edwarddowd
08-10-2007, 08:07 PM
This Article (http://theblogbeat.com/what-can-stephen-colbert-teach-you-about-reaching-new-viewers/) is from my blog TheBlogBeat (http://theblogbeat.com/)
Alot. Colbert taught us that giving out your content for free is not a “Zero sum game”.
A few months ago, Youtube recieved a lot of flak for allowing The Colbert Report clips to be freely posted on the site. While Colbert himself supported and encouraged the posting of his show on Youtube, his network Comedy Central did not. Comedy Central didn’t want free viewing of the Colbert Report, because it wasn’t making them money and possibly meant a person might not view the show on TV. Before videos were thwarted, the shows mini-clips were being passed around on social networks, and recieving millions of views. What did all this amount to? Millions of people were finding out about the show, and enjoying the comedy. It elevated his star power and brought new viewers to the show.
So how can you apply this to your blog?
“Think of all the people you’re reaching that you wouldn’t have reached if you had never spread your content to other sites.”
Try posting some of your articles (not exact copies, change some stuff) on popular sites in your niche. Blogs and forums are typical sites you can target. The catch is to get a link back to your site. Try to push the envelop making sure the reader is aware of your site as much as possible without being too intrusive. By posting your some of your content on other sites, you are informing the viewers of the rest of the content you have to offer. The viewer may not be interest in that particular article on your website, because they already read it on another site, but if they like what they read, they will probably come back to your site for more information and articles. And if you are worried about the negatives of spreading your content, think of all the people you’re reaching that you wouldn’t have reached if you had never spread your content to other sites.
Youtube can be a powerful marketing tool for you just like Stephen Colbert. I made videos for a previous site which I posted on my site, the videos were large in resolution and in quicktime format. But one day I decided to post two videos to Youtube. It was relatively painless and to my suprise recieve 26,000 views for just two videos. Thats 26,000 viewers I’d would have probably never have reached and it cost me only a few minutes of my time.
Alot. Colbert taught us that giving out your content for free is not a “Zero sum game”.
A few months ago, Youtube recieved a lot of flak for allowing The Colbert Report clips to be freely posted on the site. While Colbert himself supported and encouraged the posting of his show on Youtube, his network Comedy Central did not. Comedy Central didn’t want free viewing of the Colbert Report, because it wasn’t making them money and possibly meant a person might not view the show on TV. Before videos were thwarted, the shows mini-clips were being passed around on social networks, and recieving millions of views. What did all this amount to? Millions of people were finding out about the show, and enjoying the comedy. It elevated his star power and brought new viewers to the show.
So how can you apply this to your blog?
“Think of all the people you’re reaching that you wouldn’t have reached if you had never spread your content to other sites.”
Try posting some of your articles (not exact copies, change some stuff) on popular sites in your niche. Blogs and forums are typical sites you can target. The catch is to get a link back to your site. Try to push the envelop making sure the reader is aware of your site as much as possible without being too intrusive. By posting your some of your content on other sites, you are informing the viewers of the rest of the content you have to offer. The viewer may not be interest in that particular article on your website, because they already read it on another site, but if they like what they read, they will probably come back to your site for more information and articles. And if you are worried about the negatives of spreading your content, think of all the people you’re reaching that you wouldn’t have reached if you had never spread your content to other sites.
Youtube can be a powerful marketing tool for you just like Stephen Colbert. I made videos for a previous site which I posted on my site, the videos were large in resolution and in quicktime format. But one day I decided to post two videos to Youtube. It was relatively painless and to my suprise recieve 26,000 views for just two videos. Thats 26,000 viewers I’d would have probably never have reached and it cost me only a few minutes of my time.