PRWeek Responds to 3.0 Fallout

In an impressive move, PRWeek EIC, Julia Hood, responded to the blogstorm of negative coverage about the magazine's edict that PR was entering the 3.0 era.

My original article is here.

Instead of directly addressing the arguments and points of contention circulating in the blogosphere, Julia explained the rationale behind the 3.0 moniker, "Sometimes editors fall so in love with their ideas, they neglect to properly explain them. Judging by some of the blog posts about our 'Public Relations 3.0' agency business report cover line, that seems to be the case here."

She continues, "Honestly, I thought it was obvious. When I started covering the industry in 2000, it was already in the midst of a long-running transition from providing focusing on communicating to the media and to the public through the media, to its place in the C-suite where managing corporate reputation, CSR, employee engagement, and boosting sales would be part of the job description.

Now public relations is at the beginning of its third age, when it is demonstrating its unique facility for navigating environments where the companies and brands have less and less control. Rather than lamenting the decline of traditional media’s influence, the PR industry is embracing the new platforms and communities that test their creativity and the authenticity of the messages.

This change is happening much more rapidly than with PR’s previous transition, when even two years ago we were still getting letters to the editor about how little respect the profession is afforded. But even if the changes are occurring quickly, they are no less significant.

So that’s the rationale. Public Relations 2.0 was simply not far enough - the industry has quite suddenly found itself facing a refreshingly high set of expectations from clients and the public alike."

This is probably the most important discussion facing the industry, because I think much of the PR vs. PR 2.0 vs. PR 3.0 discussion is still leaving people spinning with confusion and many are unsure how to even engage in this new form of media.

My response...

"Julia, kudos for responding to the blogosphere.

I originally reacted to your assessment that we were entering the 3.0 era because the industry isn't truly ready for it, nor are we even close (so says the people are blazing the trail for the betterment of the rest of the industry, as well as those still trying to figure out how to engage in social media.)

Your point, “Rather than lamenting the decline of traditional media’s influence, the PR industry is embracing the new platforms and communities that test their creativity and the authenticity of the messages,” captures where we need to be, not where we are. I spend a lot of my time these days helping others “get it.” The truth is that many PR people, in fact, most PR people are attacking new media in the same fashion as traditional media – if at all. Remember this is an industry that is guilty of not even reading the publications they pitch, let along blogs, podcasts, etc.

Honestly everything that's documented by PRWeek only validates the whole basis of PR 2.0, it doesn't leapfrog it. In my post, I highlight the principles behind how I define the 2.0 era.

It all started with the technology that enabled the socialization of media, progressed with the people who embraced it to create new content, and it will end when PR can legitimately engage. Then, and only then, will PR 2.0 fold back into PR (without the need for a rev number behind it.)

We have a tough road ahead of us, as I’ve said before, and as many have already written, PR isn’t invited to the table here. The masses think we don’t get it, so we have a lot of PR for the PR to undertake.

In the meantime, the economic rationale highlighted in PRWeek only demonstrates the demand for these “new” services and expertise by companies looking to jump in. However, this new breed of “smarter” PR pros are a rare commodity.

The higher set of expectations by clients (or executives for those in house) isn’t realistic either for defining 3.0 as most are still unsure how to measure it, or are still either intimidated by the thought of losing control of their messages or still think that social media is not a legitimate use of marketing resources.

The only true expectations that exist are those of the public, and more accurately, the people that make up the public (producers, participants, and readers alike). It is their expectations that place the greatest emphasis on the evolution and necessity of PR 2.0 – or as better described, more effective, sincere, and smarter PR.

For now, it is the difference between spin and evangelism. It’s also the difference between storytelling and influence.

This is an incredible opportunity for the PR industry to escalate its perception by integrating value, direct engagement, and an entirely new set of metrics that prove ROI. It’s up to us to put the “pro” back in the PR Professional title.

PR 3.0 is only confusing the market more. This existing confusion is where we need to focus. Perhaps we can talk 1:1 so that we can collaborate on a concerted way to help the rest of the industry catch up, while also helping businesses understand how to embrace this new world of social media and PR."

UPDATE #1: Julia Hood responds.

Thanks for all the comments. I’m curious - let’s assume that PR is NOT in the 3.0 era, but has a long way to go, which is a fair point, for sure. Even in my post I tried to make the point (maybe not clearly enough) that this is the beginning of the next iteration.But I’m wondering, where do you think the deficit in knowledge or experience is greatest - on the marketer side or the agency side?

UPDATE #2: I respond.

Julia, let’s get together and talk sometime soon. I’ve been in front of this since the mid 90s and I think a conversation between us would be very beneficial to all following the discussion.
The iteration we are entering is truly the era of social media (it’s the best way to describe it without 2.0, 3.0, etc.)

