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| Six Apart Launch an Ad Network and New Services Posted: 21 Apr 2008 12:03 AM CDT
I’ve published the full press release below but tomorrow Six Apart are going public with some major developments. The main components of the announcements today: A New Ad Network - for ‘influential bloggers’ Six Apart will now offer a way to monetize their blogs. They’ve long been selling ads for their own services like Vox so it makes sense to extend this and do it for other ‘VIP’ blogs also. They’re doing so through a partnership with Adify on a revenue share basis with bloggers. The cool thing is that there’s no need to be on one of Six Apart’s platforms to join. New ‘Services’ - SA are also now offering to sell services to medium to large bloggers including the management of the back end of blogs, SEO, blog design and more. They are also offering consulting services for bloggers of all services. These ‘tune up’ services are available to TypePad bloggers. Alongside these developments there are a few new business units being announced today by Six Apart to run them. Full details of it all in the following press Release. Six Apart Press ReleaseSix Apart Launches New Services as Blogs and Social Media Go Mainstream New advertising service, acquisition of social media agency, and opening of New York office respond to growing need from customers and advertisers San Francisco, CA – April 21, 2008 - Six Apart, the world’s leading blogging software and services company, today announced that it is adding a host of social media services to its existing technology offering in response to the growth of blogging into a mainstream communications technology. The company will provide new advertising, design, implementation, development and site optimization services to bloggers and companies of all sizes. “Our customers have asked us for complete solutions as their blogging and social media efforts grow,” said Chris Alden, CEO of Six Apart. “We’re expanding our business so that our customers can benefit from our years of experience in this space. We can provide them not just with the technology but with the expertise and services to help them succeed.” To support this growth, Six Apart has acquired leading social media creative agency, Apperceptive, LLC., and established an office in New York City. Apperceptive has worked with Six Apart for the past two years providing cutting edge development and design to leading web properties that include Huffington Post, Washington Post, Gothamist, Serious Eats, Boing Boing, Major League Baseball, and more. The New York team, currently hiring, will play a significant role in the delivery of social media services to customers and advertisers. Advertising and VIP Services Six Apart’s new advertising services combine the depth of blogging with the breadth of social networks to create engaging, relevant online experiences that connect advertisers with influencers and their audiences. Six Apart is partnering with Adify, the premier technology and media company focused on vertical online advertising, to provide the advertising program to bloggers. In addition, the Six Apart VIP program will promote and support influential bloggers in building their audiences and visibility. Services for VIPs include blog assessment and optimization, design and template analysis, and educational services and webinars. Design, Development and Implementation Services Blog Optimization and Tune-up Services New Business Units Six Apart Services, led by Marissa Levinson and David Jacobs, will provide design and implementation services to large publishers and corporate customers. Any blogger can receive a blog tune up or power launch service from Six Apart’s professional support team. “By adding these services as we continue to invest in our core technologies, Six Apart is ideally positioned to capitalize on the rapid growth in the blogging market and provide complete solutions to our customers,” said Alden. About Six Apart Here are some examples: Since Six Apart powers the platform we have the ability to connect the bloggers and the advertiser in fresh, innovative ways no other network or digital media company can. We’ve been providing innovative campaigns to companies like HP, MSN and Universal Studios for the past two years and we’ve learned a lot about how to spark and sustain the conversations between marketers, bloggers, and their readers – in a way that puts the control in the hands of the consumers. Here are some custom examples http://www.livejournal.com/entertainment/ - You’ll see the MSN Brand integration underneath the LJ Editorial http://www.vox.com/politics/ - You’ll see the MSN Brand integration underneath the Vox Editorial http://community.livejournal.com/knockedupmovie/ - LJ Sponsored Community that was developed for the theatrical release and then revived for the DVD release. http://joydtaylor.vox.com/ - Vox Blog Themes that were developed for the HP campaign. Another aspect of the campaign that was remarkable, was on http://www.designtoinspirecontest.com/ Over 330 users submitted designs that they created both to share with others and to enter the contest. The designs were placed in a gallery for users to vote on. |
| What Are YOU About? [Choosing a Topic for Your Blog] Posted: 20 Apr 2008 09:32 AM CDT I was reading through an old notebook last week and came across a quote that leapt out from the page at me. It was partly because it was written in CAPITALS and had arrows pointing at it - but partly because of what it said. “Probably the best place to start thinking about what your blog should be about is to consider what YOU are about.” I’m not sure where I picked this one up. I actually think that it was a friend who doesn’t even blog who said it to me. The reason it stands out to me is that it rings true from my own personal experience of blogging. I’ve had more blogs than I can remember but it is only those on topics that reflected something of my own passions, loves and interests that I continue to blog. It’s also those blogs that remain profitable. The temptation is to pick topics based upon profitability first and foremost - however this has a couple of main problems associated with it: 1. passion shines through - you might be an incredibly skillful writer but blog readers are a pretty clued in bunch and if you don’t have energy for your topic it’s likely to be picked up. You might fool them for a post or two - but over the weeks, months and years if you don’t have an interest in your topic you’re not likely to attract those that do. 2. sustainability - the other main problem with blogging on a blog that you have little interest or passion for is that it is incredibly difficult to sustain for the long haul. I’ve tried it and rarely lasted longer than a month or two on a topic that I didn’t enjoy. I probably could have gone longer but in the end realized that even if I’d been able to grow a readership on those topics that it would have been a rather empty experience of blogging and that I’d have likely given up at some point or another. While if your goal is to make money blogging you do need to analyze your topic for its potential profitability I wouldn’t start with that. As I encouraged students in Six Figure Blogging this week - look at yourself and your own experience. A few questions to ask:
Once you’ve come up with a list of topics that reflect YOU it’s then possible to begin to refine them by looking at other factors including profitability. |
Tomorrow Six Apart will launch a new ad network, the acquisition of a social media agency and new ’services’. | You are subscribed to email updates from ProBlogger Blog Tips To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email Delivery powered by FeedBurner |
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