By Jason Falls Since the launch of Exploring Social Media, I’ve had dozens of people ask me questions about where I’m going with this thing. It’s as if suddenly launching a product and being an entrepreneur outside of “just a consultant” suddenly means I’ve changed.
Sorry to disappoint, but I’m still the same guy. My goal is to help people understand the world of digital marketing, social media marketing and online communications a little better. Whether you’re trying to communicate with your kids (or grandkids) on Facebook or drive revenue for your business by connecting with customers online, I want to help those that don’t know much about it know more.
Social Media Explorer does that to a degree, but really serves as almost an independent analysis of the world of online communications. We’ve shifted (naturally at first, more purposefully of late) to be observers, commentors and analysts of this world. While we aren’t (yet) grounded in market research like an Altimeter Group or Forrester Research is with every insight they throw out there, we don’t hide that. These are mostly just our opinions. But they’re qualified ones.
Exploring Social Media offers the opportunity to talk to a more basic needs audience. We serve up 101 and 201 level content, then graduate folks along a path of elevating to the advanced topics. No, our learning there isn’t linear. Frankly, we’re as much a dive-in-ask-your-question-and-get-out site as we are a place where you go take lessons. But we focus on those that need building blocks first while serving the advanced learners at the same time.
There is no end game in this for me. My hope is that I’m running a successful learning resource at Exploring Social Media 10 years from now. By watching the industry, staying on top of the tools and platforms, learning from agency- and client-side marketers along the way and turning that knowledge and research into lessons for our members, we’re focused on being a reliable, consistent friend for those who need knowledge and ideas around the online communications space.
The industry will change. The tools will change. We’ll be there to explain it.
In the near future, you’ll see a couple of things from Exploring Social Media:
Events – Our “traveling road show” which is my nickname for the thing now will hit the ground this summer most likely. We want to serve folks face-to-face with good learning they can use for their business.
Website – A public-facing website that will house resources, research and even some free content to illustrate the value of our offerings.
Research and Reports – A hybrid offering of Exploring Social Media and Social Media Explorer, we are already working on our first in-depth report on a certain aspect of the online communications world. When we’re finished, it will certainly be a resource you’ll want to consider.
Affiliate Program – Perhaps the one thing I’ve been asked for the most and something we’re hoping to have available very soon. If you want to recommend ESM to others, we want to reward you for that. We’re working on it.
Down the road, I can see us building products and tools of our own. But let’s crawl before we walk.
In the meantime, we’re focusing our efforts on bridging the gap between the technology and social media it-getters and the rest of the world, which we estimate to be about 90 percent of it.
If you know someone, or you are someone, who needs help understanding some aspect of social media, digital marketing or online communications, come see the ESM offering. You can also jump through to a sneak peek section and see the type of content we’re offering with some free lessons.
And, as always, I’m easy to get hold of. If you have questions, all you have to do is ask.
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