In this regard, the greatest deficit exists across the spectrum of agencies, marketers, and in house communications professionals. If anyone says otherwise, they’re wrong. Why? Because PR specifically has never had to engage at this level and it’s forcing a renaissance.

The infrastructure of traditional marketing isn’t ready to adapt on a large scale and this is why we’re living in the new Wild West of PR. This is all brand new! Big agencies are desperate to find this new breed of social media-aware professionals because the capabilities do not exist in house. These rare talents fuse web marketing, PR, evangelism and knowledge of tech trends and light HTML. I get calls everyday from recruiters desperate to find these people – and the same names keep coming up (that’s how limited the resource pool is right now).

I’m looking forward to speaking with you. You can reach me at brian [at] future-works [dot] com
Thanks for keeping the dialog open!

---

Additional reactions:
Wordymouth
EngageinPR
Murphy's Law
PRWeek's The Cycle
Geoff Livingston

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PRWeek Claims Industry Enters Age of PR 3.0 – They Couldn’t be More Wrong

Almost within 24 hours of going on record stating that we will (should) not see anyone referring to PR 3.0 anytime soon, PRWeek runs an article about how the industry is entering a new age: PR 3.0. Hat tip to Constantin Basturea.

Excerpt from my post, “And let me point out, that there will not be a 3.0 or any other rev numbers, unless there is another tremendous evolution, fusion, or breakthrough in the practice, science, and art of communications.”

The flagship publication that has made a business out of documenting “what is” versus “what is…changing” without necessarily helping their readers understand the evolution, decided to place a stake in the ground and call attention to their forward-looking vision, or as some would say, ignorance.

I guess they missed the whole fact that the industry was still coming to terms with how the Web swept the rug from underneath it, thus changing the game forever, and threatening the eradication of generations of less-than-web-savvy PR professionals.

And what’s even worse, is that in this age of Social Media, I couldn’t even comment on the article. I was given a link to editor@prweek.com.

According to Julia Hood, EIC of PR Week, “PR has gone through other incarnations in the past, but what is happening now is so fundamental, it can only be described as the next iteration of the industry - or PR 3.0, as we have designated it.”



Stating that the industry is entering the age of PR 3.0 is absurd, premature, and irresponsible. If anything, this article could have validated PR 2.0, but instead they chose to leapfrog it.

Here’s her argument for PR 3.0 has they “have designated it:”

“Staffing has been on the increase”

“… increasing revenue per employee…”

“…an average of 17% growth among firms that reported the previous year.”

“Edelman's astounding 26% growth…”

“…Schwartz Communications pulled in 22% growth, Qorvis increased by 31%, Taylor (formerly Alan Taylor Communications) was up by 36%, and Integrated Corporate Relations showed a 48% rise…”

PRWeek’s rationale for evolving into PR 3.0 is driven by revenue? Are you kidding me? Some of our other friends tracking the economy might call this growth, or an upward trend. But to call it an entirely new era of PR is laughable, sensationalist, and so off the mark that it demonstrates why PR and spin go hand in hand.

Oh yes, we’re living in a time where PR has evolved more in the last 10 years than it has in the last 100. The press release is finally evolving, the Web is now interactive, citizens are now more than journalists – they’re influencers, and Internet marketing is driving new PR campaigns. Social media has, and will only increase, in its influence for redefining not just PR, but all media in general.

Honestly, I’m still defending, justifying, and defining the ideas and principles behind PR 2.0 and social media and how it all integrates into traditional PR. This is where the discussions need to focus in order to improve the industry, and, it can only be done through art and practice, not through revenue.



I’m talking about PR for the PR – forcing the discussion outside of the likes of PRWeek and into global forums where people can exchange real world information in order to share and learn from each other in the face of the new web and Social Media.

The idea and the mantra behind the PR 2.0 movement is to reach PR people outside of the echo chamber to help them evolve, improve their game, learn the technology that’s driving social media, and most importantly, participate in the conversations taking place without them (not initially as a PR, but as a regular person genuinely engaged in conversations to participate and learn.)

Social media and (PR 2.0) is about respect, passion, conversation, and insight. It so much more than blogger relations, wikis, social networks, Second Life, blogs, tags, podcasts, etc. Those are merely the tools used to engage in the conversation. But PR is all about, or should be about, knowledge, understanding of the markets, and the channels used to reach them with the most compelling and meaningful messages.

New PR, PR 2.0, whatever you want to call it, is more about being “smart” enough to participate at an entirely new and more valuable level of engagement. It’s about reading the publications, blogs, networks, where you want to participate. It’s about living and breathing the product/service we represent.

It’s the difference between spin and evangelism.

It’s also the difference between storytelling and influence.

It all eventually merges back into PR – with a long trail of communications professionals that will be forced to jump ship for the betterment of the PR industry as a whole.

