Seth Godin Proves He's Mortal

Bulletin for marketers: Seth Godin doesn't walk on water. He can't draw blood from a stone. And every now and then he screws up. Just like the rest of us.

In The Disciplined Marketer, I found links to two confusing posts on Seth's Blog. In the first one, Ads are the new online tip jar, Seth suggests to blog readers, "If you like what you're reading, click an ad to say thanks."

By doing this Seth believes "the economics of the web would change immediately." Right -- but wouldn't the immediate impact be negative? Readers, in their attempt to "honor the writer," would punish advertisers by making them pay for more false positives. 

Seth adds, "I can say this because there are no ads here..."  Huh? This claim sat inches from a "Widget Menu" with images of 11 Godin books linked to Amazon.com and other online retailers.

He opened the post with "'I never click on ads.' It's almost a badge of honor to say that." Like most direct marketers, Seth has no doubt heard consumers say they never respond to direct response. When pressed, people add remarks like, "Well actually, I have bought magazine subscriptions. And clothing. And sex aids." What counts is what people actually do, not what they say they do.

In a follow-up post Seth attempts to clarify things: "My point was that if everyone started clicking, clickthrough rates would go up. For a while, there'd be an imbalance, and sites would make too much and advertisers would pay too much. But then, advertisers would use the landing pages to start converting..." So, make advertisers pay for lots of worthless clicks and they'll finally become more efficient. Why not just taze 'em every time they goof? Might be less painful.

OK. Let's talk about how to really support bloggers and other content providers. First, contribute to conversations by commenting on posts when you have something to say. (Since Seth Godin is one of the few bloggers who doesn't accept comments, I wouldn't expect him to mention that.) Next, share blogs you like with your buddies. If your friendly neighborhood blogger is part of a business that offers products or services you need, buy from that business.

And yes, if a blogger that enriches your life has an online tip jar, contribute to it. Tonight in Denver at the Democratic National Convention, some political bloggers are present only because readers subsidized the cost. Pretty damn cool if you ask me.

What say you?    

Comments

[Landon Ray]

Actually, I don't think the tazing idea is such a bad one... any volunteers?

[Mark Brownlow]

There's the wider issue that we've simply come to take all the content out there for granted. Inevitably so.

We're so used to getting everything fast and easily that we forget someone had to sit down and research and write that information. Even as someone on the other end of that, I have to kick myself regularly to remember to write a note of appreciation or a comment on a great article.

A few years ago I ran a newsletter on biomedical publishing. It rarely got any kind of feedback and after 18 months I announced I was moving on to other things. Only then did people come out and say how much they valued it. Too late.

One argument is that we have our reasons for blogging and it's our choice. So the reader has no obligations to us in that sense. But...many (most?) bloggers are enthused and invigorated and inspired and motivated simply by seeing their words have impact.

So I second the idea of commenting on and sharing good posts as a suitable way to reward a blog you appreciate or have taken value from.

Gifts of beer are also welcome.

[Robert Rosenthal]

Mark: Red Smith said "Writing is easy. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein."

[Jim Coe]

Keep pushing Seth to bring his "A" game to every post.
Seriously, his blog isn't only for marketers...
I insist people read him to become better consumers.

[Robert Rosenthal]

Jim: Hopefully that's how Seth took it. I have a lot of respect for him. "Permission Marketing" was a real game changer.

[Allan Branch]

I've seen Seth walk on water before.

Gone is the day of ads for branding, you'll see more and more the power of word of mouth and product endorsements and reviews over ad space. I love Seth, I think his point is interesting but flawed. He's still my hero. How tall is Seth? He seems short.

[Robert Rosenthal]

Allan: Seth is a giant.

[Aaron Stannard]

My thoughts exactly - let's follow Seth's advice and shred the businesses who pay for online advertising for the sake of thanking bloggers. Permission marketing is something that I'm trying to implement in my own organization now and I'm in the middle of reading "All Marketers are Liars," but Seth screwed up on this one. I also think it's interesting that he's so big on open conversations between companies and customers yet he doesn't follow his own advice, as you mentioned.

[Robert Rosenthal]

Landon: The idea is so crazy it may just work!
Thanks again for steering me to your post, and for the photo.

[Robert Rosenthal]

Aaron: Here's why you won't find comments on Seth's Blog:
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2006/06/why_i_dont_have.html

I'd love to hear what Freaking Marketing readers think of Seth's explanation.

[Suzanne Obermire]

As a big commenter, and one who likes to have my 2 cents, I absolutely believe in allowing comments on a blog--no matter what the blog topic. And, as a blog author, I appreciate participation. Bring on those comments!

Heck, if a blog gets so popular that it becomes impossible to comment back to the commenter, so be it. But, let the sense of community prevail. Let people chat. Isn't that what blogging is all about?

[Robert Rosenthal]

Suzanne: I'm with you. Blogs are supposed to be conversations, not lectures. But to each his own.

[Landon Ray]

Seth does allow comments. The link is squeezed in there in 6 or 8 pt text... Must have had a (slight) change of heart.

[Robert Rosenthal]

Landon: I still can't find comments on Seth's Blog. What am I missing?

Here's everything that appeared at the bottom of his 8/27 post, "The first law of mass media." (The 3 comments are on Digg.)

Technorati Links • Save to del.icio.us (30 saves, tagged: marketing media sethgodin) • Digg This! (5 Diggs, 3 comments) • Email this • Stumble It! (3 Reviews) • Subscribe to this feed
Posted by Seth Godin on August 27, 2008 | Permalink

[Tom Messner]

Haven't been on seth's blog in almost a year.
If that was a blog i was on back when i trying to write a column for adweek about ad/marketing blogs.
I seem to remember his having numerous comments something like this:
"Another brilliant idea from Seth."
Or:
"Typical of Seth and what we've come to expect: greatt insight."
Funny thing is he is a very insightful guy, and if publishing reassuring comments keeps his spirit up, can't hurt. Even if he makes them up.

[Grant A. Johnson]

Seth is a PR guy. His timing was great with Yahoo. Permission Marketing? It's a joke.

What did you have for dinner the Tuesday before last? Can't recall? Then, how on this green earth can you remember giving permission to someone six moths ago to contact you about special offers? And, if you do and low and behold you get an email (from someone other than who you established the relationship with) trying to sell you something you claim you needed, say a new washer and dryer set, are you supposed to put the two together?

I could go on, but let me say when I asked Seth via email these questions after the "Permission Marketing" book came out, his response was: "Come and see me at a seminar and we can discuss. Of course, you'll have to pay to get in."

Hmm...

[Robert Rosenthal]

Grant: I disagree with you about "Permission Marketing." I think it was an important book. Opt-in email ain't perfect, but it's better than nuthin'.

[Kevin Horne]

Bless you, Robert. Amazing no matter what he says, people fawn.

Even when he claims (wrongly) Google was started "in the middle of the dot com [sic] melt down [sic]."

[Marketing Jobs]

I do agree he's human after all... but good tips on the blogger though!!

[Chris Peters]

I started thinking about Seth's post recently. (Sometimes I have an extremely long delayed reaction to things!) Another good way to "pay" a site that you enjoy is to link to it from your own website or blog:

http://www.clearcrystalmedia.com/gc/links-are-the-new-online-tip-jar/