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August 19, 2005
Blog Business Summit: Blogging Gets Less And Less Mature
Posted by Stowe Boyd
As the number of blogs and bloggers continues to double every three months, some paradoxical realities are beginning to show up. Like here, at Business Blog Summit, where I was puzzled to see that there is less and less maturity in the attendees: I don't mean that they are young, but that they are newbies. I mean, these folks don't know very much. And I am not knocking the conference folks. It's just simple numbers.
When you a show with an absolute number of attendees -- 200 or 250 attending -- and an additional 5 million blogs went live last quarter, and 10 million this quarter -- guess what? A lot more rank beginners are going to show up.
That also means that the time is right for advanced seminars and symposia to start, and that's where Corante will be pushing in the upcoming months. In an environment where six or seven of the folks speaking at this conference have "Business Blogging" books in press or in process, it is time for more specialization and depth. For example, I could see a conference dedicated just to the technical issues of blogging on Movable Type, or a one day Master Class on Blog Writing for non-newbies who want to dramatically improve the quality of their writing.
Comments (5)
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1. Neville Hobson on August 19, 2005 04:09 PM writes...
That's a very keen observation, Stowe. What I'm seeing over here in Europe is very much a shift in knowledge need.
The more I speak with companies - and I speak to quite a few - the more I'm seeing a need to help them focus on specific areas of new media technologies from the communication point of view.
Broadly speaking, the shift I've seen during the past 3 months or so is to that of 'how?' rather than 'what?' So most of the learning sessions I'm involved with developing for clients fits precisely with what you're talking about.
There will still be a big need for the 'what?' with all the newbies getting on board, as you mention. So you can expect to see more workshops, events, etc on this, which therefore makes it just about a commodity.
From a consulting point of view, there's tremendous value (and opportunity) in that knowledge differentiator - helping organizations see the 'how?'
Permalink to Comment2. bob on August 19, 2005 04:21 PM writes...
While the numbers of bloggers are increasing, and as you suggest there is seen a certain immaturity level, I suggest that bloggers that do not adapt to the art will weed themselves out, or drop into obscurity. The best will rise to the top and continue to prosper. In order for a blog to be a success, it must have something to set it apart from other blogs, or it will never cultivate a reading public.
Permalink to Comment3. Ken Yarmosh on August 19, 2005 06:01 PM writes...
Very interesting thoughts, Stowe.
I agree more on the point about presenting "specialized" seminars and not necessarily those that are "advanced". I am not trying to be controversial here but the reason I take that position is that I am not sure, for example, that teaching a group of people the technology behind the blog is really "advanced" - but it is needed.
These "advanced" seminars will appeal to a much smaller, more tech savvy and intellectual community of people and users. Examining "social architecture" will most likely not appeal to the average joe Internet user or the general public. It will appeal to the minds like those at Harvard.
Permalink to Comment4. Dave Taylor on August 20, 2005 02:39 AM writes...
I agree that the range of users at the Summit was surprising, but frankly, I was surprised to find so many experienced bloggers, not so many neophytes. I was delighted that there were so many companies represented, both small and Fortune 500, companies that didn't know much other than that they needed to know about blogging, the blogosphere, and how it will affect their own business and market. And surely that's a key marker for the maturity and validation of our professional space?
As with any maturing sector, conferences, workshops and even publications will naturally schism into having more specialized foci too, some theoretical, some focused on a specific demographic.
I'm looking forward to it!
Permalink to Comment5. Toby on August 20, 2005 07:11 PM writes...
Stowe, as we've continue to see with participants who attend the AMA blog workshop (that you're kindly participating in), is that often corporations are interested but dancing around the edges of embracing blog strategies. For many that dance is a slow waltz vs. a fast 2-step. I met with a Fortune 50 this week that will be putting a task force into play before they tango into the blogopshere. That's okay...at least they're listening and learning. Soon they may well need Corante's master blog workshops! But for now it's first steps in the process...as it is for many.
What I find exciting is this "industry" has progressed to the point where there are a significant number of bloggers who will find value in Corante's level 2 series of workshop...and make it profitable for Corante to conduct those sessions.
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