With Web 2.0 attracting mainstream attention, PR 2.0 (and everything 2.0) has PR and marketing professionals drooling while seeing dollar signs – rejoicing that their ship has come in. Yes, unfortunately, it shows in the numbers. But I’d like to think that this is an opportunity for PR professionals to put the “pro” back in their title.

PR 2.0 is not because of Web 2.0. It is because of the Web – or the Live Web as Doc Searls calls it. The evolution of the Web has forced communications professionals to step out from behind the “great wall of PR” to interact with the people formerly known as the audience and the “people” aka influencers aka experts that also reach them.

The interactivity of the web, combined with the ability to transform readers into content producers, is forcing PR’s evolution along with it – regardless of 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0.

The idea is to fuse the best of PR, technology, marketing, and the Web. No BS. No hype.

PR should understand markets, the needs of people, and how to reach them at the street level – without insulting everyone along the way.

PR 3.0, as defined by PRWeek, is a slap in the face to all of the new media pioneers who have tirelessly worked to help bring PR into the conversation – and in doing so – improve the business of PR and the skills of those who practice it.

For those who haven’t read my series of what PR 2.0 is and isn’t, here’s a quick recap:

I started discussing the concept of PR 2.0 during Web 1.0 as a way of analyzing how the Web and multimedia was redefining PR and marketing communications, while also building the toolkit to reinvent how companies communicate with influencers and directly with people.

PR 2.0 is an opportunity to not only work with traditional journalists, but also engage directly with a new set of accidental influencers, and, it was also our ability to talk with customers directly.

PR 2.0 is not because of, or limited to, Web 2.0. It is, however, influenced by it.

PR 2.0 isn’t Social Media. And Social Media isn’t Web 2.0. These are also distinct movements that can complement and inspire each other.

PR 2.0 incorporates the tools that enable the socialization of media, providing smart folks with the ability to reach folks directly.

Social Media is important because it represents the democratization of news and information.

Social Media frames “media” in a socialized context, but it doesn’t invite PR (as it exists today) to market through (or to) it. However, worthy individuals can participate in conversations as long as they participate as a person and not a marketer.

PR 2.0, in principle, is the ONLY method for conducting PR in the long tail.

UPDATE #1: Keith O'Brien of PRWeek blogs some of the initial industry response to its Agency Business Report - "Mike Manuel says yes. Brian Solis gives a definitive no."

UPDATE #2: I responded, "Just to be clear, my post wasn’t in direct response to the Agency Business Report, it was specific to PRWeek’s claim that the industry was moving towards a new age - PR 3.0 as designated by the staff.

By aligning PR 3.0 with revenue and business growth, PRWeek is misleading and confusing the already bewildered masses of PR practitioners and company marketing executives who are still trying to figure out the new world of Social Media.

Our discussions about PR (insert number here) should first focus on helping these people “get it,” instead of trying to coin a movement that hasn’t yet amalgamated."

UPDATE #3: Keith O'Brien's response, "...what we (the Royal We, at least from my perspective) wanted to get across was that social media was not tremendously impacting the bottom line (yet) and that execs were agreeing with your statement - that everyone needs to get it. Perhaps when everyone gets it, we will be at 3.0. Or 2.3. (insert number here)."

UPDATE #4: Julia Hood of PRWeek responds.

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New Media Meets Old Media - Blogger & Podcaster Magazine Debuts

In an interesting twist of media, bloggers and podcasters now have something to read when wifi or EVDO is unavailable.

Blogger & Podcaster is the first monthly business print and online magazine written "exclusively for serious bloggers and podcasters."

The premier issue features Robert Scoble discussing his foray into video podcasting.

Read the first issue online here. The format is very rich and unique. I actually read through the issue, cover to cover.

"blogger & podcast magazine" blogger&podcast magazine blogger podcaster blog robert+scoble media2.0 media+2.0 media 2.0

Robert Scoble Meets Hooman from Radio Alice 97.3 at Web 2.0 Expo

Sometimes the best marketing at events of this caliber is "lobby marketing."

Robert Scoble, Jeremiah Owyang, Chris Pirillo, among others drew the crowds online and in person while they streamed live video from the show - courtesy of ustream.tv (and a little know how from the Podtech crew.)

I spent the greater part of Sunday - Wednesday catching up with many visionaries and industry influencers - all of whom I would have missed had I attended conferences or roamed the expo floor.

While catching up with Scoble and Justin Kan of Justin.tv, I noticed a familiar face from across the hall. It was none other than Hooman of the Sarah and No Name morning show on Radio Alice 97.3 - you may recognize the show as Justin has recently joined the crew for two on-air appearances.

As his attendance at the Web 2.0 Expo seemed intriguing, I walked over to introduce myself. After talking for a bit, he asked who was the most famous blogger in the room. It was a natural opportunity to walk him over to Scoble. And, within a few moments, Hooman had the camera ready to go for an on-the-spot interview.

