It’s Not Worth Preaching

Many of the podcasts I listen to on a regular basis have Facebook groups. Ones that immediately come to mind are Six Pixels of Separation, Jaffe Juice and Gen Y Marketing Podcast. But what is the point?

The groups all seem dead. Julian Cole says they can be used to promote podcast episodes but I can’t help but feel members of this group would already be subscribed.

Similarly, these podcasts usually start or end with the same spiel in each episode. As regular listeners, surely we already know where to find you, how to contact you and have checked out the blog?

This valuable content time and energy is wasted on a few potential new listeners. It seems like an incredibly outdated approach and almost mass media like.

Why waste time preaching to the choir?

No Comments
  • Julian Cole
    Posted at June 17, 2008 11:18pm, 17 June Reply

    Facebook Groups are good for visualising a community. You can see who else is listening to that podcast. You cannot do that by just listening to the podcast.

    You can also give a forum for discussion of the podcast. If you are Joseph Jaffe you would get alot of audio comments probably would not play all of them. This gives an avenue for peoples commments to be heard.

    There is also less cost involved in typing as opposed to me setting up a Skype account, using my money and ringing Joseph Jaffe.

    Would this not be the opposite to mass media because you are opening up channels of communication rather than shutting them down as a podcast such as Gen Y does with not having a call back line?

  • Zac Martin
    Posted at June 17, 2008 11:54pm, 17 June Reply

    A very valid point. I did not mean to shoot down the channel but I think my point still stands when it is not being used effectively. There is no doubt it has potential however I’m yet to see it used effectively.

    You mention many possibilities though none of them are being utilised.

    Interesting final point to conclude on. I wonder, how do you feel that Seth Godin offers no comments on his blog?

  • Stan Lee
    Posted at June 18, 2008 12:50am, 18 June Reply

    Seth used to allow you to comment. Caused much chatter amongst the blogging classes when he turned it off. Doesn’t seem to affect his popularity/standing though.

  • Nudge Marketing
    Posted at June 18, 2008 12:03pm, 18 June Reply

    Its true, our facebook group doesn’t really have much activity but I will tell you why its been useful..

    1. When we first kicked it off the facebook group was a great way to let all of our friends know what we were doing. I’m sure there are few members of the facebook group that dont regularly listen (as they find us talking about marketing about as interesting as a watching Senate question time), but I guess its a way for friend to show their support.

    2. Every so often we find people we dont know have joined the group and its kinda cool to see that a couple of people from Boise Idaho know who we are and may be listening.

    3. Spreading yourself across as many “new media spaces” as possible means just maybe when someone hears the phrase “gen y marketing podcast” on a blog or in a conversation they might bother to check it out as thats the second time they heard that phrase. I had a book recommended to me by 3 different people (all from different social circles) in the last few months and as a result I made an effort to read it. Im not sure if there is psychology to back up that theory but it sounds like it should work 🙂

    3. As Julian said its kinda nice to “see” who’s listening. Who knows, maybe one day there will be rush on cute girls joining the facebook group that the 3 of us can fight over 😉

    Cheers,

    Jake.
    Gen Y Marketing Podcast

    BTW, I sent Seth an email once about a blog post he did and the guy (or at least one of his assistants) emailed me back almost immediately.

  • Zac Martin
    Posted at June 18, 2008 2:29pm, 18 June Reply

    @ Stan

    I’ve got nothing against Seth’s disabling of comments. I’ve heard him speak about it many times and I think his reasoning is completely justified.

    @ Jake

    More excellent points raised. I do have an issue with spreading yourself over as many new media spaces as possible, but I can see where it would be beneficial.

    As as per above, I’m actually all for Seth not allowing comments on his blog. With the ability to Track Back, and as you have said contact with email, it isn’t really a problem.

    Thanks for the food for thought guys!

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