewhere is working on that answer right now.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Is the Internet Dead?
Is the internet dead? This has been a question I have been asking myself for a few weeks now. If it's not dead is it just going through changes like most businesses do? I have read several articles of late that seem to think that it is dead and that the future of the internet will look much different then it does today. So what if it's dead, how does that impact us? Do we even care?
I'm looking at the internet through the eyes of someone working in the music industry, as a recording artist, a studio owner and a music publisher. What was once the supposed gateway to music business success is closing and its closing fast. In fact it may have never really been open at all.
We have all heard the stories of how a band was found on myspace and then international fame soon followed. I once bought into this, but now I'm not so sure. How true can this be? Success in business has always been built on hard work, time, effort, energy, preparation and education. There are always the stories of overnight successes but even then all of the above things were at some point involved. No one can succeed at anything if they have never put forth any effort to succeed can they?
I have come to conclusion that the artists that have found success from the internet would have found it no matter what. Take for instance Fall Out Boy. They have long been held up as the first band to find success using myspace and the internet. True indeed, they were the first band to one million plays, one million fans and so on and so forth on myspace. They used this virtual hype to gain fans; attendance at their shows grew and increased album sales. All of which caught the attention of record labels that were all too eager to sign them to a record deal.
Would all of this have happened for Fall Out Boy without the internet? I say yes. They used all the same basic principals that any successful business would employ to get their company off the ground. For them it was the new media of the internet that gave them a jump start. Looking back over the past we can see how such new mediums as print, radio and TV also launched stars and their careers. Yet again, how many of those same success stories would have come true without such media? I would argue that all of them would have.
Like Fall Out Boy or not, they were the right band with the right sound at the right time that just happened to catch on. People just liked their music. Girls thought they were cute and guys wanted to emulate their style. In all truth the very same thing can be said about the Beatles or Elvis or any other music act that has seen international fame and success over the last 60 years.
At the heart of all success is good marketing. For the Beatles, Brian Epstein took four rough young lads and put them in suits, and took advantage of their good looks. At the time TV was the new media and they were just the right darlings to capture the imagination of everyone who watched.
For Fall Out Boy it was their use of the internet. Good marketing always knows how to take advantage of unique opportunities when they present themselves. Especially new and unknown opportunities that have yet to be explored and figured out.
I have been told more times then I can count of late that myspace is dead. Ok, so what about facebook and twitter and the plethora of other sites just like them. Are they dead too? How does the next big thing in the music business find success? I believe the answer lies in the past. As some would say, what is old is new again. I think it lies in hard work, time, effort and preparation. The same things that have always made businesses successful. If you have a good business plan, work hard and continue to knock on doors eventually opportunity will lead to reward.
I know some of you are saying, yeah but what about those artists that got discovered and bypassed all of that, what's your answer for that. My answer is you can't discover someone that doesn't at first at least want to be discovered. Is Justin Bieber really an overnight success? He would busk on street corners and posted videos on YouTube. It's not like he was locked away in his room singing to the walls around him. Maybe YouTube helped draw him attention faster and easier then most, but it was only a matter of time before the recording industry discovered him.
So is the internet dead? After writing this I'm not sure I'm any closer to an answer then I was before I started. I think I am of the mind that the internet never really helped anyone on its own. It was just another tool in a large box, that when used along with other known tools, sped up the process. Did the internet and myspace make Fall Out Boy famous? No, just like TV didn't make the Beatles famous either. Both the Beatles and Fall Out Boy would have been famous in my opinion had there never been TV or the internet. It may have taken longer, but they would have still reached the same point in their careers.
I'm looking at the internet through the eyes of someone working in the music industry, as a recording artist, a studio owner and a music publisher. What was once the supposed gateway to music business success is closing and its closing fast. In fact it may have never really been open at all.
We have all heard the stories of how a band was found on myspace and then international fame soon followed. I once bought into this, but now I'm not so sure. How true can this be? Success in business has always been built on hard work, time, effort, energy, preparation and education. There are always the stories of overnight successes but even then all of the above things were at some point involved. No one can succeed at anything if they have never put forth any effort to succeed can they?
I have come to conclusion that the artists that have found success from the internet would have found it no matter what. Take for instance Fall Out Boy. They have long been held up as the first band to find success using myspace and the internet. True indeed, they were the first band to one million plays, one million fans and so on and so forth on myspace. They used this virtual hype to gain fans; attendance at their shows grew and increased album sales. All of which caught the attention of record labels that were all too eager to sign them to a record deal.