As it turns out, Hooman just launched a new video blog and is striving for 2 million hits per month. His guests will cross the spectrum of noteworthy industries including tech, music, entertainment, socialites, and politics. Other than Scoble, his first set of guests include Mayor Gavin Newsom, Hillary Swank, and Tyson Beckord.

I've included the video with Scoble below.




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PR 2.0 Takes the Stage at Web 2.0 Expo - Part I of II

I was invited to moderate a panel at the Web 2.0 Expo entitled, "PR 2.0: Dead as a Doornail, or Still Alive?"

While the session was well attended, I honestly believe that this theme, and the title, was a bit premature and misleading. However, the session description was a bit more on target:

In the online world, PR has lately been viewed as out of fashion -- blogs and social networks are "it," and press releases are passé... or are they? Are dead wood media and reporters no longer relevant, or do they still have reach? How does PR operate today, in a world full of direct communication with customers via web sites, email, blogs, and video? Find out how PR 2.0 combines both old world techniques and new.

My take: With Web 2.0 starting to attract mainstream attention, PR 2.0 (and everything 2.0) has become the golden ticket for misguided and opportunistic marketing professionals.

Suddenly every agency and corporate marketing department is seeking social media strategists and experts in the "new" world of PR two dot oh.

Let me straighten out this common misperception first. PR 2.0 is not because of Web 2.0. It is not about simple blogger relations. Nor is it about corporate blogging, wikis and communities. PR 2.0 is defined by the evolution of industry practices forced by the shift, and the process, of influence.

What if PR people just took the time to read the publications or the blogs they pitch?

What if PR actually used and believed in the products or services they represented?

What if PR could be compelling without its reliance on hyperbole?

What if PR understood the dynamics and interworkings of the Web?

If this was the case, perhaps it wouldn't be PR any longer..well at least not as we know it today.

I'm sure every PR person will nod their head in agreement, saying, "yeah, PR needs to get it," as if they're not directly guilty of also aligning PR as an industry with used car sales. I suppose these are also among the same people that probably believe they drive just as well while talking on the cell phone.

Truth is, that we're all guilty.

This is the premise of the PR 2.0 philosophy I’ve been talking about since the first boom. PR 2.0 is not formed or fed by Web 2.0 - although now anything 2.0 is in the spotlight. It was, and still is a manifesto for improving our profession in a new age of communications. It is PR Redux, a milestone that documents how PR has evolved more in the last 10 years, than in the last 100.

It was a chance to not only work with traditional journalists, but also engage directly with a new set of accidental influencers, and, it was also our ability (and opportunity) to talk with customers directly.

It was no longer just about audiences. It was now about people.

No BS. No hype. It was, and is, an understanding of markets, the needs of people, and how to reach them at the street level – without insulting everyone along the way. And with social media becoming pervasive, it will only expose those weak in PR and force the industry to improve. The body count will be high.

PR 2.0, therefore, is significant and it is worthy of discussion, rather than ridicule. And let me point out, that there will not be a 3.0 or any other rev numbers, unless there is another tremendous evolution, fusion, or breakthrough in the practice, science, and art of communications.

Up next: The PR 2.0 panel, in their words - with my moderation of course.

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You.tv - A New Chapter in Lifecasting is Already Unfolding

Please read Part I prior to reading this article. Also, please scroll down and press pause to stop the inbound video feeds until you're ready.

The new world of lifecasting through video, a la Justin.tv, and through other flow apps such as Twitter, Jaiku and Tumblr, are lessons in Internet culture, communication and proof that narcissism can be a powerful driver for technology adoption.

In my last several posts, I've documented the migration of text-based streams. In this post, I'd like to review the forthcoming onslaught of You.tv lifecasters that are going to give online viewers their own version of online reality programming that will eclipse everything on broadcast, cable, and satellite television today.

On the surface, it's easy to mistake this movement for narcissism, or as Chris Pirillo calls it, "The Narcissytem." This perceived aura of self-importance is actually nothing new. Afterall, this is the generation that believes that they are all rock stars and therefore behave accordingly. The difference is that now they have the tools and the technology readily available for them to now also become TV stars.

I call this You.tv.

You.tv is far more valuable to the reality of what is, what will be, and what's possible. It is an inevitable reality and it will deprive you of countless, precious hours whether you're producing or watching - or both. It's already underway.

As I mentioned in my last post on the subject, that Justin.tv was much more than novelty, it was the beginning of mobile lifecasting. I stated that regardless of what the future held for Justin.tv, that it would inspire others to replicate his programming by simply living life through their own digital eye. I did not however, realize how quickly this would transpire.

Last night we (bub.blicio.us) co-sponsored a one month milestone party along with Scott Beale of Laughing Squid. While I was prepared to promote the event one last time, I was distracted by the buzz on Twitter that Robert Scobe was experimenting with a live video stream (dubbed the Scoblecam), which he was planning to debut at the Web 2.0 Expo on Monday. In fact, Scoble previewed the capability by broadcasting his family's drive up to Merced.



