The Power of the Internet – Bloggers UNITE!
I just finished reading an article about Dan Rather’s “sexist” comments regarding Katy Couric and her role as the first solo female news anchor and at the end of the article, in seemingly unrelated news, was a blurb that impressed upon me the growing influence of bloggers and other Internet users.
It came as a shock during last months Network Upfronts in New York where they announced the line up for next fall that CBS was cancelling the critically acclaimed show Jericho. But now, according to the news article, thanks to an Internet campaign started by disgruntled viewers the show has been given a second chance. As part of the campaign, organizers delivered thousands of pounds of peanuts to CBS’s corporate offices (which was a reference from the season finale).
I don’t know if you have heard of this relatively unknown singer, Esmee Denters, but I came across her on YouTube only about two weeks ago. Today, I saw a news article about Justin Timberlake signing this YouTube Phenomenon to a recording contract. She became hugely popular on the video repository by singing her favorite songs including JT’s “What Comes Around Goes Around”. She racked up over 3.5 million views to date.
There is certainly an untapped resource in the blogging world with regards to advertising and marketing. Recently, we posted a link on a blog site and asked the bloggers to check out our website and tell us what they thought. We also posted a video on YouTube from our recent Taco Eating Contest. From the blog location we received nearly 300 unique visits and a ton of comments. The video on our website was viewed 78 times from that same portal, and the one posted on YouTube has resulted in 150+ clickthroughs to our website.
Now, if bloggers can get a network to reinstate a cancelled show, get a girl from the Netherlands a recording contract, and can generate a considerable increase in website traffic just from one post, think of what else they can do? I’m going to postulate something here and say that maybe one day bloggers will rule the world! If they don’t like something they will stamp it down! If they love it and you try to take it away from them…they will bury you in peanuts!
June 12th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Let’s not forget the famous outcry for Family Guy. The show was discontinued and then brought back by popular demand from a grass roots internet campaign. People have the power and now they have the medium in which to exercise their voice. Companies need to take heed and treat each customer as a customer, not a number.