Would all of this have happened for Fall Out Boy without the internet? I say yes. They used all the same basic principals that any successful business would employ to get their company off the ground. For them it was the new media of the internet that gave them a jump start. Looking back over the past we can see how such new mediums as print, radio and TV also launched stars and their careers. Yet again, how many of those same success stories would have come true without such media? I would argue that all of them would have.
Like Fall Out Boy or not, they were the right band with the right sound at the right time that just happened to catch on. People just liked their music. Girls thought they were cute and guys wanted to emulate their style. In all truth the very same thing can be said about the Beatles or Elvis or any other music act that has seen international fame and success over the last 60 years.
At the heart of all success is good marketing. For the Beatles, Brian Epstein took four rough young lads and put them in suits, and took advantage of their good looks. At the time TV was the new media and they were just the right darlings to capture the imagination of everyone who watched.
For Fall Out Boy it was their use of the internet. Good marketing always knows how to take advantage of unique opportunities when they present themselves. Especially new and unknown opportunities that have yet to be explored and figured out.
I have been told more times then I can count of late that myspace is dead. Ok, so what about facebook and twitter and the plethora of other sites just like them. Are they dead too? How does the next big thing in the music business find success? I believe the answer lies in the past. As some would say, what is old is new again. I think it lies in hard work, time, effort and preparation. The same things that have always made businesses successful. If you have a good business plan, work hard and continue to knock on doors eventually opportunity will lead to reward.
I know some of you are saying, yeah but what about those artists that got discovered and bypassed all of that, what's your answer for that. My answer is you can't discover someone that doesn't at first at least want to be discovered. Is Justin Bieber really an overnight success? He would busk on street corners and posted videos on YouTube. It's not like he was locked away in his room singing to the walls around him. Maybe YouTube helped draw him attention faster and easier then most, but it was only a matter of time before the recording industry discovered him.
So is the internet dead? After writing this I'm not sure I'm any closer to an answer then I was before I started. I think I am of the mind that the internet never really helped anyone on its own. It was just another tool in a large box, that when used along with other known tools, sped up the process. Did the internet and myspace make Fall Out Boy famous? No, just like TV didn't make the Beatles famous either. Both the Beatles and Fall Out Boy would have been famous in my opinion had there never been TV or the internet. It may have taken longer, but they would have still reached the same point in their careers.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Where Have You Been?
So where have we been you ask?
Enjoying the Summer of course!
Well the end of the Summer is finally here. To borrow a line from Fiennes and Ferb, I have enjoyed all 104 days of Summer.
This has been a busy Summer for sure. We have been tucked away in our secret recording cave working on a new record for you. We can't wait for all of you to hear what we have been up to. It looks like the new TGH reco0rd will be out early next year.
While working on the new TGH record all Summer, I also recorded a couple of side projects that will be released later this year.
There have been a lot of changes with the band between records, but change is good, and we are all better for it.
We are looking forward to getting back on the road this Fall/Winter. We have missed seeing all of you!
We hope you all havehad as wonderful a Summer as we have. Look for more updaes on the record, touring, etc soon!
Enjoying the Summer of course!
Well the end of the Summer is finally here. To borrow a line from Fiennes and Ferb, I have enjoyed all 104 days of Summer.
This has been a busy Summer for sure. We have been tucked away in our secret recording cave working on a new record for you. We can't wait for all of you to hear what we have been up to. It looks like the new TGH reco0rd will be out early next year.
While working on the new TGH record all Summer, I also recorded a couple of side projects that will be released later this year.
There have been a lot of changes with the band between records, but change is good, and we are all better for it.
We are looking forward to getting back on the road this Fall/Winter. We have missed seeing all of you!
We hope you all havehad as wonderful a Summer as we have. Look for more updaes on the record, touring, etc soon!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Pay What You Want for Our Music!
We are introducing pay what you want for our music!
If you visit http://thirdgradehaters.bandcamp.com you can pickup our first album 'Pompous and Proud' or any of the songs off of the record at whatever price you want to pay for it.
If you want to get it for free then you can. If you want to pay a few dollars for it that works too.
We are leaving the price up to you!
We want you to have our music so you can enjoy it.
Make sure to spread the word and tell all of your friends too!
Thanks
TGH
If you visit http://thirdgradehaters.bandcamp.com you can pickup our first album 'Pompous and Proud' or any of the songs off of the record at whatever price you want to pay for it.
If you want to get it for free then you can. If you want to pay a few dollars for it that works too.
We are leaving the price up to you!
We want you to have our music so you can enjoy it.
Make sure to spread the word and tell all of your friends too!
Thanks
TGH
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Summer Sale!
We are excited to announce a Summer Sale!
All of our music is now on sale on all Summer long.