Jeremiah Owyang shortly after, announced that he too would broadcast live from the Web 2.0 Expo. In fact, he wrote an incredible piece detailing how to do it yourself.



Chris Pirillo set all of this in motion when he announced and demonstrated his ability to lifecast - live.



What do they all have in common? Whereas the Justin.tv crew creating their own broadcast platform, Scoble, Pirillo and Owyang are utilizing Chris Yeh's new up-and-coming lifecasting network, Ustream.tv.

Ustream.tv is the Youtube of lifecasts and it's providing lifecasters with an intuitive and feature-rich platform to start broadcasting their own You.tv channel. While the network needs basic aesthetic improvements, the infrastructure is impressive.

Is this too much, as asked by Matthew Ingram and further discussed by Scoble? No way. It's not about those that don't find it fascinating, it's about that people that do.

As Jeremiah points out, all you need is a notebook, extended batteries, a webcam, a mobile EVDO or 3G connection, and a Ustream.tv account. I'll add that either courage or a big ego is also a prerequisite for a mobile lifecast.

The other important ingredient is people. Without anyone watching, then it really is nothing more than egocasting.

What sets Justin.tv apart from the rest? Well, so far he's the only one who's 1) monetized it and 2) broadcasts 24/7. Justin.tv is so far the Web's most ambitious, and proven, You.tv lifecast. How long that will last is numbered. However, with every new lifecast that goes online, the world of entertainment and programming will forever be changed.

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Tumblr - Tumbling between blogs, twitter and jaiku

How many unfinished posts do you have in your draft folder? Or, better yet, how many ideas do you have that you are hoping to get to one day.

Well if you're anything like me, a post is much more than simply sitting down, typing, linking, adding tags and then clicking the post button. And, this is an example of one such post.

Enter tumblelogs.

According to Wikipedia, "A tumblelog is a variation of a blog, that favors short-form, mixed-media posts over the longer editorial posts frequently associated with blogging. Common post formats found on tumblelogs include links, photos, quotes, dialogues, and video. Unlike blogs, this format is frequently used to share the author's creations, discoveries, or experiences without providing a commentary."

After reading Josh Lowensohn's post on Tumblr, I was motivated to give it a shot. Why, because I tend to write articles rather than posts, yet every now and then, I come across interesting facts, notable advice, intriguing videos, and incredible pictures. The PR2.0 blog usually isn't the spot for it and well, most of the time they're not very bub.blicio.us, so running an experiment on Tumblr is a worthy experiment.



Per the company site, "Tumblr is your friendly and free tool for creating tumblelogs."

On one side of the scale, you have blogging platforms such as Wordpress, Blogger, and Typepad. On the extreme opposite you have flow apps (credit: Stowe Boyd) aka microblogs such as Twitter and Jaiku. Somewhere in the middle are tumblelogs and Tumblr fits right in.

The one thing that is most pervasive, now more than ever, is that there are far too many compelling applications and tools competing for our attention. Tumblr and flow apps definitely appeal to the A.D.D. in all of us.

Tumblr, subscribes to the less is more philosophy and provides various forms of posting options including word posts, photos, videos, quotes, URLs, and IM conversations. Have something quick you want to say or share? Then tumbleblogs are the quick and easy way to go. It has all of the reach of standard blogs, with less of the physical and mental overhead.

Depending on your post content, Tumblr presents the information specific to the media type. For example, video is placed in a YouTube style, conversations resemble an IM window, Quotes are large, etc.

There's also a helpful toolbar link that you can drag up to your bookmarks, "Share on Tumblr." It automatically assesses the page you're on and offers up a suggested post type in a separate window for on-the-spot publishing to your tumblelog.



For those more sophisticated users, you can acquire your own domain. For example, if these tests succeed, then I'll most likely set it up as www.briansolis.com/tumble. The cool thing is that it also allows the integration of existing CSS stylesheets so that the look and feel of the blog will be consistent throughout both - even though they're hosted by two separate services.

At next week's Web 2.0 Expo, I will live blog the event using a combination of Tumblr, Flickr, and Twitter. I will use Jaiku to represent the concerted flow from all forms of media from the event. Subscribe to the feed here.

For more detail on the subject, read a great post by Gina Trapani, "Geek to Live: Instant, no-overhead blog with Tumblr."

Scott Beale of Laughing Squid also has a post on the subject, "Tumblr Making Blogging Easy."

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Twitter Me This, Is Jaiku a Threat? Let's Ask Those Defining the Landscape

vs.

Breaking news!

Ok not really. But Leo Laporte jumping ship and joining Jaiku has definitely sparked controversy. And, it set the stage for a series of discussions comparing and contrasting Twitter and Jaiku - thus leaving behind the few other competitors that seem to miss these important discussions online.

