Changing My Terms: Postaday2011

I admit it. I have missed a post here and there; I did not post while on a short vacation either. I still felt that I was posting in the spirit of postaday2011 and have kept at it. Most of my misses have been on weekends and this past weekend I missed both Saturday and Sunday. I feel unhappy when I miss posts but it is time to acknowledge that I cannot do this seven days a week.

Image courtesy of Recliner GM

Researching and writing take time – the stress of producing something has led to some less than stellar posts and that just does not make sense for me. So, I am renegotiating the terms of my contract with myself. When I started this blog it was essentially an agreement with myself to record daily insights about things related to my field, my work. Then I saw the postaday2011 WordPress challenge and felt delighted to part of a group effort. While it has been interesting to see the different paths different bloggers have taken with some of the daily suggestions, I have also been aware that my focus is a little different. C’est la vie!

While it is never easy to say that I am going to have to change the terms, I believe it is always important to be upfront with one’s client! So, here are the renegotiated terms: My goal is to post every weekday. I will give myself 2 weeks of vacation. And, at any point I feel that my post is a space filler alone, I will try to exercise good judgement and refrain from posting. I realize that I will have to add a clause about reading and participating in other blogs and figuring that into my time management. There may be an addendum or addenda to this contract in the future!

Soaps, Exit Stage Left.

Image courtesy of ABC

The big US television news of the day is that ABC is cancelling its long running day time soaps, All My Children and One Life to Live. In the age of user-generated content, ABC felt that these shows were no longer viable. The size of the cast, the scale of the production, the idea of a sustained audience have all become anachronistic. There has been vehement protest from fans, but it is hard to imagine that there will be an easy way to keep these kinds of shows. There are more than 300,000 fans for both shows on Facebook and over 11,000 people have an opinion on the announcement about the cancellation of the shows.  Will these numbers grow? We’ll see.

I was strangely unsurprised to hear of this cancellation decision; I must admit though that I was surprised to hear of how long some of these shows have been on the air. Why was I not surprised?

The packaging seems dated? The notion of story lines developed over decades and characters with convoluted personal histories make it near impossible for an individual to track it all. Who has the time to engage with this?

Content is not current?: Dynastic tales of complex interpersonal relationships, multiple marriages, the hyper-focus on a singular group for years all seem so different from the range and variety we see in the world of entertainment today. As television challenged radio programming, Interweb entertainment is causing changes in television programming.

No scope for customization?: Today people seek entertainment in personal portions. iTunes and Hulu have made us comfortable with the idea of listening to my songs and watching my shows. More often than not this consumption is private – the idea of soaps as a family or friends shared experience over a sustained period of time seems quaint.

Facebook offers more excitement?: Why watch a fictional character make strange life choices when you can see your friends and family doing it? And this alternative offers the thrill of being able to offer advice.

Reality melodrama costs less?: As we all know, this is the real reason for ABC’s choice. Day time soaps have a steady and loyal audience and do well in ratings. But the shows cost money. Reality shows will cost less and the same kind of melodrama can be managed there also – unscripted and spontaneously!

Daytime soap fans, the time has come to say goodbye. It is time now for The Chew and The Revolution!

Spring Cleaning: When was the last time you spruced up your content?

Many small businesses set up a website a while ago when the initial wave of Internet marketing hit us all. The web design usually includes a home page with description of the business, a product description page and a contact information page.  Some owners, depending on the nature of the business, have a few extras. The design is entirely serviceable and has been a good place holder to let regular customers know that the business has a web presence.

Image courtesy of Daily Organized Chaos

When I come across these kinds of pages now, I wonder whether business owners realize that web pages can look dated too? Spring cleaning and re-stocking is not just for landscapes and closets. It is well worth checking out your web presence also this April. Look at your web page with a critical eye.

• Is the information current?
• Are you using the latest tools in terms of promoting your brand?
• Is your content likely to pull in new traffic?
• Are you offering anything to keep your existing customers engaged – are you building brand loyalty?
• Does your content establish your authority or expertise in your field?
• Are your keywords still relevant with new search trends?

And while at it, consider the colors and layout of your website also. Much like Ethan Allen introduces new fabrics and designs for every season and Chanel and Dior launch their spring fashion, web designs should re-configure occasionally also. Colors preferences and aesthetic trends change. It may be well worth updating your color scheme  and font among other things. A refreshed web presence can be your kick-off for a stronger social media campaign.