Our album is now only $5.99 on iTunes
and
only $4.99 on amazon.com
I included the links to both.
www.itunes.apple.com/us/album/pompous-and-proud/id301123983
www.amazon.com/Pomous...Third-Grade-Haters/dp/B001P3W9MI
Album sales is our lifeblood. Everytime you purchase a cd, digital album or individual song you are helping us.
We could not do this without you!
Please spread the word and let everyone know about the sale.
We hope all of you have a wonderful & fun Summer!
All of our music is now on sale on all Summer long.
Our album is now only $5.99 on iTunes
and
only $4.99 on amazon.com
I included the links to both.
www.itunes.apple.com/us/album/pompous-and-proud/id301123983
www.amazon.com/Pomous...Third-Grade-Haters/dp/B001P3W9MI
Album sales is our lifeblood. Everytime you purchase a cd, digital album or individual song you are helping us.
We could not do this without you!
Please spread the word and let everyone know about the sale.
We hope all of you have a wonderful & fun Summer!
Is myspace really a place for friends anymore?
Hello All
After months of continuing problems with our myspace I have to ask, 'is myspace a place for friends anymore'?
I don't want to take the time to list all of the problems our page has been having the past few months, nor do I want to bore you.
I guess our problems stem from communication. If we had elected to ignore all of our fans & friends things would be fine, but by choosing to take the time to care and get to know so many of you we have been punished.
We have been put on probation more times then I can count for sending out to many messages and comments. Now it seems because of our total number of friends we can only get a select amount of comments a day.
On a daily basis we get over 100 hundred messages and comments combined. I try to take the time to answer all of them, but therein lies the problem.
Myspace will only allow you so many messages and comments a day. Once you exceed that you run the risk of their wrath. Who knew there were limits?
Myspace bills itself as place for friends to come and chat and get to know each other. To add other friends so they can be part of your network as well. The only problem is, don't get too many of those friends, or myspace will shut your page down for talking to them all.
It a lot of ways I prefer myspace to other social networking sites. Since we are a band it's easy to post music, pictures, blogs, etc on all one site. Not that you can't do the same thing elsewhere but myspace to me has always been the easiest.
What I really am most upset about is what all of this has done to you. Our friends, fans, and those who have just found us.
You tell us daily how you have tried to comment us or leave us a message only you weren't able to. You wonder sometimes why we don't comment you anymore or return your messages.
Trust me when I say I have been trying to return all of those and even more.
So I'm still left asking is myspace a place for friends anymore. I guess only time will tell. Until then I may have to look to a new venue where we can all come together.
Hang in there with us please. We hope one day all of this will work right again!
After months of continuing problems with our myspace I have to ask, 'is myspace a place for friends anymore'?
I don't want to take the time to list all of the problems our page has been having the past few months, nor do I want to bore you.
I guess our problems stem from communication. If we had elected to ignore all of our fans & friends things would be fine, but by choosing to take the time to care and get to know so many of you we have been punished.
We have been put on probation more times then I can count for sending out to many messages and comments. Now it seems because of our total number of friends we can only get a select amount of comments a day.
On a daily basis we get over 100 hundred messages and comments combined. I try to take the time to answer all of them, but therein lies the problem.
Myspace will only allow you so many messages and comments a day. Once you exceed that you run the risk of their wrath. Who knew there were limits?
Myspace bills itself as place for friends to come and chat and get to know each other. To add other friends so they can be part of your network as well. The only problem is, don't get too many of those friends, or myspace will shut your page down for talking to them all.
It a lot of ways I prefer myspace to other social networking sites. Since we are a band it's easy to post music, pictures, blogs, etc on all one site. Not that you can't do the same thing elsewhere but myspace to me has always been the easiest.
What I really am most upset about is what all of this has done to you. Our friends, fans, and those who have just found us.
You tell us daily how you have tried to comment us or leave us a message only you weren't able to. You wonder sometimes why we don't comment you anymore or return your messages.
Trust me when I say I have been trying to return all of those and even more.
So I'm still left asking is myspace a place for friends anymore. I guess only time will tell. Until then I may have to look to a new venue where we can all come together.
Hang in there with us please. We hope one day all of this will work right again!
Rewind Podcast
Happy 4th of July!
Just wanted to let everyone know that we will be featured on this weeks show begininng July 5th of the rewind podcast.
www.therewindpodcast.com
Make sure to stop by and support our band as well as the other featured artists.
Thanks!
Just wanted to let everyone know that we will be featured on this weeks show begininng July 5th of the rewind podcast.
www.therewindpodcast.com
Make sure to stop by and support our band as well as the other featured artists.
Thanks!
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