It all started with Leo Laporte broadcasting a goodbye from Twitter - "Goodbye Twitter and Hello Jaiku." The reigning king of Twitter, with over 4,400 followers, indeed left the community in favor of up-and-coming site, Jaiku.

Why?

"Twitter is so close to TWiT that I'm afraid it's really confusing. Twitter has nothing to do with TWiT. And, I'm afraid, I can't have anything to do with Twitter, either. It's just fueling the confusion," according to Leo.

This is a surprising move, and at the same time not so surprising. There has been confusion within the community between his show, TWiT (The Week in Tech), and the Twitter brand, along with all of the other Twitter related offshoots, including Twittervision, Twittersearch, Twitteroo, Twitterific, etc. But at the same time, it has most likely increased awareness and viewers for TWiT.

Robert Scoble responded with a post confirming Leo's departure. He also published a few of the most important and fore "telling" tweets (or twits) from Leo that no longer appear on the service.

“I’ve asked Ev to delete my Twitter account. I’m concerned about confusion with TWiT. I’m moving to Jaiku: account is ChiefTWiT. CU there!”

and

“I should never have trademarked TWiT. Curse you Ev. Couldn’t you have called this Odeoer or something?”

The comments are the most informative and interesting however, because they allude to to the prospect that Leo may seek legal recourse to protect his TWiT trademark.

On an entertaining sidenote, however, Scoble and Jeremiah Owyang also took the opportunity to teach one commenter a lesson in PR (2.0). Co-founder of Twitter and Jaiku competitor, Loopnote, unintentionally exposed the company's weak marketing savvy when questioning why no one was talking about his service.

Scoble commented, "Sorry, Martin, but NO ONE has told me about your service. And I have hundreds of thousands of readers per week. The fact that you weren’t here screaming your head off tells me you aren’t very up to date on how markets work in the Web 2.0 world."

Ouch!

Scoble continued his lesson in PR 101, "Get onto the RSS bus. Learn to use Technorati and Google Blog Search (different than Google) and search for your name, your product name, your company name, your competitor’s names."

OK. But let's get back to the emerging tug-of-war between Twitter and Jaiku...

What is most interesting about Leo's defection to Jaiku is that he was one of the few key influencers that literally spiked Twitter subscriptions, even prior to frenzy created at the Gamers Developer Conference in San Francisco and SXSW in Austin. For those who may not know the significance of these events, hundreds of highly influential bloggers, vloggers, and entrepreneurs (including Scoble) brought the twitter network down to a crawl by constnatly twittering their status during these events. Rafe Needleman, Stowe Boyd, Scoble, and I also recently twitter'd the Under the Radar Office 2.0 event.

What Laporte did for Twitter, he is now reproducing for Jaiku. It's the Leo effect.

Now, there is a line in the sand. A division between Twitter and Jaiku. No one thinks that two can survive and that this tournament of arm wrestling will only divide the Twitter community.

However, I don't think so.

Both offer points of value that will appeal to different market segments (left and right) as well as those who can enjoy playing both sides of the fence (the middle).

Chris Saad praises Twitter" 1. It's dead simple. 2. It has lots of great people on it."

Scoble agrees, "Jaiku is better software than Twitter (more features) but Twitter is a better community. In this game community wins!"

Yes. They're both right. But, I believe they're serving different groups.

Twitter is simple and it's beautiful that way. And its community is well established and some of the most amazing people thrive from reading and sharing information through the Web, mobile text, IM, etc.

Jaiku is a bit more involved. For one, it's almost a profile aggregator of sorts, allowing you to bring in feeds from other sources, including Twitter, blogs, del.icio.us, flickr, etc., so that your updates traverse across your multiple online personae through one social, integrated personal stream (or flow). It also allows comments on individual posts to continue threaded conversations, which is better suited to those seeking more meaningful engagements and conversations - well as deep as a nanoblogging platform would allow (and promote).

I reached out to Jyri Engestrom and Petteri Koponen, co-founders of Jaiku to get their take on Twitter vs. Jaiku.

According to Engestrom, "Our goal's to bring people closer together by enabling them to share their stream of life: what they're doing, how they're feeling, where they're going. It combines activities from the real world with things they share online. The aim's to deliver this in a well-designed, fun package."

When I asked how it's unique, he responded with several key differentiators...
1) Jaiku doesn't spam you with texts (more control over who and what you follow)
2) It supports conversation better (threaded comments)
3) It can also be used from a free mobile application (better experience)
4) It looks cooler and supports icons & Flickr photos (more fun!)
5) It enables you to add your blog, photos, videos, bookmarks, and other Web feeds to your stream so you contacts can get an overview of the different things you've been up to

His answers only fuel my beliefs, that Jaiku is a completely different platform carrying genuie value to a different set of users who enjoy a richer feature-set. The only people fueling the debate are those on either side of the fence. Those in the middle, or those new to the new "everywhere" messaging landscape, will find value in both and join the service that most aligns with their routine, RSS feeds, profiles, and, of course, where their associates communicate regularly.

