Entries tagged with “podcasts” from Tools of Change for Publishing

Web Publicity Grows Up, Learns the Value of Conversation

Mac Slocum
October 20, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Listen

Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, co-authors of the upcoming book Trust Agents, share a few ideas for drumming up pre-publication interest in a title. Some of their suggestions are straight from the Web publicity playbook (ebook previews, blogging during the writing process), but they're also exploring engagement through online events and workshops -- two things that usually happen after publication.

I hadn't considered this until reading Brogan's blog post, but many social media publicity techniques aren't particularly social. Podcasts, blog posts and Facebook groups are technologically progressive, but there's a significant difference between a publicity update and an open invitation.

Twitter serves as an example here: The best Twitter users engage their audience through curated links, retweets, commentary and discussion. This stands in contrast to the auto-generated Twitter blasts employed by many media organizations (they're easy to spot -- look for the abrupt truncations).

Brogan's post -- and efforts from people like Seth Godin -- show that Web-based publicity is following the same developmental trajectory as blogging (and Twitter, although it hasn't reached puberty just yet). The top-down messaging that marks the early days of a Web effort eventually matures into a two-way conversation -- and that's when things get interesting.

Related Stories:

• Web Publicity + Free = A Fighting Chance
• Index // mb: "Why Book Publishers Should Twitter"
• What Authors Can Learn from Silicon Valley
• Podcasts and Web Promotion Boost Authors

Podcasts and Web Promotion Boost Authors

Mac Slocum
April 9, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Listen

The San Francisco Chronicle profiles Scott Sigler and Seth Harwood, two authors who have used podcasting, free downloads, blogs and social media to develop audiences and attract attention from publishers. Sigler sees a connection between his efforts and public broadcasting:

Sigler ... likens his distribution method to that of public broadcasting, adding that giving away content pays off even if fewer than 10 percent of the samplers ultimately make a pledge.

Roundup: Green Books, Podcasts by Cellphone

Mac Slocum
March 18, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Listen

Eco-Friendly Children's Books
Simon & Schuster's Little Green Books children's line will be printed in soy ink and manufactured with recycled materials. Debuting this fall, book topics will focus on ways kids can help the environment.

Podcasts by Cell Phone
Silicon Alley Insider says the rise of all-you-can-talk mobile plans opens the door for podcasts and radio programs delivered through cell phones. Foneshow is already tapping the opportunity with its audio service (users subscribe to specific shows, just like traditional podcasting). This could be a new option for brand-conscious authors and publishers looking to expand their reach.