Routes to fame and increasing your digital footprint
In1968 Andy Warhol offered to the world "that everyone would be world-famous for 15 minutes." Twitter has bought this bag up to date as we can now all be famous for 15kbites; but irrespective of views it is easier to understand Andy's sentiment now, than since it was said. Social networking has ensured that fame (assumes ongoing celebrity status) or notability/ notoriety (available to the remaining of us mere mortals) is now easier to achieve than ever before as we now have the ability to reach an audience with nothing more than home technology, free applications and a load of "luck."
The media controllers and middleman (scout, producer, promoter, agent mentor, editor and journalist) have been replaced in the route from obscurity to fame. Direct access is now possible through tweeter, email lists, blogging and posting. Whilst the old media was a craft and skill (bribery and corruption) the new is the wild west, any formula of shock, horror and dangerous is used for achieving your 15 minutes.
Worth reviewing if your interested in this pod cast from Harvard IdeaCast, they are looking at how long fame last for and how it has changed. In summary: it used to take a long time to get but would go quickly after death; now fast rise fast fall all before your 21st birthday.
The route open is a digital one and it does create a digital footprint - hence my interest, so what's been happening and what are the implications.
Social Networking platform to Television
The infamous story about unwanted guests at your party. Corey Worthington thought he would take advantage of his parents absence by inviting a few friends over for a get together. The problem was that his medium for such an invite was MySpace, which in turn was spread via SMS to more than 500 teenagers who stormed his parents home. The 'teen riot' didn't take long to attract television cameras and instant notoriety online and off.
YouTube to Television
TV producers have stopped asking you to send in funning things on video for us to laugh at, a world where you could control the source as it is now on YouTube posted by your friends. You don't even have to have been online to witness the video of a 30-something guy performing a hokey yet compelling dance in front of some of the world's most famous landmarks. Because since posting his video on YouTube, the traditional media has come a running to find out more about Matt Harding and his story. Truth is, there's not much more to the story than that, but it makes interesting viewing on demand - and now he's reaping the rewards including documentaries, TV ads and books, all spawned from the lark.
Blog to Twitter to Speaking
Melbourne photographer and 'Problogger' Darren Rowse is one of the more famous examples of a simple blog not only allowing him to make a living but create passive income streams from a combination of book sales, advertising and a consulting business. After starting out writing a blog about photography, the blog became so popular that he was soon in demand to write and speak on blogging itself, which in turn became bigger than his original raison d'être.
Television to YouTube to Twitter
There is no great example of the power of combining traditional with new media than Susan Boyle. As if television alone wasn't powerful enough, its combination with the power of social networking created what is likely to be the fastest rise to fame in history. Once the video of her maiden performance on Britain's Got Talent was posted on YouTube, the more immediate and viral Twitter and its ilk soon spread the word of the phenomenon. For the first time ever, the term 'overnight sensation' became a reality.
Twitter to Print
With frightening regularity (on a daily basis) the Independent print newspaper prints the best Tweets about stories and comments. Gone have the letter pages and editorial. Fast and furious is key
Mobile Phone to Television
Whilst some are trying to create disruption from user journalism and production, a lot of immediate news stories are now made up with poor video from a mobile phone. If your not there at the point when something happens your too late.
Blogger to Author
Check out Chris Anderson (wired) and author of the Long Tail and Free as an example of this method to right a book
Implications
Use it or lose it - Customers are a force to be reckoned with as they are individuals with a network and an opinion about your service or product. Their ability to spread the word is important. What you have to do is determine if this customer is an influencer or influenced. Least we forget that those who are already famous are using these same tools to further their reach and appeal ( Piers Morgan Vs Alan Sugar on twitter followers)