Now for the fun...

I documented highlights from the Twitter stream so that you can watch events unfold in real time. I'll update this as significant posts are shared...

Leo Laporte's final twitter
leolaporte Hmm. My account is still active here. Twitter folks - you can add your Twitter feed to http://Jaiku.com and have a presence on both.

Leo Laporte from Jaiku
I left Twitter with regret - but I have to say Jaiku has opened my eyes to what's possible. Twitter seems kind of barren to me now.


Scobleizer Jaiku is reacting slower than Twitter. It requires more clicks to see your messages than Twitter. And is more complicated. I never knew of it until today, which isn't saying much. What's cool about both of these is the people on them. NOT the technology."

Scobleizer Jaiku is lame compared to Twitter. Sorry, Web access is a MUST for these kind of things. Otherwise, I'd use Google's Dodgeball.


ChrisSaad @Scobleizer: Jaiku is totally different to Twitter

Scobleizer @ChrisSaad says Jaiku is totally different than Twitter. Fine. I can't deal with yet another one. Why not Google's Dodgeball?

Scobleizer Hmmm, now I'm on Jaiku too. http://scobleizer.jaiku.com/ I really hate being forced to be on two different services. This is better than IM


stoweboyd @scoble - jaiku is not 'threaded discussions' as you suggested at you account. It's another flow app, like Twitter.

Scobleizer @stoweboyd: but on my account at http://scobleizer.jaiku.com/ I see threaded discussions. Not like here on Twitter where everything is flat.

stoweboyd @scoble - although it does add the notion of comments.

Scobleizer Jaiku seems even slower than Twitter. I didn't think anything could make that so!

Scobleizer ...Twitter Wins! Leo loses.

ChrisSaad @Scobleizer: Jaiku has a different focus I believe - it's a lifestream creator. Pour all your personal RSS into it - not just Twitters

Scobleizer Jaiku is better software than Twitter (more features) but Twitter is a better community. In this game community wins!

Scobleizer Jaiku doesn't have an API yet, right? That's another sizeable stumbling block. And, Jaiku is having scaling issues with FAR less traffic.


Ross @scoble If more of my friends were using Nokias, I'd be on Jaiku instead


Rafe Jaiku? Sure, it's got the features, but why split this community?


briansolis @Rafe Is it splitting 1 community or does it have the opp to create its own - comprised of a whole diff set of users?

leolaporte I am worried about losing my trademark - Ev and I need to talk

Scobleizer Trademark law: if you don't defend your trademarks you give them up to public domain.

Scobleizer @Rafe: cause Leo is positioning for a trademark lawsuit against Twitter, according to his final Tweets.

Leo Laporte from Jaiku
Scoble is now the uncontested King of Twitter. Long live the King. (I'm glad Jaiku doesn't count followers!)

Scobleizer Simplicity of Twitter wins. To find new comments on Jaiku I gotta click on comments, just like on my blog. Sigh. Twitter's simplicity rock


Rafe i'll be damned if i'm going to update jaiku and twitter too... so trying lazy option: adding twitter feed to my jaiku acct.

Ross @rafe now all we need is jaiku to twitter: we can all get along

Rafe Is it possible Twitter and Jaiku will end up sharing users, instead of hoarding them like the IM services did early on?


jspepper @Rafe - no, I can't see that happen. It's still that user mentality.

Rafe I vote we lock Ev & Jyri (Jaiku) in a room until they agree to interconnect their systems.

Rafe @ross Fine, as long as twitter-jaiku (twitterku?) doesn't end up as an infinite twitter-jaiku-twitter-jaiku-etc feedback loop. noisy!
-----

Follow me on Twitter and Jaiku.

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You.tv

There's something to be said for the phenomenon that is amateur video on the Web. After earning Time's Person of the Year, the "you" generation continues to drive the new web with each video and picture posted, tagged, and shared, every blog post and podcast, trackback, link, and comment, through every social bookmark, annotation, and search, all of the twitter casts, and micro and mobile text and IM updates we broadcast. Now, get ready for lifecasting.

Lifecasting is the new "it" term to describe one's use of video to project their life on the Web. Yes, it's been done before, but it didn't have a dedicated market category or a constant user base to support it.

The truth is that Web 1.0 spawned a series of online reality stars who enjoyed more than their allotted "15" minutes of fame. JenniCam, We Live in Public, and even the infamous DotComGuy, all dabbled in early forms of video lifecasting, capturing and streaming Internet video for the world to catch a glimpse of their not-so-sensational lives.


A glimpse of Jenni, January 9, 1999. Source, Wikipedia

It was easy to fail, give up, or retire in the days of 1.0 though, so their limited success was quite the feat considering that most Internet users were connected through 28k, 56k and at best ISDN modems.

Then there was Web 2.0.

Without mentioning how porn truly paved the way for the future of online video (even though it did), video blogging and podcasting helped carry the torch forward for citizen journalists and video on the Net.

iTunes, P2P networks, and most certainly, YouTube, Bittorrent, among other video sites, provided worldwide broadcast channels and an eager, captive audience for anyone with a video camera and an ordinary PC or Mac to become overnight stars - making public access TV programming seem like a crystal ball for the future of user generated content.

The difference now however, is that users are feverishly participating in social media, creating an explosive frenzy which continues to inspire new producers (and new uses) for those video cameras laying around the house. And not to mention, the new web has created an entirely new set of viewers and and the ability to watch content on the go via the latest fashionable mobile accessories such as cellphones, iPods, Macbooks, subnotebooks, Zunes, multimedia players (MMPs), etc., all which have evolved into the next-generation of portable TVs if you will.

This new market has even spawned the first stars, and many more to come, to cross over from the web into mainstream success, including Amanda Congdon, AskaNinja, and most surely Ze Frank. Other online programming such as RocketBoom, TikibarTV, and podcast networks such as Podtech and Podshow are also enjoying success online, producing the stars of tomorrow, whether it's online or on air.


Amanda Congdon


The cast of TikiBarTV, Photo Credit: Scott Beale of Laughing Squid


Photo Credit: KK

The short history of online video only continues to set the stage for more creative and viral amateur videos to take the world by storm. And, when combined with pervasive broadband connectivity and the global reach of social media, the world is a ripe stage for you.tv and a fundamental shift in the evolution of online culture and consumer entertainment - well, to be more truthful, all media in general.

Lifecasting reaches an all new level.

Enter 23-year-old Justin Kan and his new project Justin.tv. While lifecasting 1.0 was based on fixed video feeds, usually well-placed webcams, Justin.tv is reality television literally. He wears a camera and through the wonders of modern technology, streams live video and audio feeds 24/7.


Photo Credit: Brian Solis - More pics here

Any success enjoyed by his team can be directly attributed to the revolutionary work of his predecessors. Justin is a marketer's dream. Online for only 15 days (at the time of this writing), his online reality show has already surpassed 1 million page views and only continues to skyrocket. He already has appeared on local SF Bay Area TV, was splashed on the front page of the SF Chronicle (great story by the way, kudos to Jessica Guynn), featured on the Today Show and MTV, and has Amber Mac, Dateline, and the Tonight Show scheduled.


Photo Credit: Brian Caldwell



While others gush about his popularity, question what it's like to lose one's privacy, or fixate on the awkwardness of using the lavatory, dating, or having intimate relations online, I'm more fascinated with the the new medium fused with the canned audience this is forging, right before our eyes. It's making online reality TV a "real" reality.

Whether it's mobile or not, it shows that people want to live vicariously through someone else every now and then and secretly watch their adventures (with a guilty grin) , however boring it might be to others. This isn't SecondLife, this is FirstLife - it's just not yours. Fixing cameras in interesting locations monitoring even more intriguing and engaging individuals, broadcasting 24/7 has a real market.

Alison McNeill and I recently had the opportunity to meet with Justin Kan abd we ended up with a very cool video segment which we ran on bub.blicio.us.

Throughout the process I realized that it would only be a matter of weeks until we started to see the effects of new media and traditional media influence as it motivates next-generation You.tv producers. It will immediately amass in the form of Justin.tv wannabes and even more so, set the stage for an entirely new category of reality/new tee vee programming.

It doesn't matter that Justin.tv has a limited lifespan and that it will, as many before, fall victim to our alarmingly shrinking attention span. With every new video, podcast, vlog, and now reality lifecasting, viewers are lining up and shouting for more. They're looking for the next big thing. And if they can't find it. They'll create it.

It's all about You.tv and the new, sophisticated, easy-to-use broadcast infrastructure that supports content creation and the ability to view it anywhere, anytime.

What's the next big thing? Who's the next star? All signs point to You.tv.

Stay tuned.

UPDATE: Business 2.0 agrees, "...here's to Justin.tv for inspiring the rest of us to keep in touch with the world with our own lifecasts."

UPDATE: Justin.tv Guide believes lifecasting is just beginning, "If things go as Justin has described it, there will be an entire network of "lifecasters" featuring different kinds of people in different time zones and different parts of the world."

UPDATE #2: Well, now it's possible for you to lifecast 24/7 or however you see fit. Take a look at Jeremiah Owyang's new post about Chris Yeh's Ustream.tv. Jeremiah's broadcasting here. Robert Scoble is broadcasting here.

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